Edward H. Larsen

A photo of Ed with the Barracude. The project took shape in Ed's garage, reflecting both his dedication and skill. Photo courtesy of Jace Larsen.

Larsen, a production planner by trade, embarked on the ambitious project in 1953. His vision was to build a vehicle that not only showcased his craftsmanship but also utilized components from a diverse range of automobiles. The project took shape in his own garage, reflecting both his dedication and skill. It took three years and more than 2500 hours to complete the build. It made its debut in 1956.

This vintage photograph, shared by Jace Larsen from the Larsen family collection, captures a customized 1934 Ford Cabriolet believed to be connected to Ed. The car features hallmark period modifications, including a chopped top, dual spotlights, custom headlights, reworked front fenders, a cowl-mounted antenna, and a later model front bumper, each element a testament to early postwar custom craftsmanship. While the full story behind this car remains a mystery, it raises intriguing questions: Was this one of Ed’s early experiments in customization before he began work on his ambitious Barracuda build? Or perhaps a well-known local custom that inspired his later work? Either way, it’s a striking example of the ingenuity and style that defined Utah’s emerging custom car scene in the 1940s and 1950s. Photo courtesy of Jace Larsen.

This in-progress photo shows a radically customized 1949–1951 Ford Convertible. The car has been stripped of its factory bumper, and the front end reimagined with a hand-formed grille opening. Most striking are the sculpted headlight cavities, which look very similar to 1953 Buick headlights. While the car’s full story remains unknown, its advanced state of modification and presence in the Larsen family photo archive suggest it may have been another one of Edward’s personal projects or commissions. Whether a precursor to the Barracuda or a separate experiment in custom design, this photo reveals yet another example of Ogden’s homegrown ingenuity in metal and imagination. Photo courtesy of Jace Larsen.

Ed perfects the contours of the custom headlight treatment using a body file, shaping the lead he’s applied around the headlight rims. This shot captures the precision and craftsmanship that defined Ed’s approach to home-built customs. Photo courtesy of Jace Larsen.

With the custom nose now fully formed and the lead work nearly complete, this photo shows the project entering the final stages of bodywork. Photo courtesy of Jace Larsen.

This project received a modern overhead valve V8 transplant, a major performance upgrade over the original flathead. The clean, detailed engine bay shows custom wiring, chromed or polished valve covers, and a neatly installed carburetor setup, all reflecting Ed Larsen’s meticulous craftsmanship and eye for both form and function. Photo courtesy of Jace Larsen.

Edward H. Larsen was an American custom car builder from Ogden, Utah, best known for constructing a hand-built custom car known as the Barracuda in the 1950s. Working as a production planner at the Accessories Production Control Branch, Larsen built the car over a three-year period beginning in 1953, using parts from more than a dozen different vehicles.

The Barracuda was constructed on a modified 1939 Ford frame. Its body featured front fenders made from four 1953 Pontiac fenders, rear fenders from a 1953 Studebaker, a rear deck formed from a 1942 Hudson roof, and additional parts from Packard, Ford, and other manufacturers. The car was powered by a 1951 Ford engine with a dual carburetor setup and an automatic transmission.

Larsen completed most of the work himself in his home garage, investing over 2,500 hours and using roughly $3,000 worth of body and fender equipment. In 1956, the Barracuda took first place in the Sports Car Class at a Rod and Custom show in Ogden, organized by the Salt Kings. That same year, the car was featured in a newspaper article by journalist David J. Heffernan, who described it as "a barracuda—goes like a bomb."

Edward H. Larsen's Cars

Ed Larsen's Barracuda