Retro pics, the good old days.

[mccannix]

All very interesting the lengths the big three would go to back in the day, although there always were the magazine wars back then. 

I'm sure that car would have been slated to be destroyed by Chrysler.

[340challconvert]

Here is a copy of the original article where the early, modified 318 Challenger had the 340 installed as a test car. Dodge never initially planned to install a 340 in the Challenger and it was not available formally until about the 3rd week of September. 1969 and it was a late decision made some time in August to formally offer the A66 package. 
I have never seen a build sheet or even a fender tag earlier then late September with the A66 code which was not available until that point. (As per Hantramck Historical)
  per the '70 Dodge "salesman's pocket guide" 9/23/69 version:
CODE A66 - Challenger 340 CID engine package - $258.90
NA Special Edition (29), NA R/T (JS)
15" Rallye wheels (W21) - required at EXTRA cost
collapsable spare (W34) - required at EXTRA cost

As far as early flat hood 340 Challengers, a number of people have claimed to have one. Only way to know for sure is a build sheet. Ben is right that the RT hood was not coded on early A-66 Challenger fender tags (didn't start until about January 1970). 
The standard explanation for this was that the hood was part of A-66 package and coding was not necessary.
Not saying that flat hood 340 Challengers did not happen early on; would love to see a build sheet and fender tag for any initial September built cars.  Never say never with Mopar.

The earliest A66 documented Challenger at this point in the Challenger A-66 Registry has a SPD of September 29th. If you have an early car, I would greatly appreciate your registration into the Registry. The more information, the more accurate the data.

[JS29]

15" tires on 340 cars, 14" tires mentioned on the magazine test car in the article! 

[6bblgt]

For 1971 didn't all the JH 340 cars get flat hood and JS 340 cars get sport hood?

the Challenger J54 "sport hood" was included with the ~$250 E55 340 engine OPTION for '71 (and was STANDARD/included on 1970 - 1973 340s & 74's 360 4bbl)

missing a J54 on a CHALLENGER fender tag and/or broadcast sheet is NOT a good indication on whether or not a car received the hood

J54 almost appears "random" on a performance E-body:
with 340/without 340 * with SHAKER/without SHAKER * with "TRANS AM"/without "TRANS AM" * with 'cuda/without 'cuda * with RT/without RT 

[6bblgt]

15" tires on 340 cars, 14" tires mentioned on the magazine test car in the article! 

any "road test" has to be looked at as information only & not regarded as "gospel"

"IF" you ordered a '70 318 Challenger with F70-14/E60-15 tires, S13 "rallye suspension" was a required additional cost OPTION - which is the same suspension that was included in the A66 "340 engine package"

& YES, the rear sway bar didn't get added to the S13 "rallye suspension" until after the T/As & AARs existence

[340challconvert]

Could eventually be interesting on the data for hood coding for the A66 Challengers.
As the A66 Registry gets cars added; I have included a statistic on each registered car to indicate if the code J54 was on the tag. I only count Challengers that I can actually verify that J54 is on the tag.
Currently, the earliest SPD for the code on A66 Challengers that I have verified is HOE -1/23. Subsequent dates; all H0B builds include: B14, 219, 325, 505, 523, 618, and 618.
I do not track RT's but the tags I see, seem to mimic the roughly January date for the code on a tag.

I will continue to track this statistic!

[benlavigne]

Lots of interesting A66 info, can a moderator move the posts, starting with the convertible picture to the existing A66 thread?
https://forum.e-bodies.org/cuda-and-challenger-general-discussion-roseville-moparts/2/a66-code-1970-340-challengers/8271/msg205779#msg205779

Ben

[Chryco Psycho]

 

[three two barrels]

 

[1 Wild R/T]

The little lady is loading her kids in a Hemi 4 Spd Challenger R/T Convertible...

[6bblgt]

here's a more recent pic of that HEMI Challenger R/T 

[Chryco Psycho]

 

[RzeroB]

The little lady is loading her kids in a Hemi 4 Spd Challenger R/T Convertible...

I've seen that pic a number of times before but I just now noted the date on the left margin ... "Jun 70". The car is only a few months old ... practically new ... and look how dirty and dusty it is ... it's like Clark Grizwold's "family truckster"!! 

[JS29]

I saw that and thought they lived on a dirt road or something! and with the top down what did the interior look like. 

[three two barrels]