1966 · Plymouth · United States
One Fastback, Two Ledgers
The last glassback-era year: one fastback body, the 273 Commando as the top engine, and production that fell to 38,029.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
The 1966 Barracuda remained a single two-door fastback on the Valiant-based 106-inch platform, offered with the 225 six, the 273 two-barrel V8, and the 235-hp 273 Commando four-barrel. Most references, including Hyde and Flory, print 38,029 for the year, while Sessler's production table instead gives 36,181; this record leads with 38,029 and shows the Sessler lineage beside it rather than choosing between them outright. Fees additionally states that 21,523 of the 38,029 were V8s, a split that does not match Sessler's own six/V8 breakdown of 10,645 and 25,536 out of his smaller 36,181 total, so the two reference lineages disagree on the six/V8 split as well as on the total itself.1,2,3,4,5
The Commando four-barrel, priced at $97 as an option and standard with Formula S, was not available on station wagons per the AMA specification sheet, though the Barracuda itself was sold only as the fastback, so that restriction speaks to the Valiant-based model line more broadly rather than to any Barracuda-specific limitation. The four-speed manual carried a $179 charge with the V8 and, per Over-Drive, an $86 charge with the six, but the AMA sheet lists the four-speed as not available at all on the six-cylinder BV1 model, leaving those two sources in tension over whether a four-speed six-cylinder Barracuda could actually be ordered for 1966. The three-speed manual remained standard, and TorqueFlite automatic ran $172 with the six and $181 with the V8.1,6
Formula S buyers again got the Performance Group for $156, and power front disc brakes, new for the year at $82, joined power steering at $80 and power drum brakes at $42 on the options sheet. Air conditioning, at $319, was not available with the 170 engine or with the 273 paired to the standard three-speed manual, per the factory brochure. Racing stripes came in six colors, white, black, Citron Gold Metallic, Dark Blue Metallic, Bronze Metallic, and Bright Red, for $31, and a center console for automatic or four-speed cars was new for 1966, alongside a factory-installed trailer-towing package and a vinyl roof covering among the smaller options.1
AMA-published weights split the Barracuda at 2,920 lb curb weight with the six and 3,065 lb with the V8, with shipping weights of 2,800 lb and 2,930 lb respectively. Standard axle ratio ran 3.23 with the six and manual transmission, 2.93 with the V8 on the three-speed or automatic, and 3.23 with the V8 four-speed. Sessler's serial-number decoding gives the Barracuda's 1966 VIN prefix as BP29B62100001, reading B for the car line, P for the premium price class, and 29 for the two-door sports hardtop body type, while the AMA sheet separately lists the same car under model designations BV1-P-29 for the six and BV2-P-29 for the V8 within the shared Valiant, Signet, and Barracuda specification document.6,5
One further base-price claim, $2,556 for the six-cylinder car with a $16 electric clock option, was found only on a single uncited secondary website and is carried as an unpublished lead rather than a tabulated price, since no 1966 factory price list, AMA price page, or readable period road-test price panel could be located to confirm it; the Car and Driver Formula S test from June 1966 exists only as a scan that could not be read for its own price figures. No period-test performance figures for the 1966 Barracuda survive in the sources consulted, leaving production, the engine and transmission lineup, options, colors, weights, and identification as the whole of what this record can document for the last glassback-era year.1
Fact sheet · 1966 · United States
The numbers
1966 Plymouth Barracuda — The last glassback-era year: one fastback body, the 273 Commando as the top engine, and production that fell to 38,029.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| All 1966 Barracudas2,3,7,4 fastback (sports hardtop) · not stated | 38,029 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| All 1966 Barracudas (Sessler)5 fastback · not stated | 36,181 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 Barracuda V8s4 fastback · V8 · not stated | 21,523 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Six-cylinder (Sessler)5 fastback · 6-cyl · not stated | 10,645 | built, model-year | Reported |
| V8 (Sessler)5 fastback · 8-cyl · not stated Fees gives 21,523 V8s in a 38,029 total; the two lineages disagree on the six/V8 split as well as the total. | 25,536 | built, model-year | Disputed |
Rows are separately scoped; do not add them.
