273 Commando or Not?

I have been all around my 1965 Barracuda trying to determine if it's an original Formula S car, having the original fender tag would certainly help. Your car has the correct valve covers for a Commando engine, but the "30" on the build sheet does tell me it's a 273-2bbl. car. The painted stripes could be ordered seperately, but only on a Barracuda model. I was told that all the V-8 cars in 1965 had a "V" as the first digit of the VIN, but mine has a "1" which supposedly means a slant-six car. My car has the 4-bbl., the correct engine dress package, and the high-compression pistons, but no tach nor is one mentioned on the copy of the original invoice I got from Chrysler. It does have the correct rear-valance which is set up for the resonator exhaust. So who knows what Ma Mopar put on the early 1965 Formula S cars? All we know is what they were supposed to have. If I can help you out with anything else please let me know.

Nice thing about the early Barracuda if your missing the fender tag. You can always contact Chrysler Historical services and purchase the punch card information. They will decode it for you and tell you exactly how your car left the factory and to what dealer it was sold. Is that what you received from Chrysler?

Link
http://wpchryslermuseum.org/page.aspx?pid=400