Collecting Model Cars

Archive for 2009

Plymouth Barracuda

Manufactured by Chrysler from 1964 through 1974 the Plymouth Barracuda was a 2 door. The first generation based on the Plymouth Valiant came out as a fastback coupe. The fastback had wraparound glass in the rear, with a very distinctive look. The fastback produced by Chrysler was available from 1964 to 1966.

Still based on the Plymouth Valiant the second generation came out in 1967. The Plymouth Barracuda underwent a very significant redesign and became available in a convertible, notchback and traditional fastback.

In the next generation 1970 through 1974 Chrysler produced an E- body for both the coupe and the convertible.

The “pony car” automotive trends of the 60s had all the car manufactures hopping to get the bigger share of the market. The Plymouth Barracuda beat the Mustang to market by two full weeks on April first 1964.

In search for a new car name the Plymouth exec’s wanted the new car to be named “Panda”. The car’s designers though this was silly. But a John Samsen suggested the name “Barracuda” which caught on and was selected.

Power options were identical to the Valiant's, including two versions of Chrysler's slant-6 engine. The standard-equipment engine had a displacement of 170 cu in and an output of 101 hp; the 225 cu in option raised the power output to 145 hp for a little more pep.

A sportier power option for 1964 was Chrysler's all-new 273 cu in V8. A relatively light engine equipped with a 2-barrel carburetor, it produced 180 hp. The Barracuda at $2,512 base price was a great car.

The 273 was replaced by the 318 cu in V8 engine as the smallest V8 available, and the new 340 cu in V8 with a 4bbl was released. The 383 Super Commando engine was upgraded with the intake manifold, camshaft, and cylinder heads from the RoadRunner and Super Bee. The hp was limited to 300 hp because of the more restrictive exhaust manifolds specific to the A-body cars.

Chrysler for 1968 made approximately 50 fastback Barracudas equipped with the 426 cu in V8 Hemi for Super Stock drag racing. The Super Stock cars were assembled by Hurst Performance and featured fiberglass front fenders, and hood with scoop, lightweight seats, and sound deadener and other street equipment such as rear seats left out. All 50 included a sticker that indicated that the car was not for use on public roads. These cars could run the quarter in the mid 10s.

We have located a number of Plymouth Barracudas models from some of the top listings to add to your collections.

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Shelby Cobra

The AC Cobra birth was a British built and designed sports car that was produced during the 1960s.

AC Cars began with the Bristol straight 6 motor in it 2-seater roadster. In 1961 Bristol dropped the engine from production. AC selected the 2.6 L Ford Zephyr for its cars. Carroll Shelby in 1961 sent a letter to AC to request a car modified to handle a V8 motor. AC like the idea and agreed, if the right motor could be found.

Shelby went first the Chevrolet to get a V8, but they said no for fear of competition for their Corvette. Ford on the other hand was looking for a car to compete with the Corvette was happy to join in the endeavor.

Cobra Mark I was born the first 75 including the prototype were joined with the 260 4.2 L motor. 51 more Mark I models got the fire breather Windsor Ford 289 cu 4.7 L V8. A front end design change by AC’s chief engineer Alan Turner added Rack and Pinion steering with transverse leaf springs. The new Mark II went into production in 1963 with the steering rack from the MGB and the steering column from the VW Beetle. 528 Mark II Cobras came to lift by the summer of 1965.

The new Mark III was designed in cooperation with Ford in Detroit. A whole new chassis was built which featured 4" main chassis tubes (instead of 3") and coil spring suspension all around. The new car also had wide fenders and a larger radiator opening. It was powered by the famed "side oiler" Ford 427 V8 7.0 L breathing 425 bhp and reaching top speeds of 163 mph for the standard model. And in the performance option 485 bhp with a top speed of 180 mph for the competition model.

The production of the Cobra Mark III began on 1 January 1965, two prototypes had been sent to the United States in October of 1964. Cars would be finished in Shelby's workshop. In fact to save cost, most AC Cobra 427's were actually fitted with Ford's 428 in³ (7.0 L) engine, a long stroke, smaller bore, lower cost engine, intended for road use rather than racing. It seems that a total of 300 Mark III cars were sent to Shelby in the USA during the years 1965 and 1966, including the competition version. 31 unsold competition cars were detuned and made road worthy and called S/C for semi-competition. Today, these are the rarest and the most valuable models and can sell for in excess of 1.5 million dollars.

Model collectors love the Mark III Shelby Cobra’s and we have located some of the top models to add to your collections.

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Volkswagen Beetle

The Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle built by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 to 2003. The auto maker did not start using the name Beetle until August of 1967 in its marketing.

Great Britain never used the Beetle name officially. In Britain it was known as “Type I or the 1100, 1200, 1300, 1500 and the 1600. These were the names used for the European markets; the number referred to engine size in cubic centimeters.

In European markets the VW Beetle was more comfortable than most of the European small cars. It was also the most produced and longest-running car design. The Volkswagen was a top seller in the US for years, until the front-wheel drive cars were refined enough to replace the Beetle. But the (V-Dub) or Crunch Buggies Beetle as known in the US was well loved for many years after they stopped selling them.

