Reflections on designing the A-body Barracudas

and the thought behind the 67-69 grille

"The ’67 grille is a story in itself. The engineers had moved the front frame rails apart to permit big-block engines, which would require larger radiators for cooling. They were concerned about airflow through the grille. Samsen, in creating the grille, had to come up with a low restriction design. He leaned his head back on his chair, and looked up at the ceiling, waiting for inspiration. It was then that he noticed the egg crate grilles in the studio ceiling lights. They were real thin and made of aluminum. Hmmm…"

"Samsen obtained a chunk of light fixture grille from the manufacturer, and cut it to fit. It was perfect. The grille then had to be proven by engineering to make sure it would hold up under the rigors of real world driving conditions. It passed with flying colors. With the exception of a “peaked” hood introduced in 1969 (which some thought spoiled the car’s Euro flavor, and which reappeared on ‘73-‘76 Darts), the second-gen, ‘67-‘69 ‘Cudas were all virtually identical."