Making money flipping classic cars isn’t easy, especially when you’re dealing with something unusual. One dealer in Michigan, however, turned a $23,100 purchase into a $64,000 sale in just 35 days.
The car in question wasn’t a HEMI-powered muscle car or a beautifully restored convertible. Nope! It was a rather peculiar 1964 Plymouth Barracuda with a roof unlike anything Plymouth ever offered to the public.
According to Bring a Trailer, this Barracuda is a one-off Landau prototype Chrysler’s own stylists modified when the car was new. More than six decades later, that experimental roof treatment helped make it the center of an unusually profitable auction story.
The dealer bought the car at Mecum’s Nashville auction in September 2026, then listed it on Bring a Trailer. What followed was an astonishing price jump, despite the Plymouth being an imperfect, unrestored survivor.
A Barracuda That Never Reached Production
Chrysler’s designers removed the central roof section and replaced it with a detachable fabric panel, creating an unusual targa-style arrangement. The original windshield structure, distinctive wraparound rear glass, and surrounding sheet metal remained intact.
Plymouth introduced the Valiant-based Barracuda in April 1964, shortly before Ford unveiled the Mustang. Only 23,443 were built for that shortened model year, and this Landau experiment was unique.
An Ordinary V8
Under the hood sits a 273-cubic-inch V8 rated at 180 horsepower, paired with a push-button TorqueFlite three-speed automatic. Power brakes, 13-inch steel wheels, and gold vinyl upholstery complete the period-correct package.
The car isn’t exactly concours-ready. Its paint has chips, the driver’s seat shows wear, two dashboard gauges don’t work, and the removable roof panel is damaged and doesn’t fit properly.
From $23,100 to $64,000
As mentioned in the comment section of the Bring a Trailer listing, the Michigan dealer acquired the Barracuda for $23,100 at Mecum’s Nashville sale. Just 35 days later, Bring a Trailer’s no-reserve auction ended with a winning bid of $64,000 on October 31.
That’s a $40,900 difference between the two hammer prices, or roughly a 177% increase. It isn’t necessarily the dealer’s net profit, since auction fees, transportation, preparation, and other expenses aren’t accounted for, but still, that’s quite the result.
A Rare Prototype Finally Finds Its Price
The Barracuda had previously appeared at RM Sotheby’s Auburn Fall auction all the way back in 2010, where it failed to meet its reserve. Sixteen years later, its latest result shows how unpredictable the market can be for unusual factory prototypes.
For the latest buyer, the appeal goes well beyond horsepower or perfect paint. There are plenty of first-generation Barracudas around, but only one known Chrysler-built Landau prototype.