I've found a couple trunk lid variations that I hadn't noticed before, so I'm doing a little research into trunk lids.
Mainly I'd like to find out roughly what years / months these different variations were used for, but maybe we can discover more variations while we're at it.
So far, I've seen 6 different Challenger lids & 5 different Barracuda lids.
Please post a picture of the underside of your trunk lid here, AND IF YOU KNOW IT, also the scheduled production date.
When we're done, I'll compile the information in an organized fashion and post it in the Reference section of this forum.
This will be cool! I had not idea that there was so many different variations.
1970 Challenger T/A (Hamtramck) with 3-1970 door mylar sticker and a SPD on the tag of 317.
1970 Challenger RT (LA built) 3-1970 on the door mylar sticker and SPD of 311 (March 11th 1970).
1970 Cuda (Hamtramck) 10-1969 door mylar sticker and SPD of A06 (Oct 6th 1969)
1970 Dodge Challenger RT/SE (Hamtramck) with factory luggage rack. SPD = 508, mylar sticker = May 1970.
1970 Dodge Challenger, August 26th 1969 SPD, mylar door sticker missing
1970 Challenger, August 25th 1969 SPD, mylar door sticker unknown
has holes which would appear to be for an early version of the J81 Go-Wing Spoiler !
This would place the spoiler at the rear of the trunk lid on the part that slopes downward.
There are no provisions for spoiler reinforcement brackets.
I'd be interested in hearing about early build J81 Go-Wing Spoiler cars!
1970 Challenger pic found on internet (might be an R/T SE) Unknown SPD or mylar door sticker, but it's relatively early in the production year.
Doesn't have the big hole at the lower right corner.
If anyone has one of these, I'd like to know the SPD. I expect it would be around early October 1969.
1970 Challenger, I took this pic at a car show in 2006. Unknown SPD or mylar door sticker.
Has the J81 spoiler mounting holes with reinforcement brackets in their typical location.
I'd like to have a pic of a lid like this without a spoiler mounted so that we can see the holes.
I'd like to know the SPD for these lids. I expect it to be mid-October 1969 until sometime after January 1st.
Challenger, Unknown year but probably 70 or 71, Unknown SPD
Has a medium sized hole at bottom right corner. The more I look at this, I suspect that it's been drilled by someone to access the back side of the luggage rack rivnut, and that the factory didn't make trunk lids like this.
Does anyone else have a trunk lid like this?
1972 Challenger Rallye, October 26th 1971 SPD (A26), unknown mylar door sticker.
No more spoiler holes, but still has luggage rack holes.
1973 Challenger, I took this pic at a car show in 2006. Not a great pic of the trunk lid, but it shows part of it. Unknown SPD.
Challenger on top
vs
Barracuda on bottom
Just so that you can see how different the stampings are, regardless of which cutout holes they're equipped with.
(both these lids are late production 1970 versions)
1970 'Cuda, Unknown SPD, but it's an early build car.
There might be another version of the barracuda trunk lid that is earlier than this one.
1970 Barracuda, Unknown SPD
Has cutouts for J81 Go-Wing Spoiler.
1970 Barracuda, Unknown SPD of pictured car.
Has cutouts for J82 AAR Spoiler.
My SPD June 25th 1970 'Cuda came with a trunk lid like this.
1971 'Cuda, Unknown SPD
Spoiler has been moved forward on the trunk lid, and reinforcement brackets have been redesigned for the new location.
Anyone have pics of 72-74 Barracuda / 'Cuda trunk lids??
We could also use more SPD info if you have any.
This will give us a better idea of when the changeover was for each style.
If I had to guess, I would say that a vast majority of originals were painted. :alan2cents: That means the bolts were painted too. Then if you have to adjust the latch it chips the paint and then it starts to chip when you use it. It's what I would call more correct, but I like the clean look of a plated latch and the ease of being able to adjust it. But if you're looking to get as close to OEM as possible I would say you're better off painted it body color.
