For years, Michele Mayr had been relegated to navigator duty. And while sitting in the passenger seat of a beautiful Pontiac GTO would be enough to make any car enthusiast happy, deep inside the inner workings of her mind, Mayr was plotting her way into the driver seat. When she approached her husband about buying a Plymouth Barracuda, he was open to the idea. The problem was, the car she was secretly pining for was a difficult find and a collector’s dream. But they put out feelers among fellow enthusiasts, hoping to get a lead.
As luck would have it, a family friend and Mopar enthusiast called Mayr to inform her that he had a Barracuda for sale. Mayr took one look at the car and bought it on the spot. This 1971 ‘Cuda became the first car she ever owned.
The Mayrs began the restoration as soon as they brought the car home. The first project was to sand down the original paint to bare metal. The stripping revealed that the car’s structure was solid and the body had all of its original sheet metal. Nothing egregious was hiding under the skin except for a hairline crack across the front grille and a small hole in the trunk. As the project progressed, the body was reinforced and the imperfections were patched up.
| Specs box |
| » Engine: 440 cubic inch, date-coded V-8 |
| » Performance: TCI transmission with shift kit, fast fuel injection, Jet Hot headers, dual exhaust with factory boxed tips, Dynamics converter |
| » Paint: Vitamin C Orange with black “440” billboards |
| » Wheels: Qualifier wheels and tires |
| » Exterior: Original sport hood |
| » Interior: Center console with B&M shifter, custom dash with Auto Meter gauges, custom steering column, Billet Specialty steering wheel, front bucket seats with original pattern |
“The biggest challenge in restoring the car was locating original parts,” said Mayr.
That was because this particular ’71 ‘Cuda was loaded with limited-edition, one-year-only options that made finding replacement parts more difficult than the restoration itself. The ‘Cuda also featured 22 factory options.
It took about seven years to get the car into the shape it is in today. Mayr is happy with the result and expects to keep the car as long as she can.
What do you drive? I drive a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda.
Why do you drive it? After driving around for a couple of years as a passenger in my husband’s Pontiac GTO, I decided I wanted my own muscle car.
What makes this car so special? The ‘Cuda is my all-time favorite muscle car due to the movie “Phantasm.” That movie inspired me to seek out and search for the ’71 ‘Cuda. It is one of 200 factory billboard cars. I love the body lines and the front grille on this car. When I found out how rare this car was, I abandoned hope of ever finding one.
What is your most memorable driving experience? When I drove the car around in Ocean City, Md., for the spring car show. It was the first time I was able to cruise my own muscle car around and show off the restoration.
What was the first car you owned? This is the first car I’ve owned.
What music are you currently listening to in your car? When I am cruising in my car, I like to listen to ’80s rock ‘n’ roll songs.
And your first ticket? What was it for? I have not gotten a ticket in the ‘Cuda as of now. I’ve probably jinxed myself.
Got a custom car you want to show off? Email [email protected]
