A74 code on 1970 senior Dodges (and A71 A75 A76 too!)

[kyle340]

You guys are welcome, anytime I can help I'll look through the paperwork. I have everything from this dealership from the time they opened in 1965-80. Dodge all years, they got Chrysler-plymouth in 68.

 

[69CoronetRT]

You guys are welcome, anytime I can help I'll look through the paperwork. I have everything from this dealership from the time they opened in 1965-80. Dodge all years, they got Chrysler-plymouth in 68.

Your post shows many things.
A71 is on the Invoice but not the Advance Dealer Shipping Notice. That's interesting.
The car was built as a V02 two tone car. Rare.
It was also built at a Y07 Built to Canada Specs but shipped to a dealer in Indiana. Why?

Thanks again!

 

[kyle340]

Yeah that is weird, especially cause it was a ordered car, for a single lady. I believe all of them were ordered, if not by customer's but at least by the dealership for inventory.

 

[CBODY67]

All cars had to be ordered by the dealer, whether for stock or "special" for a customer. Unless the car was procured from the Sales Bank.

On the page from Galen's book . . . it seems that several of the A-codes relate to what might be termed "regional sales packages", which were unique to particular parts of the USA rather than available "everywhere". As others were most probably "Spring Special" promotional option packages, it seems. The Monaco 500 and Monaco Brougham packages would be notable exceptions, though.

As I recall, the 1971 Newport Roya was a "sub-Newport" of sorts, which probably generated the "CE" designation rather than the prior and later "CL" model designation. But in '72, the NR was its own model in the "CL" range of things.

Remember, too, that the Dealer Order Guide/Dealer Data Books were usually printed in about August before the new models were all the way into production, which might explain why some things were not listed there, but were available later. Which is where "Dealer Letters" in the Hamtramck Historical website can come in.

Just some thoughts and observations,
CBODY67

 

[ayilar]

Why not simply track production via the VIN as was done in previous years? What is accomplished by adding the additional level of administrative code?

Let's not stay too far as we are prone to do. Let's keep this a 1970 thread and start a new 1971 thread to account for that year.

As I recall, the 1971 Newport Roya was a "sub-Newport" of sorts, which probably generated the "CE" designation rather than the prior and later "CL" model designation. But in '72, the NR was its own model in the "CL" range of things.

@CBODY67 captured exactly why I mentioned the Newport Royal.

--> In 1971, the NR is a sub-model of the Newport (CE), introduced sometime partway through the model year. In 1972, the NR gets its own model designation (CL).

--> In 1970, the PS is is a sub-model of the Polara line, introduced sometime partway through the model year (why it would be DM and not DL, I know not -- strange, since DL had been used till then for the lowest-priced Polara). In 1971, it gets listed as the lowest model in the Polara line and gets its own VIN (we know it is DS, not DE, thanks to @FK3 Sport Fury). And, it is in the brochure:

So I respectfully submit that mentioning the 1971-1972 Newport Royal is actually relevant. At least it is, until someone confirms or contradicts the hypothesis that, for some reason, mid-year model introductions could not get their own model designation and thus their own second letter in the VIN.

--> Could there be a regulatory reason for this? I do not know.

In a related note, even though the Polara Special is mentioned in the sales brochure on fuselage.de, it is not listed anywhere (that I could see) in the materials I found on the Hamtramck Registry Library. Yet, I know that @polara71 has seen two 1971 PS cars with his own eyes. What would be good would be to get 1971 PS tags (and build or order sheets).

As @69CoronetRT says, research continues

 

[ayilar]

Thanks to @kyle340 we now have info on DM41G0D250507 and DM41L0D217700 -- thank you!

Notice the F1B3 interior trim code for DM41G0D250507 and the F2T5 code for DM41L0D217700. F2 is for an "all vinyl" (as handwritten on the order form) bench in tan color.

F1 and F2 are nowhere to be found in the trim book for the other 1970 Polara models: L1 and L2 are the lowest-price interior codes in the book. The picture I posted early this morning shows what the F1 (cloth & vinyl) rear seat looked like (F1F4 would be my bet).

So we have an additional piece of information about the 1970 A71 Polara Special package.

 

[71Polara383]

 

[69CoronetRT]

View attachment 498803

Great post. Thank you.

Do all DM cars code A74?

The answer is no.

Research continues.....

 

[71Polara383]

Great post. Thank you.

Do all DM cars code A74?

The answer is no.

Research continues.....

What is different about this particular car compared to the other tags shown?

R.

 

[69CoronetRT]

What is different about this particular car compared to the other tags shown?

R.

Belvidere plant vs Windsor plant.

 

[71Polara383]

Belvidere plant vs Windsor plant.

Yup...makes me wonder if the lack of A74 is because it was built at Windsor?

There must be an answer.

