Gallery: One-of-None 1964 Plymouth Barracuda Wagon

There is no doubt you are trying to figure out the Barracuda wagon that accompanies the story, and you are thinking, “Wait a minute, Chrysler never built a Barracuda two-door hardtop wagon.” To make things even more puzzling, the car wears Dodge Dart taillights. What exactly is going on here?

To answer that, we need a short history lesson on Canadian Valiants. Unlike in the U.S., where the Valiant was strictly a Plymouth, Chrysler Canada sold the Valiant as its own standalone brand, available at both Dodge and Plymouth dealers.

Canada’s smaller market supported two dealer networks, Chrysler-Plymouth-Fargo and DeSoto-Dodge. The Valiant line remained a separate brand in Canada because of the limited locations of dealerships in Canada. By offering the Valiant across both chains, Chrysler gave Dodge dealers access to a compact while keeping overall volumes manageable.

Canadian Valiants were unique hybrids. Chrysler often combined a Plymouth front end with a Dodge body, creating cars you could not buy in the States. This approach was driven by Canada’s high tariffs on U.S.-built vehicles. To avoid those costs, Chrysler of Canada blended Dodge and Plymouth components into models produced domestically.

That practice continued until the 1965 Auto Pact, signed by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson and President Lyndon B. Johnson, which allowed freer trade in autos and parts between the U.S. and Canada. The pact improved efficiency, lowered prices, and gradually eliminated the need for such brand-blending.

Enter Dave Howard of Tillsonburg, Ontario. “This is the car Chrysler should have built,” he says. Dave always believed the company missed an opportunity by not producing a sporty two-door wagon, something in the vein of a Chevy Nomad or Ford Falcon wagon, perfect for surfboards and road trips.

The Valiant line only offered four-door wagons, so Dave decided if he could not buy one, he would build one. His goal was authenticity, something that looked like it had rolled straight off Chrysler’s assembly line.

Armed with sketches and years of A-body experience, Dave took measurements between his two-door Barracuda and a four-door Valiant wagon. Both shared the same 106.5-inch wheelbase, and the distance from A-pillar to C-pillar was identical. That discovery gave him the green light.

In 2004, Dave sourced a 1964 Valiant four-door wagon body out of Alberta, one of 1,606 built in Windsor, Ontario. The transformation began by removing the B-pillar and ditching the rear doors. Barracuda front doors were installed, NOS wagon quarter panels hung, and a B-pillar from a ’66 Valiant two-door hardtop grafted in.

Because the four-door’s glass and hardware would not work, Dave tracked down two-door quarter glass, regulators, and trim from an Arizona wrecking yard, along with a hood and fenders. The tailgate came from Texas, the doors, from Ontario.

The car went on a rotisserie for the long process of metalwork and assembly. After setbacks at one shop, Dave moved the project to Keith Steingart’s shop in Port Elgin, Ontario, where the bodywork and paint were completed. The final color: 2002 Chrysler Prowler Orange.

Finished in 2011, the wagon debuted at Moparfest Canada, drawing such crowds you could barely get near it. In 2013, it went to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where collector Steven Juliano awarded it Celebrity Choice, a high honor.

Under the hood, Dave stayed true to his love of Chrysler’s slant six. The engine was bored .040-over to 229 cubic inches with 9.1:1 compression, fitted with Stellite-faced valves and hardened seats for unleaded fuel. Dave assembled it himself, with help from friend Tom Fenton, who did the break-in and tuning.

The build includes a Comp cam, Offenhauser intake, Edelbrock 500 cfm AVS carb, Clifford headers, and 2½-inch stainless exhaust with an original-style resonator. Output is estimated at 200 hp, and the reliable slant six still delivers 25 mpg. Power runs through an A833 four-speed and 8¾ rear with 2.76 gears, perfect for highway cruising.

Period-correct touches abound: Cragar SS 14-inch wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich Radial T/As, Kelsey-Hayes front discs with 10-inch rear drums, and a ’64 Barracuda interior with bucket seats, door panels, and dyed rear bench. Air conditioning and a Hurst shifter add comfort and fun, while the fit and finish make it look factory built.

Dave achieved precisely what he set out to do: create a Barracuda two-door sport wagon so convincing that people swear they remember them from the showroom. He smiles when they say so, knowing he has the only one. Mission accomplished.

 

Dave Dieks
Dave Dieks
With 34 years of expertise in car production and quality control, Dieks knowledge of vehicle construction is extensive. For the last four years, he has contributed to Chrysler Power Magazine and received an invitation to collaborate with Retro Trucks Magazine, a sister publication. Additionally, Dieks has been a regular contributor to Canada's Old Autos newspaper.

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