The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Who could tell me how many were made?
I have emailed Galen Govier, but was hoping someone else might know.

If anyone has seen some 440 Magnum cars please let me know, I for my self have seeeeeeeeeeeeen.....................1 lol!!! And I've looked all over the internet.
I know there were a handful of 1970 AAR Cudas made with column bucket.
There were 4 1970 T/A Challengers made with this option, so I'm thinking there'll be bugger all 440 R/T's made as well.

Thanks even if you guys think it's rare, this is a #'s matching Challenger.


Thanks

I have already printed all the production figures I have at the weekend there.

No doubt a column shift on a R/T will be rare. Is it coded for it on the tag or build sheet? I can't remember if you have posted the tag details before or not.

Oh and good luck with getting an answer from Galen Govier. He usually only responds to the smell of money.

Yeah I know all about Galen and have stayed clear of him for the last 6 months but I have no choice if I want to get close to sorting out this column deal and just how rare it is. And said I'd pay and told him the story of the car etc, thinking because he likes to find odd Mopars and since this came to New Zealand in 1971 with it options I thought he might take more of an interest, soooooo I'll hear back from hi around 20th of April 2009 lol!!!
No, you can't tell by the fender. Broadcast sheet is the only true answer. But it is a column car with buckets - C55 is on the tag, and there is no C16.

You are Dave, the Dave I know eh?

Hey I believe you mate! But it is easier when you have a build sheet so you can say "Look here is the proof".

The lack of C16 on the tag is what I was looking for there BTW as well as the trans code of course.

A mate of mine had a 1968 Coronet R/T with buckets and a column shift. I have seen another just like it in a magazine too.

Its kind of weird because 1969 1/2 Superbees are the other way around, it's very rare to see a console shifted one of those, in fact I've never seen one. <------ I love this smilie it looks like he's constipated LMAO!!!!

So I guess I can only presume. I was once told by someone that 9% of ALL R/T's made, 383 - 426 came with column shift, but I wasn't sure if he was telling me truth or BS. Still your right you'll never know, that reallt isn't the question "how many were made?" The question that will never be answered is How many still exist!
Still, people do go by Galen's numbers and although it is a estimate it is as close to the production numbers as can be. I guess I'll have to wait for my Build sheet to pop up OR wait for a Challenger registry to have ALL Challengers ever made, both of those will never happen so I'll just know I have something a little special.

I would be surprised if anyone actually knew how many column shift cars were built with any seat or engine combinaton, but I can tell you how many I have heard of so far for the AARs and T/As.

AARs with column shift - 68 currently known.

AARs with column shift / bench seat - 37 currently known.

T/As with column shift - 22 currently known.

T/As with column shift and bench seat - 6 known.

So for both cars, the column shift and bucket seat combination is fairly common, at least so far. All numbers change as more cars are registered and as more information comes in, so please keep that in mind. Currently, I know of 1015 T/As and 820 AARs.

I know of one column shift JS23U0B car as well, but that is a little out of my specialty.

T/Ake care,
Barry

Thanks mate, so thats one 383 R/T. No 440's yet........

Thats weird, in a well known car sales site it had a Orange T/A Challenger and said it was one of 4 column shifted Bucket seats T/A challengers made?

Well, it is a 440 car, if it was a 383 car it would be JS23N.

People have been guessing at AAR and T/A numbers for years, and that is all it has been, guesses. There was a book published during the '80s that stated only 28 Panther Pink T/As were ever built, but I currently have records on 60 of them, so that myth has been exposed.

Since Chrysler does not have accurate records of these cars, the best we can do is to try and track examples known to exist, or by broadcast sheets that were put into the wrong cars at the factory and discovered later. At least if a mis-matched broadcast sheet is found, it still proves the car was built even if the car was destroyed at some point in it's life.

If your car is a 1970 from Hamtramck, send me the fender tag codes and I will start a file on it, I would be curious to see if the VIN is close to the 440 column shift car I have heard of already, or if it is even the same car by chance.

T/Ake care,
Barry

LOL!!!!! My bad, was tired and confused!


Yeah mate that would be cool!!! How long would it take to see if it's the Column one? I guess you just tyope it in. Renmember this is a R/T car, not T/A - just reminder. lol!!


Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) JS23U0E119591

J = Dodge Challenger
S = Special Price Class (R/T)
23 = 2 Door Hardtop
U = 440ci 4bbl High Performance V8 (RB)
0 = 1970
E = Los Angeles, California – USA
119591 = Sequence Number

Body/Fender Tag Codes

V1X = Full Vinyl Roof (Black)
V5X = Black Body Side Mouldings
Y14 = Sold Car
N41 = Dual Exhaust
N42 = Chrome Exhaust Tips
N85 = Tachometer
N95 = Evaporative Emissions Control
P31 = Power Windows
R35 = AM/FM Stereo
C55 = Bucket Seats
G31 = Right Hand Outside Manual Chrome Racing Mirror
G33 = Left Hand Outside Remote Chrome Racing Mirror
H51 = Air Conditioning with Heater
J25 = Deluxe 3 Speed Wipers
M21 = Drip Trough Rail Mouldings
A01 = Light Package (Map & Courtesy, Instrument Panel, Fender Mounted Turn Signals, Ashtray, Glove Box, Ignition Light)
A36 = Performance Axle Package (3:55 Gears, 8-3/4 Sure Grip, Hemi Suspension package, 26” Radiator)
A62 = Rallye Instrument Group Cluster (Tachometer, Clock, Oil Pressure, Trip Odometer, Ammeter)
B51 = Power Brakes
E86 = 440 Cu. In. – 4 BBL Engine 375HP
D32 = Heavy Duty 727 Torqueflite Automatic Transmission
EB5 = Bright Blue Metallic Exterior
H = High Price Class
6 = Bucket Seats in Vinyl
B5 = Bright Blue Interior
S79 = Standard Wood Grain Wheel with Partial Horn Ring
000 = Upper Door Frame Paint Code
B13 = Scheduled Build Date (Thursday November 13th 1969)
075659 = Vehicle Order Number
26 = 26 Inch Radiator
END = End of Fender Tag

The one I know of is from Hamtramck, its VIN is JS23U0B130619. I do not have all the codes for it, but it has A01 A04 and A62.

All in all the 440 R/Ts with column shif have to be pretty darn scarce!

T/Ake care,
Barry

Thanks for helping anyway mate, if you find ANY info on R/T column shift numbers and what-not, post it on this thread.
I like the "T/Ake care" very cool, never seen that before.


Cheers mate,
Carl aka NZ440R/T

NZ440R/T wrote:Who could tell me how many were made?
I have emailed Galen Govier, but was hoping someone else might know.

If anyone has seen some 440 Magnum cars please let me know, I for my self have seeeeeeeeeeeeen.....................1 lol!!! And I've looked all over the internet.
I know there were a handful of 1970 AAR Cudas made with column bucket.
There were 4 1970 T/A Challengers made with this option, so I'm thinking there'll be bugger all 440 R/T's made as well.

Thanks even if you guys think it's rare, this is a #'s matching Challenger.


Thanks

I owned a 1970 Callenger R/T 440 magnum auto on column. I bought it from the original owner. He bought the column version because he wanted the car to be as light weight as possible. (Not that the console and shifter weighed very much anyway). It was kind of a hassle to shift. I'd rather have the slapstick for the peace of mind of not missing the gear you were shifting up to. But that being said, I never saw another one. They have to be pretty rare I would think.