Tony Vincent, of Buena Park, California has a niche for the 1967 Plymouth Barracuda convertible. In fact, he’s owned one for the last forty years. This particular Barracuda was originally finished in white with red interior, and has been restored in its original colors. “I found the car at a consignment dealer,” recalls Tony. “At the time, I really wanted a Mustang, which they had available. They wanted $5,500 for it, but the car was in rough shape. At the top of a hill on the property, I saw this white Barracuda convertible. The car was in good shape, and they wanted $2,400 for it. I offered to test drive the car, and fell in love with it. I bought the car, and gave it to my son Dean when he turned 16,” he added.

Some time later, Dean wanted to sell the car, and his father, Tony, wound up taking the car back. Dean regretted selling the Barracuda to his father, and tried to buy it back to no avail. The reason being was that when Dean drove it to school, he and his football buddies wound up trashing the car, and damaged one of the interior panels. Instead, Tony found another 1967 Barracuda for $1,800, but this car had a Slant-6 in it. While attending a Tuesday night car show at Frisco’s Car Hop Diner, Tony met met Carlos Gomez, who was interested in the Barracuda with the Slant-6. Tony opted to sell the car for less money if Carlos threw in a larger 340 cubic-inch V8 for his convertible. A deal was made, and the motor was Tony’s.

After watching a similar car cross the block at a Mecum auction, Tony decided to restore the Barracuda. Little did he know, that restoring a classic car is not for the faint at heart, so he enlisted the help of Carlos Gomez to finish the job. The original 14-inch wheels were replaced with larger 15-inch wheels. Disc brakes were added to the front. A larger radiator was installed. An 8¾ in rear end, just like what was on the 340 cars, was added. The engine was treated to 340 connecting rods with forged pistons, and a 318 truck crank. The engine was topped with a Holley four-barrel carburetor. As another added bonus, the car also has the Mopar manual steering. Also included with the car is the original Chrysler Certicard, which is rare for a Mopar. This helps prove the car’s authenticity.

After restoration, Tony would drive the car on trips to Lake Tahoe and to San Diego. He also takes it to shows, and drives the car on weekends. Currently, Tony is looking for new parts, and wants to re-restore the car to top-notch condition, with the exception of everything that was added during the first restoration. There aren’t too many 1967 Barracuda convertibles out there, so Tony’s car is a rarity. You can see him driving around Huntington Beach, and this ‘Cuda is a definite head-turner!

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