Challenger Elastomeric Bumpers M73 M71 A21 A22 M72

[cataclysm80]

The 1971 factory coding guide dated July 6th 1970 (preproduction), indicates that M71 front elastomeric bumper, M72 rear elastomeric bumper, & M73 front & rear elastomeric bumpers would only be available on a 1971 Challenger R/T.
It says the available colors would be FJ6, GY3, GB5, EV2, FE5, & FC7, but that the rear bumper would only be available in GY3 & EV2 until the end of August, at which point the other colors were supposed to become available.

By the time production began, the 1971 Challenger order forms only listed M73 as being available, still only on R/T and only in unspecified limited colors.
It seems that only M73 was available on these early R/T cars, and only in GY3 & EV2 because the factory hadn't yet received rear bumpers in the other colors yet.

On September 14th 1970, option M71 became available on R/T Challengers, and elastomeric bumpers became available on the non-R/T 1971 Challengers as option A21 and option A22.
The available colors for Challenger elastomeric bumpers were listed as GY3, GB5, EV2, & FC7.  Apparently FJ6 green and FE5 red had been discontinued.
It seems that M72 was also discontinued, and never became available.

After the September announcement, Challenger order forms with M71, M73, A21, & A22 became available.
By January 1971, elastomeric bumpers had been removed from the Challenger order forms, apparently discontinued entirely.

The M71 & M73 option codes do not appear on the fender tag, so you'll need a broadcast sheet in order to prove whether an R/T car originally had elastomeric bumpers. 
A21 & A22 do appear on Plymouth E body fender tags if they're equipped with those options, but it's not clear whether they would appear on Challenger fender tags or not.  Despite being available, I'm not aware of any non-R/T cars actually being ordered with elastomeric bumpers. 

It is a regular steel bumper that is not chromed, but instead has bumper bolts installed and a formed elastomeric coating over the outside.
This is why the bumpers have studs on the inside, and no visible bolt heads on the outside.

Regular chrome bumper guards were used with the elastomeric bumpers.

Challenger elastomeric bumpers use the same bumper brackets as Challenger chrome bumpers.
Challenger bumper brackets are different than Plymouth E body bumper brackets.
(Plymouth E bodies have elastomeric specific front bumper brackets.)

Challenger elastomeric bumpers came with the same jack hook as Challenger chrome bumpers, part number 2931102.
(Plymouth E bodies have an elastomeric specific jack hook, and replacements were not available over the counter at the parts department.)

Challenger elastomeric bumpers had their top surfaces blacked out with organisol.
Non-R/T Challengers with elastomeric bumpers received the R/T style grill blackout, including the headlight bezels and hood molding.  If the rear elastomeric bumper was equipped, the car also received the R/T style tailpanel blackout, including the aluminum tailpanel molding.

The M28 wide hood molding wasn't available with elastomeric bumpers.

[cataclysm80]

Here are some good reference pictures of real Challenger elastomeric bumper cars.
Pay attention to where transition between black and body color is located.

[cataclysm80]

Here are some pictures of Challengers that we're not sure whether they originally had elastomeric bumpers, and also Challengers that we know didn't originally come with elastomeric bumpers, but at least they did a nice job trying to install them correctly.

[cataclysm80]

a few more pics

[cataclysm80]

Here are some more pictures of Challengers with elastomeric bumpers, and while they're attractive cars, they're less correct due to things like the blackout being painted in the wrong location, being convertible R/T models (which don't exist in 1971), being colors that were never mentioned as being available for elastomeric bumpers, or having M28 hood molding installed.

[cataclysm80]

a few more pics

[fc7cuda]

Very thoroughly written and documented post.  Thank you for taking the time to share and educate.   

[YYZ]

To add a bit:

The FJ6 car has real elastomeric bumpers, but they were added on, along with the louvers, wing, M28 etc.  It is originally a GK6/440-6/4-speed/N96 car and purported to be the last known V-code Challenger made -- JS23V1B416xxx.  I found it in barn back in around 1990 or so and regret not having purchased it myself.  I did buy an FY1 440-6/column auto/4.10 Dana from the same barn a few years later.

The B5/black stripe 440-6 car belongs to a member here -- I'm sure he'll chime in (gorgeous car too)

The B5/white stripe car is an original M71 car that used to belong to a member/sponsor here.  It's originally a 383/auto and IIRC was equipped with the shaker & rear louvers from the factory

The GY3 convertible is a real 340/4-speed/N96 car -- elastomerics added, but they are OEM elastomerics, not repros.  Very well optioned car otherwise, including PW.

[cataclysm80]

Here's one more Challenger elastomeric bumper car to add.
1970 Yellow Jacket show car.

The grill and tailpanel features seen on this car, evolved into the 1971 design.
The side stripe also resembles the 1971 style.

