It's one thing to find a cool...
It's one thing to find a cool Mopar and score a deal on it, and in terms of A-Bodies, they don't come much cooler than a big-block, '69 Formula S Barracuda. This month we'll tell you how Jamie Larson of Clearlake, California, found this Plymouth and what it took to take it home.
Jamie Larson has always loved Mopars, and like most of us he's always searching the backroads and barns for a hidden treasure of his own. In 1996, after seeing what appeared to be an A-Body Barracuda sitting on a trailer under a lean-to in a backyard, he stopped to ask the owner of the car if it was for sale. After learning that the owner had just given the car to his son who was in the service, Jamie considered the lead to be a dead end, so he politely said good bye and went home discouraged.
A couple of years went by, and then by coincidence, Jamie discovered that his wife Kelly worked at the same place as the car's original owner. So Jamie asked her to bring the car up in conversation and find out a little more about it. The gentleman claimed that his son was in the service and still hadn't done anything with the car, and it was still sitting on the trailer. Further, Kelly found out that the car was a big-block Formula S model, making it very rare and collectable. Once she relayed all of the info to Jamie, he knew he wanted to own the Barracuda.
The body of this Plymouth...
The body of this Plymouth is exceptionally clean with no apparent rust and will just need minor work to be ready for paint. Jamie plans a full restoration but for now will just fix the car up and drive it some.
Having already waited a considerable amount of time, knowing about the car since 1996, Jamie respectfully waited even longer, until 2010, before contacting the owner again. Though still not sure he wanted to sell, the owner said that Jamie could make him an offer, but that if it was just going to be $500 he'd keep the car. Knowing the value of the Plymouth, Jamie didn't want to insult the man, offering ten times the suggested price. With a firm offer of $5,000, the owner was definitely interested but forced Jamie to wait even longer while he decided if he'd take the offer.
After waiting the longest five days of his life, Jamie finally got the call that the car was his, enlisting his daughter and her husband Brenda and Jimmy Shankles to tow the car home with their trailer. Once home, Jamie found the A-Body to be in exceptional condition, even firing up and running well enough to get sideways in first gear on 14-year-old fuel! As a 383-equipped four-speed car, this is definitely a rare fish, so Jamie and his family plan a full restoration. Initially, however, the Barracuda will be made mechanically sound and will get some road time while awaiting its restoration and possible installation of a 496-inch stroker motor. We congratulate Jamie for finding and purchasing this rare car and thank him for sharing his hidden treasure with us.
The real bonus of this find...
The real bonus of this find was discovering the 383 big-block under the hood. Plymouth didn't make many Barracudas with this combination, making the car an even more unique and valuable collectable.
Being fans of the A-body Barracuda,...
Being fans of the A-body Barracuda, we're a little jealous of Jamie's cool find. We're sure he'll have fun driving this Mopar and look forward to seeing the Formula S once he's finished with it. Let Jamie's experience serve as a lesson: Persistence definitely pays off when you're trying to score a deal on a Mopar hidden treasure!
Finding a Plymouth Barracuda...
Finding a Plymouth Barracuda these days is rare, but finding a Formula S model is even more exciting. Jamie Larson was after this one for some 15 years before finally scoring a deal on it and bringing it home.
The interior of the Barracuda...
The interior of the Barracuda is mostly original and intact, and showing minimal wear considering its age. The dash itself is nearly perfect, even housing a factory tachometer!