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The 4-door Barracuda at Mecum

Richard Cranium

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Apparently, none of the high rollers there want it.

$70,000 The bid goes on


ODOMETER READS 1 miles
VIN / SERIAL BH41H0B100000

  • Built by Dave Walden in 2016
  • Handmade bodywork
  • Unique roof line and details
  • Widened by 1.5-inches
  • VIN ends in 1000000 versus normal convention
  • Shown at SEMA in 2016
  • Tires had not touched pavement until 2022
  • 340 CI V-8 engine
  • Torqueflite automatic transmission
  • Red exterior
  • Black vinyl roof
  • Black interior
  • Reproduction window sticker
  • Broadcast sheet
 
Like it or not....incredible amount of work and detail. I talked with Dave at Carlisle, for quite awhile. He told me about a bunch of the properly-done one-off parts to build it so well. He also gave me an approximate investment, after talking for quite some time.
 
Like it or not....incredible amount of work and detail. I talked with Dave at Carlisle, for quite awhile. He told me about a bunch of the properly-done one-off parts to build it so well. He also gave me an approximate investment, after talking for quite some time.
My friend and I glanced at it at Carlisle just shook our heads and kept walking. A lot of 4 doors have been converted to two doors, I have an idea lets covert a 2 door into a 4 door !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I wonder if the proper paperwork has been done for that VIN to be legal.
 
I guess, whatever floats your boat. I get the work, I'm all about creativity, but on the right car and the right way. Just my opinion.
 
It has an A body master cylinder not the correct E body master cylinder, that is why no one will buy it!
I suspect Dave was able to write off a lot of the costs of doing this build and the OE restorations he did on his cars promoting and doing R&D for ECS.
ECSs main business as I understand it is doing replacement VIN and other similar items for the collision industry and if that’s right, he probably knew the ins and outs of how to get this car registered with the VIN he made up, but I don’t know for certain. The restoration parts and label’s business was just a sideline he developed with ECS.
The build was a passion for him but not much interest to others to own it seems.
Another custom I watch that doesn’t bid high in auctions is “Cadmad”. The owner spent years and several million on the build to win the Ridler award. He died before done, but instructed his relatives to use his estate to complete this car. It did and won the award, and took the custom world by storm. But in recent years it seems like getting someone to pay a high enough price to own it is difficult, like the 4 door Barracuda.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Custom Station Wagon at Kissimmee 2024 as F161 - Mecum Auctions
 
Funny that it says it has a broadcast sheet & REPRODUCTION window sticker....
 
it sure don’t work for me … why would you do that ?
When the car was in development, I defended Dave on a few car forums. Here is the overall theme:
People openly criticized the car and of course, him in the process.
I saw that as a weak suck, cowardly move by people that I mostly thought were "no talent losers" that never created anything on their own, never took risks with anything and settled for mediocrity in every aspect of their lives.
I agree that the car looks odd. I would never look at it and think it is a beautiful design but I did respect the workmanship and that the man wanted to recreate the car based on his own vision of what the mythical, mystery 4 door car might have been.
Some people have no creativity, no artistic side so they feel no guilt when they insult people that do.
I've met people that are the type to belittle a person that dares to express any creativity.
To them I ask...Why not just accept that some people have an artistic side and others don't? Why belittle the creative efforts of others?
Dave Walden had talent far beyond what 99% of the car guys had. His goals certainly didn't match what most people liked or thought but he was free to have them. A look at a few other cars that he built would show you the level of craftsmanship that he held. His goal with the Barracuda was to recreate a car he thought was actually built as a prototype, using his skills to build it as close to a factory effort as he could. Looking the car over, despite the styling, you'd be hard pressed to find fault in the quality of the build.
When I have judged cars at car shows, I have to suspend my distaste for the color and model and focus on the quality of the work. I hate FM3 pink, I don't like FK5 Burnt orange metallic or Sublime but I can appreciate a car in those colors if the quality of the build is high.
Dave took heat from a lot of people over this car and he kept focused on the goal. I admire a man that sticks to his beliefs, especially when he has talent that most of his critics lack.
 
The roof and A pillars look out of proportion and goofy. End of story.
 
When the car was in development, I defended Dave on a few car forums. Here is the overall theme:
People openly criticized the car and of course, him in the process.
I saw that as a weak suck, cowardly move by people that I mostly thought were "no talent losers" that never created anything on their own, never took risks with anything and settled for mediocrity in every aspect of their lives.
I agree that the car looks odd. I would never look at it and think it is a beautiful design but I did respect the workmanship and that the man wanted to recreate the car based on his own vision of what the mythical, mystery 4 door car might have been.
Some people have no creativity, no artistic side so they feel no guilt when they insult people that do.
I've met people that are the type to belittle a person that dares to express any creativity.
To them I ask...Why not just accept that some people have an artistic side and others don't? Why belittle the creative efforts of others?
Dave Walden had talent far beyond what 99% of the car guys had. His goals certainly didn't match what most people liked or thought but he was free to have them. A look at a few other cars that he built would show you the level of craftsmanship that he held. His goal with the Barracuda was to recreate a car he thought was actually built as a prototype, using his skills to build it as close to a factory effort as he could. Looking the car over, despite the styling, you'd be hard pressed to find fault in the quality of the build.
When I have judged cars at car shows, I have to suspend my distaste for the color and model and focus on the quality of the work. I hate FM3 pink, I don't like FK5 Burnt orange metallic or Sublime but I can appreciate a car in those colors if the quality of the build is high.
Dave took heat from a lot of people over this car and he kept focused on the goal. I admire a man that sticks to his beliefs, especially when he has talent that most of his critics lack.
I too admire his talent. But his taste? I was with you till what you said about Sublime. I love Sublime.
 
a colossal waste of time and energy that could have been spent building something else....... anything else
 
A man with a Dream and an aggressive brain tumour. I commend Dave that he saw it through to fruition and died knowing that he did what he wanted, despite the negative continuously thrown his way.

I still contend there's some ponzi scheme at Mecum, this car was sold last year as well !
 
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