Quote from: headejm on February 07, 2017, 09:00:25 PM
@Cuda Cody (http://forum.e-bodies.org/index.php?action=profile;u=1) What is your opinion on painted vs. unpainted trunk latch striker? Looks like you leave them unpainted. I believe some were painted and some unpainted. Mine was painted then adjusted. :notsure:
This is some wonderful photos of deck lids!!!! :clapping:
Does anyone have a reproduction deck lid? Are there any easy ways to tell a reproduction deck lid beside it not having the lot numbers stamped in it?
Quote from: headejm on February 07, 2017, 09:00:25 PM
What is your opinion on painted vs. unpainted trunk latch striker? I believe some were painted and some unpainted. Mine was painted then adjusted. :notsure:
That might depend on when the car was built, and at what plant.
Several of the trunk lids I've posted pictures of above are on cars that have been repainted at some point, and some of the pics I don't know the history of the car, but these two pictured below are guaranteed original paint cars, and they both have unpainted trunk latch strikers.
It's a early build 1970 Challenger & a early build 1970 'Cuda. It would seem that at least Hamtramck cars prior to Octoberish? 1969 had unpainted latches.
LA build cars could be different, and there could have been a change to painted latches at any point in the future.
(since one side of the striker plate curves up and the other side curves down, I took these pics to make sure the latch was installed in the original orientation.)
Reviewing my car notes, I'm told that the assembly line used a fixture that mounted where the trunk latch bolts onto the tailpanel. It had a post that stuck up and somehow held the trunk lid stationary through the seven step dipping process, and remained in place during painting.
After paint, this fixture was removed and replaced with a new unpainted trunk latch, with the painted fixture bolts being reused to hold the latch on.
It seems that MOST strikers were attached to the trunk lid, and painted in place, then adjusted later when the trunk latch was installed.
I've seen with my own eyes that early cars didn't have painted strikers though, so my guess is that the trunk lid wasn't held very securely by the fixture on early cars, and the process was improved by installing the striker to give the fixture something to hold on to.
Here's a couple more original paint pictures.
I'll try to remember to get mine when I get home. mine is a very early build '70 LA car
Sideview but here's mine:
Here is pics of my 70 Challenger trunk lid; unknown SPD but it is a LA car with a manufacture date of 10-69
Quote from: 70chall440 on February 08, 2017, 05:17:21 PM
Here is pics of my 70 Challenger trunk lid; unknown SPD but it is a LA car with a manufacture date of 10-69
Do you think it's the original trunk lid for that car?
To me, it seems unlikely that an LA built car would get a T/A trunk lid before T/A spoilers or even Go-Wing spoilers were available at Hamtramck, especially considering that T/As weren't built in LA.
Now that you mention is, no I don't. As you can see in the pics, it was yellow underneath and my car was originally vitamin C, so who knows where it came from. I should have thought it out a little better before positing, my bad... :angry:
It's still neat to see the picture.
Even without an SPD, pictures can help us find new variations.
Thanks for contributing!
Challenger. Unknown date or year.
from my mid-Aug LA built '70 Barracuda (COE100322). original lid. tag date 820
bonus pic of the toolbox my wife bought me for my b'day to help clean up my tool mess, lol
1971 cuda build date 6-28-71
Quote from: Shoooter on February 10, 2017, 03:15:45 PM
1971 cuda build date 6-28-71
Nice to see one that's close to the end of the Production year.
Thanks
Quote from: ec_co on February 09, 2017, 04:57:45 PM
from my mid-Aug LA built '70 Barracuda (COE100322). original lid. tag date 820
Also great to see such an early build date LA car!
Any chance that's original paint?
I'm curious if the trunk latch striker was originally painted body color on this car.
I'll double check when I get home, pretty sure it is OG paint under there. BUT it did get a repaint sometime between '71-'73 (dad bought it in '73 and had no clue it had a repaint until I pointed it out to him) due to what I think was a minor front end incident - they seemed to have used '71 B5 as it is slightly darker than the original as I've sanded through a few areas and it flaked off in a few others.
funny thing (for me) on the build date - I know a guy in CA with a '70 Challenger WSS /6 and his was built within a couple days of mine, vin #s/build date are almost identical. if you want I might be able to get him to take pics of that trunk lid too
Quote from: ec_co on February 10, 2017, 03:48:16 PM
I know a guy in CA with a '70 Challenger WSS /6 and his was built within a couple days of mine, vin #s/build date are almost identical. if you want I might be able to get him to take pics of that trunk lid too
Sure, that would be great to also see what the LA plant was using on early build Challengers.
