#9: Phantasm’s 1971 Barracuda

Phantasm is something of a cult classic in the world of horror movies. Released in 1979, the film’s bizarre, surreal tone is still creepy even today, and has probably traumatized more than a few viewers. Providing some respite from the horror was the presence of this beautiful Barracuda. The car’s purchase came about due to envy on the part of director Don Coscarelli. When he was in high school in the early 70s, a classmate owned a brand new Barracuda, and when he was making a Hollywood movie, he decided to finally get his hands on one. The film was made on a low budget, so the car was in a bit of a rough shape when it came to the set. It was sent to a body shop for modification, with Coscarelli wanting the car to have an evil appearance fitting to its starring role in a horror movie.

The car was painted black all over, with the mirrors also featuring gray and blue pinstripes. Cragar rims were installed as well as large tires, which necessitated flared quarter panels. A black tinted sunroof was installed, allowing the hero to loom out of the car’s top and fire a shotgun at an alien dwarf zombie (if that just sounds like a string of adjectives, you need to watch the film). Contrary to what the hood said, the car was not a 440 6-barrel, but a 340 built by Ed Pink. The car found its way into the ownership of real estate broker James Baker, who bought it from the movie’s art director David Gavin Brown for $2500. The custom sunroof went bye-bye one morning while James was on his way to work. It had not been latched down, and flew off “about 30 feet in the air,” and was then run over by a 16-wheeler. James then rang Brown and asked if they’d made any extras, offering to pay $300 for any they could find, and lo and behold, one was found. Later, James swapped the car for a custom van, which he admits may have been a stupid move, given the car’s probable worth today.