What is an LA challenger? • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **Moparman1972** » 26 Jun 2006 0:21

Stupid question maybe, but I've never heard anything about that or the western sport special or many other things before I stumbled upon the message board. I've gathered (and please yell at me a lot if I'm wrong) that Challengers with vins starting with JH are...LA challengers? Totally confused.

by **JackT** » 26 Jun 2006 1:10

Los Angeles Challengers have an E in the seventh place of the VIN, like my my R/T SE, JS29U0Exxxxxx. Hamtramck Challengers have a B in that spot like my old Six pack car, JS23V0Bxxxxxx. The H or S after the J in the second space of the VIN indicates the vehicle's price class, High or Special and they both rolled off both assembly lines.

by **Alaskan_TA** » 26 Jun 2006 2:54

To expand on that just a bit, for the 1970 model year Challengers and Barracudas were produced at two assembly plants, Hamtramck Michigan and Los Angeles California. Most were from Hamtramck.

Starting with the 1971 model year, all Barracuda and Challenger models were produced at Hamtramck.

There is a new Registry for the 1970 LA built models, you can find it online at www.lamopar.com

T/Ake care,
Barry

by **Moparman1972** » 26 Jun 2006 3:16

Thanks to you both, that clears things up.

by **ianandjess** » 26 Jun 2006 11:12

sounds like our la challengers are almost rare (lol)
cheers ian

by **Jon** » 26 Jun 2006 15:09

I will be registering at LAMOPAR. Possibly they can find more information about my rare LA A66 Challenger as I have no fender tag or build sheet to reference. :cry:

Jon

by **Moparman1972** » 26 Jun 2006 15:21

I was lucky enough to find my build sheet intact in the back seat springs. I also found a piece of paper stuffed up in the roof behind the headliner. It's one of those sheets they had at the factory, as they were building the car. It has a list of all of the welds and such for the car, and the welder is supposed to check them off as he does them. It hasnt been checked off, it's just a sheet that fell behind the roof when they were doing the car, and the welder must have gotten another one. He put his name on my sheet first, though. Neat stuff.

by **Jon** » 26 Jun 2006 16:30

I had not thought to check there. That probably is the only place in my car that has not been removed or inspected. Very cool find. :thumbsup:

Does your build sheet give you much information about the options on your car?

Jon

by **JackT** » 26 Jun 2006 23:35

Barry, it seems all Cody has on my car is photos of the fender tags and the VIN tag sent his way by a third paty. Cody and I had a good talk and he is trying to figure out what the K on my dealer order number (K90002) means. He thinks it is off a rarely-used order-sheet pad

by **Alaskan_TA** » 27 Jun 2006 0:12

K would be special order of some kind. Anything unusual about the paint maybe?

Barry

by **JackT** » 27 Jun 2006 1:51

Yes, there is something different about the paint and the fender tags..... 999 paint code, V09 Special order paint, Y14 Sold car, Y39 Special order...... originally painted EA9 Charcoal Iridescent, a color exclusive to Chrysler Imperials in 1970. I found a paint chip page in a paint shop in Reseda CA that explained it all to me - there were two chips on it, my color and a blue that were Imperial-only colors. It said the color could be ordered on any Chrysler, Plymouth or Dodge and the 999, V09 and Y39 option codes would be listed.

by **Alaskan_TA** » 27 Jun 2006 2:01

Sounds right! I would love to see a scan of that page if you have one?

by **JackT** » 27 Jun 2006 3:27

I will go back to that shop and see if they still have their chip archive. I should have a scan of that myself just to document the car.

by **JackT** » 27 Jun 2006 22:49

Barry, according to Cody the K at the beginning of the vehicle order number denotes a special order paint car.

by **Alaskan_TA** » 27 Jun 2006 23:47

It can mean a few things, paint is one of them, sunroof is another, cop cars too. With your 999 paint code it has to be the paint though.

Barry