I don't see any hints of respray on the underside and seems that the latch was painted at the factory
Here's what we have so far for Challenger deck lid variations.
We could still use more Scheduled Production Dates.
The notes on the picture mention what options the trunk lid was designed to have installed on it, but that doesn't mean those options were available on every car which used that trunk lid. For example, No Gull Wing spoilers in 1970, and No T/A spoilers in 1971. I'm not sure if a luggage rack was available on 72-74 cars, but the trunk lid did have provisions for it. etc.
Great layout of trunk lids. :clapping:
71 cuda
Unrestored original - SPD 308
judy
Quote from: 1ownr on April 20, 2017, 04:41:06 PM
Unrestored original - SPD 308
judy
Too bad it's "unrestored" ;) :haha:
:headbang: you again!! :)
Quote from: cataclysm80 on February 10, 2017, 04:11:33 PM
Quote from: ec_co on February 10, 2017, 03:48:16 PM
I know a guy in CA with a '70 Challenger WSS /6 and his was built within a couple days of mine, vin #s/build date are almost identical. if you want I might be able to get him to take pics of that trunk lid too
Sure, that would be great to also see what the LA plant was using on early build Challengers.
@70/6chall (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/706chall_390) just joined, hopefully he'll see this and might post his up
My 74. All original including the factory installed upside down jack instructions.
I added the trunk light. Ignore the Falcon parts... :stop:
Quote from: ec_co on April 20, 2017, 05:11:38 PM
@70/6chall (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/706chall_390) just joined, hopefully he'll see this and might post his up
He has an extremely early built LA Challenger, so it would be great to see what his trunk lid looks like.
I wonder if he knows whether his trunk latch bar was originally painted or not.
1970 AAR Cuda, build date March 1970........
Latch Hook was painted, no paint underneath latch hook.....
Here is my 74 Cuda...door sticker 1-74...if it helps.
1970. built Oct 69....
1972 'Cuda. SPD of 601.
It's great to see all these trunk lids, Thanks!
Keep them coming! :)
This is my 73 BS23H
My car was originally red. The previous owner told me that the person he bought the car off of used a bunch of parts from a Limelight 70 AAR that was T-boned in the early 90s which led to my car being an AAR clone.
I just found out the original owners address. I hope to touch base with them via snail mail to see if they might still have the cars original fender tags.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171201/68ec96e05d7bd6042be83852dc756a5d.jpg)
^^^^
Could that be an AAR trunk lid
based on what I've seen above?
Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
Here are some photos of my car. Original paint. Is the SPD the numbers by the striker?
Quote from: Wayno56 on December 02, 2017, 05:22:37 AM
Here are some photos of my car. Original paint. Is the SPD the numbers by the striker?
based on your VIN number, your car was "scheduled" B12 (11/12/69)
based on your door sticker, your car wasn't final assembled until 12-1969 (December)
I haven't started to track sheet-metal "lot codes", but
SS48-2A may decode simply as:
Sterling
Stamping week
48 - shift
2 line
A -
or NOT :dunno:
but that being decoded as a week of the year production on your decklid would work well with a Dec. '69 built car
do you have a broadcast sheet?
Unfortunetly No I do not have the broadcast sheet. I got it from an estate sale, it is a 12,000 mile survivor car.
Quote from: Chris Pauluk on December 01, 2017, 07:04:31 PM
Could that be an AAR trunk lid
based on what I've seen above?
Chris, the trunk lid you have is definitely a 1970 trunk lid, same as was used during AAR production.
Yes, it's likely from that AAR you've heard about.
Your original 1973 trunk lid would not have had any holes to mount the AAR spoiler.
Challenger R/T SE
Built Feb 1970
Luggage rack and interior light group car.
Dredging up an old post that I just happened upon. Did anything ever come of this?