The Barracuda
Some projects are about the destination. This one is about the rebuild.
The Barracuda is a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda — a first-generation Barracuda with a 318 V8, rescued after years of sitting still and now being restored to the road, one part at a time.
It is not a trailer queen. It is not a museum piece. It is a working car, being brought back by hand, in public, with all the mistakes and lessons that come with it.
THE CAR
1968 Plymouth Barracuda. First generation, fastback styling, 318 cubic-inch V8. A car from the era when American muscle was still finding its shape — and a car that has waited a long time to run again.
When I found it, it had been sitting for years. Not running. Not pretty. But solid where it counted, and worth saving.
THE RESTORATION
The restoration is happening the same way the rebuild happened: one step at a time, learning as I go, and documenting the process.
Mechanical first: getting the engine running reliably, brakes and suspension sorted, and the car safe on the road. Then the body: rust repair, paint, and trim. Then the details that make it a Barracuda again.
There is no deadline and no budget for perfection. There is a car, a garage, and the decision to keep moving.
WHY A BARRACUDA?
Because it is the right car for this story. A Barracuda is not the most famous muscle car, and it is not the most valuable. It is the one that got overlooked, left sitting, and written off — and that is exactly the point.
Restoring it is not about the car. It is about proving that something left for dead can run again, if you are willing to do the work.
THE METAPHOR
Every restoration is a rebuild in miniature. You assess what is solid and what is rust. You replace what cannot be saved. You keep what is worth keeping. You do the unglamorous work first, and you do not skip steps.
That is the whole philosophy, in a garage: Refuse to Rust.
WHAT IS NEXT
The build continues — engine work, bodywork, and the first real drives. Progress updates appear in the Anti-Rust List, on the blog, and in the Rust or Rebuild podcast.
Follow the Build
Join the Anti-Rust List for Barracuda build updates, photos, and the lessons each stage of the restoration teaches about rebuilding anything.