European Barracuda's
I'm the owner of a '70 340 Barracuda (not 'Cuda). This car was assembled in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.....They made around 170 Barracuda's at the Nekaf/Simca plant in Rotterdam for Europe in 1970. All the administration/assembly info was destroyed in a fire, so we don't know exactly how many were made. After assembly in R'dam the cars (without fender tags and build sheets) were shipped to the country where they were ordered.
Hello KM/H. It is great to see more exposure about these missunderstood cars. There is history out there that is known by a few. These "08" cars do come as a surprise to most of us here in the USA.
I have seen several examples, and have followed the Rotterdam built cars for many years. I have not found to many to look at though. Thanks for showing us your car.
Did your car come with a different turn signal stalk? I am attaching a (blurry) picture.
I have found V.I.N.s that were ordered for France. 170385 to 170407....... All 383 auto without body identification as you can find on USA versions and no Data Plates...... The dash identification number would be 08170385 through 08170407. These were ordered, supposably sent to the factory in Rotterdam, assembled, and then sent to France.
Does your car have extra stampings into the inner fenders like this one does? See second picture. I know all the cars sent to France have this. I have seen a car that sold new in Austria and it did NOT have these numbers.
Perhaps you have an additional information plate on the inner fender like this French ordered one? See third picture.
I have only seen a handful of other "ordered new in Europe for Europe" cars. Those that were shipped disassembled and finished at Rotterdam. All were
hard top cars.
The few convertibles that were "ordered new in Europe for Europe" cars were built in the USA at the Hamtramck, Detroit plant and came with a "normal" Data Plate that showed an Export VON (Vehicle Order Number). Also the seperate Export plate.
The factory hemi hard top cars that were ordered new in Europe, were also built at Hamtramck and shipped as a finished car to the ordering country. That has been my conclusion after years of research. I think that Chrysler wanted these "special" cars (convertibles and hemi cars) built under specific surpervision at the main Detroit plant. Possibly, the unibody jigs for the convertibles were
only provided at the Hamtramck assembly plant. (Same rationalization as to why the Los Angels plant never built convertibles or hemi E-Bodies.)
The last picture shows an additional inner fender data plate attached for a car that when to a different European country.
Once again, Thank you for giving information on your 1970 Barracuda. Hopefully we will be exposed to many more uniquie cars like yours.
Ola Nilsson