The VW Beetle was a benchmark for other generations of American compact cars. Subcompacts like the Chevrolet Corvair and Vega including the Ford Pinto. The VW Beetle was billed as the most influential car of the twentieth century.

Ferdinand Porsche got orders from Adolf Hitler to develop the “Volks-Wagen” which means the “people’s car” in German. The order was for a car that could transport two adults and three children at 62 mph. The plan was to provide the “people’s car” to citizens of the Third Reich through a scheme to save money.

The Volkswagen's have quite a history of how it saved after the war that is very interesting. It played such a big part in American car history the site would not be complete without some of the top models of the Beetles for collectors.

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Ford Torino

The Ford Torino produced by Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. Fords plan was to have an upscale version of the Ford Fairlane, which Ford produced between 1962 and 1970.

After 1968 the Fairlane name was kept for the base models with lower grade of trim. Making the Torino the upscale higher grade trim. By 1971 the Fairlane name was dropped altogether and all Ford intermediates were called Torino’s.

Torino is Italian name for the city of Turin, which is considered the Detroit of Italy. This name came up as one of several originally proposed for the Ford Mustang while in development.

Most Ford Torinos were conventional cars, and generally the most popular models were the 4-door sedans and 4-door hardtops.

Ford not wanting to be shown up by Chevrolet and Chrysler produced some high performance versions of the Torino by fitting them with large powerful engines, such as the 428 cu in and 429 cu in "Cobra-Jet" engines.

These cars were classified as muscle cars. The Torino was selected as the base for its NASCAR entrants, and it has a highly successful racing heritage.

Models being produced between 1968 and 1976 have made some very collectable Torinos to add to your collections. See some of the top listing to add to your collections.

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The Pontiac Firebird

We have four generations of the Pontiac Firebird built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as its cousin, the Chevrolet Camaro. This happened to provide good competition with the release of the 1967 Mercury Cougar, a cousin with another pony car, the Ford Mustang.

The Pontiac Firebirds were, for the most part, powered by various V8 engines of different GM divisions. They were mostly Pontiac-powered until 1977. Pontiac Firebirds were powered with several different engines from most all of the GM division until 1982 when all Pontiac engines were dropped in favor of corporate units.
First Generation Pontiac Firebirds (1967–1969)

In the first generation of the Pontiac Firebirds they had what was referred to “coke bottle” styling. The bumpers were integrated into the design of both front and rear. The “slit” tail lights inspired by the Pontiac GTO all served to make is different than its cousin the Chevrolet Camaro. The Firebirds were produced in a convertible and the hardtop coupe. Pontiac wanted the Firebird to be a two-seat sports car based on their concept car the Banshee. GM shot this idea down not wanting any competition for the Corvette.

With some disappointment at management's decision, Pontiac went about re-making the F-body in their image with both styling and engineering changes.

The Firebirds styling difference from the 1967 to the 1968 model was adding the Federally-mandated side marker lights. The front of the car and the blinkers were made larger and extended to wrap around the front, and on the rear, the Pontiac (V-shaped) Arrowhead logo was added to each side.

Pontiac stopped using wing vent windows and started using single panes on the doors. The 1969 model with a major facelift came with a new front end design made of an Endura bumper housing the headlights and grilles. In the cabin there was a revised instrument panel and steering wheel. The ignition switch was moved from the dashboard to the steering column with the introduction of GM's new locking ignition switch/steering wheel.

To date the Pontiac Firebird power options have been interesting. From the first inline 6 cylinder all the way to the famous 400 CID (6.6 L) V8 the power options provided some rubber burning excitement over the years.

Model manufactures over the years have produced many different Firebirds to add to your collections. Indy pace cars to the famous Smokey and Bandit Firebird Tran-Am will make nice additions to any collection.

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Chevrolet Chevelle

The Chevrolet Chevelle was a mid-sized car from Chevrolet introduced in 1964. Chevelle’s were produced from 1964 to 1977 and was a very successful line for GM.

The Chevelle models ranged from the family cars to the more powerful coupes and convertibles.

Chevrolet plan to compete with the Ford Fairlane line with the Chevelle. The main idea was to bring back the car concept to the popular 55 through 57 model lines.

Chevelle came in a four-door hardtop, called a Sport Sedan and were available from 1966 through 1972.

The two-door station was available in 1964 and 1965 in the 300 series a bottom of the line version.

The station wagons were sold with what was billed as exclusive nameplates: Nomad, Nomad Custom, Greenbrier, Concours, and Concours Estate.

Chevrolet’s entry into the muscle car market began with the Chevelle SS. Beginning in 64 and 65 the Chevelles got a Malibu Badge on the rear quarter panel.

This is the most sought after Badge today on the models and real cars. The famous Z16 option Malibu SS396 of which there were only 201 produced. The Malibu SS badge went away after 65 and some were still sold in Canada.

Beginning in 66 the Chevelle SS396 a very high performance with its own line of high power engines and performance equipment in power ranges from 325 all the way to 375 hp.

These Chevelle’s make a great addition to vintage model car collections because some of them are very rare.

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