Over-Drive's linked '1966' production table repeats its 1965 table exactly and is not used.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 225 Six1 225 cu in · 1-barrel | 145 hp @ 4,000, 215 lb-ft @ 2,400 (as listed by Over-Drive (standard not stated)) | standard | Not yet sourced |
| 273 V8 2-bbl1 273 cu in · 2-barrel | 180 hp @ 4,200, 260 lb-ft @ 1,600 (as listed by Over-Drive (standard not stated)) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| 273 Commando V8 4-bbl1,6 273 cu in · 4-barrel | 235 hp @ 5,200 (as listed by Over-Drive (standard not stated)); 235 hp @ 5,200, 280 lb-ft @ 4,000 (AMA 'publishing' maximum bhp and torque, corrected to 60 F and 29.92 in Hg (gross); 10.5:1 compression) | optional ($97 as listed); standard with Formula S; not available on station wagons (AMA) | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 4-speed manual1,6 | optional ($179 with V8; Over-Drive also lists $86 with the six); AMA lists the 4-speed as not available on six-cylinder (BV1) models | Not yet sourced |
| 3-speed manual6 | standard | Not yet sourced |
| TorqueFlite automatic1 | optional ($172 six, $181 V8) | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Formula S Performance Group1 | $156 | Not yet sourced |
|
Power front disc brakes1 | $82 | Not yet sourced |
|
Air conditioning1,6 | $319 | Not yet sourced |
|
Barracuda racing stripes (white, black, Citron Gold Metallic, Dark Blue Metallic, Bronze Metallic, Bright Red)1 | $31 | Not yet sourced |
|
Basic Group: left outside mirror, windshield washer, variable-speed wipers, radio1 | $84 | Not yet sourced |
|
Sport Group: simulated wood-grain three-spoke steering wheel, bolt-on-design wheel covers, whitewalls1 | $80 | Not yet sourced |
|
Heavy-duty shock absorbers and suspension package1 | $17 | Not yet sourced |
|
Buffed paint1 | $17 | Not yet sourced |
|
Custom spinner wheel covers1 | $13 | Not yet sourced |
|
Sport wheel covers, bolt-on design (exposed chrome-plated wheel bolts)1 | $34 | Not yet sourced |
|
Power brakes (drum)1 | $42 | Not yet sourced |
|
Power steering1 | $80 | Not yet sourced |
|
AM radio (Transaudio), push-button, transistorized1 | $59 | Not yet sourced |
|
Remote-control outside rear-view mirror1 | $12 | Not yet sourced |
|
Retractable front seat belts (seat belt retractors)1 | $7 | Not yet sourced |
|
Safety padded instrument panel1 | $16 | Not yet sourced |
|
Three-spoke steering wheel1 | $17 | Not yet sourced |
|
Tinted glass, all windows1 | $29 | Not yet sourced |
|
Tinted windshield only1 | $14 | Not yet sourced |
|
Variable-speed wipers and washers1 | $17 | Not yet sourced |
|
Sure-Grip positive traction rear axle1 | $39 | Not yet sourced |
|
Crankcase vent system (mandatory on California cars)1 | $5 | Not yet sourced |
|
Center console (automatic or 4-speed), new for 1966 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Tachometer | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Vinyl roof covering | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Bumper guards | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Emergency flasher6 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Undercoating | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Trailer-towing package (factory installed) | — | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
6 |
Light Mauve1 | Not yet sourced |
A |
Silver1 | Not yet sourced |
B |
Black1 | Not yet sourced |
C |
Light Blue1 | Not yet sourced |
D |
Medium Blue1 | Not yet sourced |
E |
Dark Blue1 | Not yet sourced |
G |
Dark Green1 | Not yet sourced |
K |
Light Turquoise1 | Not yet sourced |
L |
Dark Turquoise1 | Not yet sourced |
P |
Bright Red1 | Not yet sourced |
Q |
Dark Red1 | Not yet sourced |
R |
Yellow1 | Not yet sourced |
S |
Soft Yellow1 | Not yet sourced |
W |
White1 | Not yet sourced |
X |
Beige1 | Not yet sourced |
Y |
Bronze1 | Not yet sourced |
Z |
Citron Gold1 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
All-vinyl shell-type bucket-seat interior, Citron | Not yet sourced |
|
All-vinyl bucket-seat interior, Tan & White | Not yet sourced |
|
All-vinyl bucket-seat interior, Red | Not yet sourced |
|
All-vinyl bucket-seat interior, Blue | Not yet sourced |
|
All-vinyl bucket-seat interior, Black | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase6 | 106 in | all |
| Overall length6 | 188.3 in | Barracuda (29) |
