1969 Console, woodgrain or not?

[69 300 vert]

Here is what is in my 69 Polara
View attachment 468843


Alan

Looks just like mine. I'm now convinced it's completely original and in the original configuration. I'm going to guess this was done due to Chrysler's money problems at the time? The plastic knob was cheaper than the chrome and they saved a bit on each car leaving off the woodgrain?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I think it was part of the dechroming the interior that was happening in 68/68, not sure it was because of regulation or what.


Alan

 

[furious70]

I think it was part of the dechroming the interior that was happening in 68/68, not sure it was because of regulation or what.


Alan

I do occasionally get a glare off the console in my 68 charger!

 

[david hill]

My '69 300 has a wood grain shift knob but the console is plain smooth aluminum, no woodgrain. It's always struck me as odd. Now that I've seen this video, I wonder if I'm supposed to have woodgrain or if my shift knob is wrong?



View attachment 468719

Since I own the car in question here the story. The console originally came as a plain brushed aluminum top. It was in poor condition w/ numerous small dents. That lead me to add the wood grain addition. The shifter came as wood grain like my 1969 Charger 500.

 

[69CoronetRT]

Documentation as to the production plant and SPDs for the archives will eliminate a lot of “guessing” “think” and speculation in the future by substituting facts.....

Folks, if we don’t document and share what we can when we can, we will never get a handle on some of these details.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Please do not include my car as an example of what may have been done as I do not know its full history and cannot certify that it wasn't changed at some point.


Alan

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I do occasionally get a glare off the console in my 68 charger!

In the 35 years that I have had my 67 Barracuda I have been zapped by every conceivable piece of chrome in the interior.



Alan

 

[69 300 vert]

Thank you David.

Documentation as to the production plant and SPDs for the archives will eliminate a lot of “guessing” “think” and speculation in the future by substituting facts.....

Folks, if we don’t document and share what we can when we can, we will never get a handle on some of these details.

FWIW, the pertinent portion of my VIN is CM279KC, 1969, 440 350 HP, Jefferson assembly plant. 318 is the SPD, March 24th, 1969 was the actual build date if memory serves. I can NOT remember where I got that date right now.

719884 - build sequence number

I believe my car to be completely original with the exception of the carburetor. I got it with ~ 49,000 miles, has ~ 59,000 miles now.

The original owner replaced the Holley with a proper Carter 4640sa, that was a "thing" back then. The second owner claimed to have the original Holley, but it wasn't the one for this car.

I'd like to thank David for providing the definitive answer to the thread.