 

[69CoronetRT]

Yup...makes me wonder if the lack of A74 is because it was built at Windsor?

There must be an answer.

Is there a broadcast sheet or window sticker to go with the tag?

 

[71Polara383]

Is there a broadcast sheet or window sticker to go with the tag?

Unfortunately not.

 

[ayilar]

DM23T0R138173 is a 2dr (Windsor-built) Polara Custom, no A74 code on the tag. I think @71Polara383 is making a good suggestion about Canadian cars.

 

[ayilar]

Yup...makes me wonder if the lack of A74 is because it was built at Windsor?

There must be an answer.

DM23L0F249668 is currently for sale near Aberdeen, MD -- not very far from where she was built. She is a Newark, DE-built Polara Custom 2dr.

Newark is the third plant where Polaras were built in 1970, and -- lo and behold -- A74 appears as one of the codes in the tag posted by the seller. Wyatt's theory still holds. @69CoronetRT @71Polara383

Looking at the fendertags with the A74 they are all LOD cars...........
Maybe it,s a combo with the 383/2bbl....?

PS: Note that this one is consistent with that observation, too.

 

[Lycidias]

To add something to this thread: @ayilar mentioned to me that this car seems to be kind of special. A 1970 Polara Brougham. He said there were no Polaras with that option, only Monaco Broughams for Canada.

The seller was kind enough to send me the tag! So let's say hello to
DL43L0D 287822

D - Dodge Polara / Monaco
L - Low
43 - 4 door hardtop
L - 383 1-2BBL 8 Cylinder "B" engine
0 - 1970
D - Belvedere, Illinois

Dodge Polara V8 6,3 Liter H Kennzeichen Oldtimer

I don't see an special A74,.... Code.

Edit the history, door sticker and vin:
1962-78 Dodge, Plymouth und Chrysler Fahrzeuge, Teile und Service. Wi

 

[3175375]

Very interesting thread. You guys remind me of two gents at a Toys-R-Us store who had tipped a shopping cart full of Hot Wheels on its side (they were marked down - no pun intended) and were looking for manufacturing flawed cars. That is, a Dodge Grand Caravan with Muscle Car tires (red striped)….

Seriously, this information is interesting.

 

[Ripinator]

To add something to this thread: @ayilar mentioned to me that this car seems to be kind of special. A 1970 Polara Brougham. He said there were no Polaras with that option, only Monaco Broughams for Canada.

The seller was kind enough to send me the tag! So let's say hello to
DL43L0D 287822

D - Dodge Polara / Monaco
L - Low
43 - 4 door hardtop
L - 383 1-2BBL 8 Cylinder "B" engine
0 - 1970
D - Belvedere, Illinois

Dodge Polara V8 6,3 Liter H Kennzeichen Oldtimer

I don't see an special A74,.... Code.

Edit the history, door sticker and vin:
1962-78 Dodge, Plymouth und Chrysler Fahrzeuge, Teile und Service. Wi

View attachment 688841

WOW! Such a nice car!

 

[CBODY67]

I am suspecting, pending further verification, that with the slow sales year of 1970 for Dodge C-body cars, the Polara Brougham was a Spring Special addition (at least for USA-sold cars). Something "new" for the Spring selling season.

The order guides at www.hamtramck-historical.com mention no Brougham option for Polaras, only Monacos. Only Polara and Polara Custom models, as normal.

It might also have been to counter a possible "upgrade interior" option on Pontiac Catalinas. For example, my father inherited a Pontiac Catalina Brougham that was a 1972 model. This option on Pontiacs had an extra light here or there, better interior fabrics and vinyls (for longer wear), and some spiffy woodgrained trim panels on the instrument panel and door panels. With the inst pnl trim having "Brougham" on it. It would not surprise me if this Catalina model was around in 1970.

In the Old Cars Price book, the Pontiac Catalina Brougham is listed as a separate model rather than as an option package. But as GM and Chrysler use similar model designations (as to make, model, price class), research on if that option package might trigger an automatic separate model designation, I have not done.

I DO know that in the case of the first fwd Buick Park Avenues, the official GM designation was "Electra w/(Park Avenue option code), but ALL of the cars were badged as "Park Avenue" models. So perhaps Chrysler was doing something similar?

Just some thoughts from early Saturday morning,
CBODY67

 

[ayilar]

Thing is, the Brougham should be the top trim -- so I would expect the moniker on a DM model (Dodge Medium, like the Polara 500 in 1969 and the Polara Brougham in 1971), not on a plain (DL) Polara.

Here are some more photos of DL43L0D287822 and of the badge that seems strange to me. To be clear, regardless, the car is simply beautiful (and the photos are super-nice):

Thanks a real bunch to @Lycidias for bringing this car to our attention.

Paging @CBODY67 @69CoronetRT @polara71 @71Polara383 @kmccabe56 @Fratzog