Barracuda Trademarked Again

[wingcar]

Perhaps one step closer to seeing a "Dodge" Barracuda in the future?  Only time will tell....

Barracuda Trademarked Again

by David Zatz |
July 6, 2015
 
While the name "Barracuda" is now used for everything from hard drives to door hardware, it may return to cars, if a trademark by FCA US is any indication.

Before enthusiasts get too excited, be warned that the name has been re-trademarked before, and the use is still unknown, other than "Motor vehicles, namely, passenger automobiles, their structural parts, trim and badges." It may simply be that Mopar is making or licensing Barracuda badges. Or there may be a new Barracuda on the way despite the abandonment of that name some time ago, now that there is a new rear wheel drive platform coming.
The name was filed on June 23, 2015. The original Plymouth Barracuda was a Valiant fastback; in 1970, the name was moved to a body specially designed to use the company's biggest engines, shared with the Dodge Challenger.  Dodge did consider using the Barracuda name some time ago, according to insiders, but chose to pass it over given their decision to use a modern-looking design.
 
In other trademark actions, the SRT Logo with the Hellcat is now official. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office registered the mark on June 9 so Fiat Chrysler can now add the "®" to the logo.

"Trackhawk" has been approved and is now waiting on a Statement of Use (SOU) from Fiat Chrysler. Once FCA uses the logo, required for registration, the trademark will be registered.

On June 29, the attorney for Classic Car Studios asked the USPTO to cancel its opposition to the "Hellcat" trademark. However, the opposition filed by Confederate Motors, Inc. which owns the "Hellcat" trademark for motorcycles, is still claiming Dodge's use of the name will cause confusion among potential customers for its goods and services. FCA filed its response to Confederate Motors' claims on April 29, but this could well drag on to the middle of next year.

FCA has received a fourth extension of time to file a SOU for "Chrysler 100."

[JB400]

I'd never heard of Confederate Motors until now, but they're a pretty cool bike and priced similar to the Dodge Hellcats.  The exposed timing gears are cool.  Not sure I like the exhaust blowing out right under my foot though.

I'll have to wait and see when it comes to the Cuda.

[Ponch ®]

" It may simply be that Mopar is making or licensing Barracuda badges.

that's the likeliest scenario.

From a previous thread on this

Not necessarily.

Long story short: you can own a trademark without ever registering it, as long as you can show that you've been using it in commerce and people associate it with the product - and Chrysler has never really stopped licensing toys, t-shirts, posters, etc. so its never been in danger of losing ownership and/or right to use or royalties.

Registering it (as Chrysler did with the 'cuda name a few years ago) simply formalizes it and gives it the presumption of validity - and it gets the cool "®" symbol. Its a CYA move and may mean nothing.

[ECS]

I'll have to wait and see when it comes to the Cuda.

I'm thinking about having the "classic 4 Door version" trademarked.  

[Baldwinvette77]

that 4 door cuda would be a hit in australia... assuming it isn't already there 

[JB400]

I wonder when the painter is going to finish painting it   Reflection makes it look like it isn't painted all the way.

[ECS]

I wonder when the painter is going to finish painting it  Reflection makes it look like it isn't painted all the way.

That's how slick it turned out after 3 light coats of paint.  It has a correct "orange peel" Factory appearance and needed nothing more than a light buffing.  How about a few more pics accompanied by a short video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l2PyrQZszA&feature=youtu.be























[

[hemigeno]

It has a correct "orange peel" Factory appearance and needed nothing more than a light buffing.

Been wondering how things were progressing on it - lots of eye candy!

I'm thinking about having the "classic 4 Door version" trademarked. 

I think I can hear a faint "NOOOOOO!!!" coming from a certain shop in Jefferson County about right now...   

[Back N Black]

That's alot of work, but i like it! I would drive the 4 door Cuda.

[ECS]

I think I can hear a faint "NOOOOOO!!!" coming from a certain shop in Jefferson County about right now...   

The funny thing about this "fake, phony, never built car" is that it will be a better representation of a Factory OE vehicle than the restorations done by my watchful critics.   When complete, it will look like a Chrysler, Assembly Line vehicle. 

Here was the car about 20 minuets after the paint was sprayed.  We are currently installing the black vinyl top & headline.  Things are progressing quickly now.