| Overall width6 | 70.2 in | all |
| Tread, front / rear6 | 55.9 / 55.6 in | all |
| Curb weight, six6 | 2,920 lb | Barracuda special 2-door hardtop, six |
| Curb weight, V86 | 3,065 lb | Barracuda special 2-door hardtop, V8 |
| Shipping weight, six6 | 2,800 lb | Barracuda, six |
| Shipping weight, V86 | 2,930 lb | Barracuda, V8 |
| Standard axle ratio6 | 3.23 with six and manual transmission; 2.93 with V8 (3-speed and automatic); 3.23 with V8 4-speed | by powertrain |
| Tires6 | 6.50 x 13 six; 7.00 x 13 V8 | standard |
| Fuel tank | 18 US gal | all |
Identification
- VIN prefix (Sessler)
- Serial numbers begin BP29B62100001: B car line Barracuda, P price class premium, 29 body type two-door sports hardtop.5
- AMA model designations
- Barracuda is listed as the 2-door sports hardtop, model BV1-P-29 (six-cylinder) and BV2-P-29 (V8), within the Plymouth Valiant, Signet and Barracuda sheets.6
Where the sources disagree
Identification
Read a 1966 Plymouth VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1966
- Buick Riviera A longer, heavier new body on the same X-frame; 5,718 of 45,348 carried the GS option, and the dual-quad Super Wildcat went from dealer add-on to factory MZ engine in March 1966.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX The Gran Sport became its own Skylark series (44600) on the restyled body, still with the 401 at 325 hp; 13,816 are tabulated.
- Buick Wildcat The one-year Wildcat Gran Sport: 1,244 built, 242 convertibles, 22 Super Wildcats.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The first full year of the SS 396 as its own series, with a 396 V8 in every car: 66,843 sport coupes and 5,429 convertibles.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova The source engine table lists the 327 L79 at 350 gross hp. Enthusiast-compiled production: 172,485 cars; Super Sport 20,986.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS No factory Super Sport El Camino is documented for this year; the record carries the host El Camino production as context.
- Chevrolet Impala SS Impala SS falls to 119,314 as the 427 arrives; 3,247 full-size Chevrolets got the 390-hp L36.
- Dodge Charger Dodge's first Charger, a fastback on the Coronet platform introduced on 1 January 1966, built 37,344 times, 468 of them with the new Street Hemi.
- Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The first year the 426 Hemi was sold as a street engine; in the Coronet it was an option on ordinary sedans, hardtops and convertibles, before any R/T package existed.
- Ford Fairlane A new, wider Fairlane could take the 390 big-block for the first time, bringing the Fairlane 500 GT and GTA, and a small run of R-code 427 hardtops was built for Super Stock racing.
- Ford Galaxie The 428 became the big-car performance engine and gave its name to the Galaxie 500 7-Litre hardtop and convertible, with the 427 still available.
- Ford Thunderbird A 345-hp 428 became a $64.77 option, and the Town Landau outsold every other body combined.
- Mercury Comet and Cyclone The Comet moved to the larger Fairlane-based body, and the Cyclone GT brought the 335-hp 390 with twin hood scoops, bucket seats and a heavy-duty suspension.
- Mercury Marauder and S-55 The S-55 returned as its own line, a hardtop and convertible with the 345 hp 428 'Super Marauder' V8.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 package gained the L69 three-two-barrel 'Tri-Carb' option at 360 hp, and a handful of factory W-30 forced-air cars were built for drag racing.
- Oldsmobile Starfire The last Starfire of the 1960s: coupe only, moved downmarket, 13,019 sold.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite The 426 Street Hemi reached showrooms in the Belvedere and Satellite, and 1,546 were built into Plymouth intermediates.
- Pontiac Catalina 2+2 and Super Duty The 2+2 was listed as its own model for the only time, and production fell to 6,383.
- Pontiac GTO The GTO becomes its own Pontiac series and has its biggest year: 96,946 built.
- Pontiac Grand Prix Production fell to 36,757 as the GTO and 2+2 drew performance buyers.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans Pontiac's overhead-cam six and the Sprint package arrive beside the 326 HO.
- Rambler and AMC Marlin The Marlin's second year: production fell to 4,547, less than half the 1965 figure.