The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Here are two vintage photos from 1969. What puzzles me is that the steering wheel rims on both cars are colour-matched. I have never heard or seen anything like it before so I wonder if anyone else has?

Hey Chris, I have not seen that before either. Maybe all right hand drive Barracudas came with color matched steering wheels.

jh27n0b wrote:Maybe all right hand drive Barracudas came with color matched steering wheels.

That sounds convincing...NOT.

Could be just the way the photo is touched up or printed. I am not convinced they are colour matched at all.

dave-r wrote:Could be just the way the photo is touched up or printed. I am not convinced they are colour matched at all.

What you are suggesting is that the pic´s have been manipulated in some way. Do you really think they did things like that in the sixties?

Another thing I find intresting is that the red convertible is missing (you need very sharp eyes) the wood-grained door panel inserts in spite the fact that it is a R/T.

christer wrote:What you are suggesting is that the pic´s have been manipulated in some way. Do you really think they did things like that in the sixties?

Ever since photography was invented.

I know several people that used to (and some still) make a good living from it.

The most plausable explination for the body colored wheels is that the pictures are from pre-production models. You did say that the pictures were from 69 so that is very possible.

If you look back in old literature there are plenty of examples where the press photos show special equipment that never made it to production. I remember one that I think showed a Ford Mustang shaker scoop on an A12 Road Runner.

Also, in the pic of the Challenger, the 3 spokes in the wheel should be red on a red interior car. The picture shows them black. My guess is that those are press reliece photos of very early cars. The factory was probably still deciding what WAS and WAS NOT going to go on the production vehicles.

burdar wrote:The most plausable explination for the body colored wheels is that the pictures are from pre-production models. You did say that the pictures were from 69 so that is very possible.

Also, in the pic of the Challenger, the 3 spokes in the wheel should be red on a red interior car. The picture shows them black. My guess is that those are press reliece photos of very early cars. The factory was probably still deciding what WAS and WAS NOT going to go on the production vehicles.

That is about what I believe myself. To alter a pic nowadays is an easy task (If you got the knowledge). Back in those days, it must have been far more time consuming. If they wanted colour matched steering wheels, then it feels like it would have been the simplest solution to just add some paint direct from the start.

If they have altered the pic´s afterward, then they have done a very good job. You can even see the sun glanse (on the steering wheel) at the correct area.

The Barracuda wheel is definitely black. Have a close look and you will see it is a black interior, its just that the photo colours have bled so that you can see blue tinges everywhere, on the seats, dash, door trims etc. It has also done that to the steering wheel. As for the Challenger, notice the black bonnet stripe has also been leeched a red colour, but that steering wheel is definitely red. Another suggestion is perhaps its a red steering wheel cover. They had leather ones in those days, but usually black only i would have thought.