There was a time when an E-body Mopar didn’t cost as much as a house.
That was in 1980 when Vernon Weibe bought a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda and gave it to his daughter to drive it for a few years.
Jerry Sutherland
The story began when the Barracuda was purchased in Ontario, Canada and then migrated to Calgary, Alberta. Vernon said “an older guy bought it then never drove it, so it sat for five years “. Vernon first saw the car in 1975–and then it was gone.
A few years later Vernon got a call from a friend who told him he had the Barracuda and if Vernon wanted it—it was his. Vernon jumped at the opportunity and became the proud new owner of an E-Body Mopar.
Vernon admitted he “wasn’t a Mopar guy”, but when he saw how the 413-426 Wedge and 426 Hemis dominated at the track, he became an instant fan.
The Barracuda’s original 318 was long gone and replaced with a 340 six-pack with headers and no mufflers–Vernon’s daughter drove a noisy track star for two years and loved every minute of it. Now the 340 is backed off to a conventional 4-barrel.
The car went into a lengthy hibernation before Vernon decided to bring it back to life in 2015. Vernon emphasized this was a partnership with his wife Sharon because he knew it was going to be a lengthy—and costly process.
The original plan was to use a local guy to rebuild the car, but unfortunately, he died early in the process, so Vernon had to come up with Plan B.
Vernon used to own a metal shop, and he did some business with a restoration shop over the years, so he approached them about continuing the project. He knew this was going to be a long and costly process, so Vernon did it over several years to work within a budget.
This project “took a lot of metal” in Vernon’s opinion, because the car needed everything from full quarters to fenders. The Barracuda was a major rebuild because it came from Ontario originally—a region notorious for rust worms.
Vernon added some things to his ‘cuda—now it has power steering, discs all around, a rear spoiler, and aftermarket air conditioning because he and Sharon like the extra comfort on the road. The car also has BMW seats to add to that comfort level.
There are also 50s-era Chrysler wheels on the Barracuda now because Vernon liked the look.
Vernon has had a few health issues, but now he’s looking forward to some quality time behind the wheel of the ‘cuda. The 340 was rebuilt recently, so it’s still in the break-in period, but Vernon said, “It just keeps running better and better every time”.
He described the completed project as “a new car”, because everything under the skin—and the skin itself–is brand new. Vernon said he likes everything about his car from the styling to the power and it’s at the perfect state for him.
This 1970 Barracuda has come a long way from 1975 when Vernon first saw it—he was the perfect owner.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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