Goodbye Chrysler and and remembering the Barracuda

Chrysler's move into bankruptcy is simply the removal of an irrational and hemi-powered anti-green competitor so that the other two major U.S. companies, GM and Ford, have a better chance to survive and rebuild. The positive rhetoric is fine but it is unlikely to mean anything more than a government effort to have a controlled winddown of operations over several years. Dealers will be able to sell inventory with government guarantees and financing, but an outbreak of Fiat buying in the U.S. is not probable anytime soon. Jeep will stay in business in some form and the minivan lines will be combined and continued as well, but it's history for all else.

History brings to mind my first car, a used Plymouth Barracuda puchased with money saved from my seven years of newspaper routes, from elementary to high school. It was the base model, not the muscle car, but obviously with the same design. Powered by the storied slant six and with three on the column manual transmission, it still had plenty of pep and was a joy to drive. The fold down back seats under that iconic back window were unique. I sold it after two years to finance a post college extended trip to Europe, and regretted that immediately upon return. Those slant six's ran almost forever, until rust broke the struts that held the thing in place.

Goodbye Chrysler and thanks for that Barracuda.