[tan top]

I'll have to wait and see when it comes to the Cuda.

I'm thinking about having the "classic 4 Door version" trademarked.  

wow ,   looks factory     , I know  this car caused a bit of a stir on here  ,its  not something I would of done either , but  I can appreciate all the fabrication , time , effort , skill , gone into that build !!  what a awesome job   , looking forward to seeing it finished  

the quarter rear door lines  reminds me of a  early 70s four door mopar , but cant remember what one   coronet  

[TCB]

If I recall, this car was never built by Chrysler.

[JB400]

It's a Coronet.

[ECS]

If I recall, this car was never built by Chrysler.

Regardless of your knowledge or what you recall, we've definitely built it!

[TCB]

Congratulations. Not my cup of tea but you'll have a very interesting car there.

[ECS]

It's a Coronet.

And the new Challenger is basically a Chrysler 300.  We've certainly been consistent with Chrysler in the way they developed many of their new cars.  

[ACUDANUT]

HMMM. I started talk about this awhile back. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,118500.25.html

[ECS]

It's a Coronet.

It's a 4 Door Barracuda!  (Before paint......of course.)  

[JB400]

It's a Coronet with Barracuda sheet metal and custom vin tag and fender tag with permission from Chrysler.

Sorry for quoting myself, I had to better explain what it actually is.

[Baldwinvette77]

What engine is going in it? a slant 6? 318?.... Hemi? 

[ws23rt]

I'm impressed with the craftsmanship it took to get to this point.    Not something that would have crossed my mind as a project goal but it must more than satisfy the vision of how it would turn out.

I do wonder how it would have sold back in 1970?  That was my time for mopar muscle and my eyes were looking at a different kind of car.

[ECS]

What engine is going in it? a slant 6? 318?.... Hemi? 

340 CID with a Column Shift Automatic Transmission.  This "what if" Concept is being built as if Chrysler had approved it for mass production.  The car would have appealed to those who had a Family, needed the additional room and wanted a performance type vehicle.

[Baldwinvette77]

Cool, Would have been neat to put on a shaker hood 

[polywideblock]

that 4 door cuda would be a hit in australia... assuming it isn't already there  

that's the first thing I thought of too, a XB falcon 4 door  

[ECS]

It's a Coronet with Barracuda sheet metal and custom vin tag and fender tag with permission from Chrysler.

Sorry for quoting myself, I had to better explain what it actually is.

Here is what we started with.  We actually started with less but could not cut out the sections that were ultimately removed because the pieces would have fell apart.  As you can see in the picture below, we had already welded in the rockers to hold the B Pillars into place.  The A pillars were altered when an E Body windshield frame was welded into place.  The C Pillars were removed and custom ones were fabricated on an English Wheel which allowed for a more streamline transition with the roof.  The Roof was completely cut apart and lowered about an inch.  The Fenders, Quarters, front & rear Valances, Hood, Trunk Deck, Floor Pans, Doors etc..... were all cut apart and re-shaped to work in unison.  None of the Body components fabricated to build this car could be unbolted and used on a stock 1970 Barracuda or Coronet.  Every Body part/panel is now exclusive to this vehicle.  

[stripedelete]

Wow,,,, it really looks like a 1973 Coronet.

I wonder what you get when you shorten a 73 Coronet?

[ECS]

Wow,,,, it really looks like a 1973 Coronet.

We were hoping for it to look more like a 1970 Polara Station Wagon!  I guess a 1973 Coronet also works well in the overall scheme of things.   

[chargerjy9]

 I hope that the greenhouse photos were a result of terrible camera lens distortion. IMO the greenhouse is way out of proportion to the body.The side glass is way too tall in relation to the lower body. Not really pleasing to the eye. The side glass DLO is way too high in relation to the windshield DLO and backlight. All the DLO heights should relate to one another and generally  flow from one another. Look at any E body or most any car from the era, the WS and Blite are much closer in height  to the side glass DLO. Elementary  automobile styling rule of thumb. I know you don't take criticism easily,  I certainly appreciate the build quality, it is well done, just my 2 cents....

