One of the more interesting auto web sites out there is Speedhunters. They have insight to many different facets of the automotive world, but their specialty is Australasian car culture, with visits to places like Japan and New Zealand. They are deep into the JDM culture, and not so much the Fast and the Furious version, but more along the lines of Initial D and Wangan Midnight anime.
Japan has a car culture all to their own, including the infamous Mid Night Racing Club. American vehicles are present, but are uniquely modified to fit Japanese tastes. We’ve shown you the dajiban style Dodge Vans that are modified into track runners, but this time around, we’re going to skip the traditional Japanese weirdness and go straight to the automotive equivalent of a Kobe steak. It’s a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda. Not ‘Cuda. Not 440-6. Not Hemi. Just a blue Barracuda, sitting on Watanabe wheels and Hoosier slicks. It’s got some rough spots, but it isn’t a field-find beater. It’s got a small-block Mopar under the hood, and a Shaker scoop as one of two tasteful touches of outside gingerbread (the Go Wing out back being the other piece). There’s a four-speed with the Pistol Grip shifter, a race bucket on one side and a stock bucket on the other. There’s no backseat, no pretentiousness that is found with many ‘Cuda owners here in the states. It’s just a fun car that gets used.
Check out Mike Garrett’s writeup on the Plymouth HERE.
Now I want some Watanabe wheels for my Dart.
Coincidentally enough, Mike Garrett, the author of that article, is building a Dart in this style
I’ve said it before, but not only are the Japanese creators of their own style, they can master just about everyone else’s too.
Wonder if he is still using the torsion bar suspension?
Looks like a “Gran Coupe” emblem on the side…included stuff like a one-piece headliner and overhead idiot lights. Fancier than a base Barracuda, not quite a ‘Cuda. My first Mopar…sniff…
Like the cougar as well