[cataclysm80]

  I found it in barn back in around 1990 or so and regret not having purchased it myself.  I did buy an FY1 440-6/column auto/4.10 Dana from the same barn a few years later.

Wow, that's a really impressive barn!  Was there anything else inside?

I think we could all use a barn that catches rare cars.

It's always great to hear from you YYZ, I hope you're doing well.

[Floyd]

Great post! 

What's your source for this bit of info?

"It seems that only M73 was available on these early R/T cars, and only in GY3 & EV2 because the factory hadn't yet received rear bumpers in the other colors yet."

Any idea when the other colors started to show up?

Thanks

[cataclysm80]

What's your source for this bit of info?
"It seems that only M73 was available on these early R/T cars, ...

The 1971 Challenger order form is for an early production car, and only indicates the M73 option.
The subsequent mid September announcement from Chrysler indicates when M71 became available.

What's your source for this bit of info?
and only in GY3 & EV2 because the factory hadn't yet received rear bumpers in the other colors yet."

Any idea when the other colors started to show up?

In the July 6th 1970 Ordering Guide (excerpt pictured above), the M72 rear bumper has a footnote which indicates that only GY3 & EV2 will be available until the end of August.
This would also affect the M73 option, which requires a rear bumper.

The subsequent mid September announcement from Chrysler indicates that 4 colors were available.

It's difficult to say whether the other colors had just become available when the September announcement was made, or if they'd been available since the end of August as indicated by the Ordering Guide.  The truth is probably somewhere in the middle during those two weeks.  Sometimes the paperwork doesn't exactly match up with what happened on the assembly line.





Glad to see you here Floyd. 
Thanks for sharing your knowledge on these cars in years past.
Do you still own one of these?  (that's some of your pictures posted above)

[YYZ]

  I found it in barn back in around 1990 or so and regret not having purchased it myself.  I did buy an FY1 440-6/column auto/4.10 Dana from the same barn a few years later.

Wow, that's a really impressive barn!  Was there anything else inside?

I think we could all use a barn that catches rare cars.

It's always great to hear from you YYZ, I hope you're doing well.

Hi cataclysm80, hope you're doing well as well!

The guy had a lot of Mopars, E-bodies in particular.  At the time, there were 6 sixpack cars there plus a whole host of other interesting cars throughout the property.  I'll have to find my old photo albums.

As I recall
- '71 JS23V1B - GK6 H6X9 D21 A34 N96
- '70 BS23V0B - FY1 H4X9 D32 A34
- '71 RS23V1B - FC7 D32.  Low options
- '70 BS23J0B - FJ5 H6X9 D21

I'm forgetting the other two at the moment, but one may have been a '70 Charger R/T - 440-6, 4-speed, PW, FC7

My friend traded a 6000 mile '79 LRT and a primo '74 360 4-speed Challenger straight across for the '71 Challenger.  The '74 was a high option FE5/black car, and the 360 had had some serious work done to it.

[mccannix]

YYZ...good to see you here now and then, hope all is well.
I remember the 383 B-5 shaker,rubber bumper, louver Challenger pictured here, when it made the rounds and Jerry owned it.
There must have been two FJ6 440-6 Challengers in your area back then, unless the one pictured that you almost bought is the one that J Gilbert bought and loaded up with options.
He bought his at a Spring Carlisle back then, pretty much a stripped shell, after it was towed there from a yard and put for sale there.
I looked it over but he had just bought it and I helped him load it on his trailer.

That is my 71 v code, B-5 with the black stripes and rubber bumpers pictured.
Pictures of the corners of the bumpers are shown above the picture of Floyds car on the hoist.
By the way having seen Floyds car in person, it is gorgeous, as are all he owns.
Mine is not a rubber bumper car obviously, but I had bought this pair of originals in the late 80s at the Mopar Nats and they were original EV2, original shape , never hurt.
Because of their rarity, I painted them B-5 and put them on my Challenger in 1999 after finishing it,...just for a look see.
I removed them after a year for the original chrome ones, but still have them, and no, ..they are not for sale.
Interesting that Scott initially bought his 340 4 speed curious yellow convert, he added a pair of original rubber bumpers to it, that he had laying around.
The same seller had owned the 440-6 Challenger I bought and I added a pair of original bumpers to it as well.

[6bblgt]

here is a little more '71 Challenger elastomeric bumper info:

ORDER FORMS:
dated: 6-70 * M73 R/T ONLY limited colors
dated: 9-70 * M71 - M73 R/T & A21 - A22 non-R/T
dated: 1-71 * G O N E

earliest SPDs of specific R/Ts w/M73 (F & R):
EV2 831
FC7 922
GY3 923
GB5 A01

I don't have any info on M73 cars "scheduled" in months other than August/September/October 1970
I don't have any specific M71 car's info
I don't have any specific A21/A22 car's info