[ECS]

IMO the greenhouse is way out of proportion to the body.The side glass is way too tall in relation to the lower body......Look at any E body

You can't aesthetically compare a 4 Door with the same "fastback" appearance of a 2 Door Model.  They are two completely different designs.  If the window openings of a 4 Door were angled like a 2 Door, the person getting into the back of the car would hit their head when entering.  There would not be sufficient room for climbing into the back of the vehicle. 

Below are some comparison photos to illustrate the point.  Notice the B Body 2 & 4 Door design.  The 4 Door Satellite's Roof-line looks taller than the 2 Door version to accommodate clearance for a Passenger to enter the back seat.  We actually narrowed the top of the custom C Pillar to give our 4 Door a more "fastback" appearance.  For what we accomplished, our 4 Door profile is not as square and tall looking as the "real" 4 Door vehicles that Chrysler built.

[chargerjy9]

You are correct in your assessment. But, looking at those same photos illustrates my point EXACTLY, All of the DLO top edges feed off one another. I assume you have to use the W/shld and Backlight from an existing E body, as, to make glass that fits the profile  would be cost prohibitive. As such, aesthetically, this solution just plain doesn't work. The W/shld and Backlight come off looking like the slit windows on a WW1 tank. It just plain looks weird. IMO

[ECS]

It just plain looks weird. IMO

"Weird" is certainly a relative term in this particular case.  The only alteration made to the door openings was in the belt line area.  It had to be lowered approximately 1 inch.  That makes the window openings look a bit larger.  What you're not factoring into the equation is the custom window seals that will close the opening about 5/8 of an inch.  (Shown below.)  The stock trim on a Barracuda was a thin stainless rolled lip that stood about an 1/8 inch above the belt line.  Our custom door seal weather strip will sit up about 5/8 of an inch above the belt line.  That will help make up for the one inch space that was removed when we had to continue the Barracuda Quarter & Fender body lines.  The drip molding trim above the windows will be black instead of the typical silver stainless steel.  The windshield and rear glass will have the 1 inch stainless surround which will give those areas the illusion of being somewhat equal to the door openings.  The black vinyl top will also aid in making the top section of the car to flow together.  

Your observations and "criticism" is being made on an incomplete design.  None of the features I just mentioned have been incorporated into the photos I posted.  I'm surprised that someone hasn't said that the the car looks "weird" because it doesn't have wheels & tires.  I think that our 4 door looks much more streamline than the typical appearances of Chrysler's production 4 doors.  Your observations and assessments are much better spelled out in the comparison pictures of the 2 door Roadrunner and the 4 door Satellite.  Our 4 door version of the Barracuda has more of a "fastback" look than Chrysler's versions of their examples.

[resq302]

I see no considerable difference between the two door and the four door aside from the trajectory of the C post with the rear doors.  Its also hard to compare the three cars that are finished and has all the trim and garnishments like the side mirror, etc. to a car that is in primer and has a back drop that is almost he same color as the car.  Pretty much is like a woman in a black dress that makes her look slimmer.  I bet once he he gets the trim, mirrors, and everything else onto the car it will look no different than the ones pictured above.  Even if he takes the same picture in front of that garage, I'll bet that the car looks completely different than it does now !

[ECS]

Its also hard to compare.........

The top of the door glass at its highest point is about 3/4" taller than the front & rear glass.  Once the blackout trim above the windows has been installed, accompanied by the surrounding stainless of the windshield & back glass, the linear appearances will equal out.  The reference of slit windows on a WW1 tank are more applicable to the SE option on a 1970 Challenger.  It's ironic how the tiny "slit" glass in an SE is considered rare and desirable but the full size rear glass in our 4 door is described as "weird" looking. (lol)

[MoParJW]

You can't aesthetically compare a 4 Door with the same "fastback" appearance of a 2 Door Model.  They are two completely different designs.  If the window openings of a 4 Door were angled like a 2 Door, the person getting into the back of the car would hit their head when entering.  There would not be sufficient room for climbing into the back of the vehicle. 

Absolutely, and even with the higher roof on a 68-70 4 door sedan, my passengers are still hitting their heads on the c-pillar!

I will be waiting to see this car on its wheels.

[DAY CLONA]

Nice to see your project coming to fruition Dave, nicely done and executed, as one wouldn't expect anything less from you, IMHO the car's build/appearance represents exactly the way Chrysler would have employed existing product line components to achieve a 4dr E body model


Mike