Car Height on Build Sheet

[Cuda Cody]

@6bblgt  or @cataclysm80   do you guys know what the three numbers mean in line 5 under "CAR HEIGHT"?  For Example, EM1, EP7, EM3?

E = E-Body Platform
M or P = Manual or Power Steering
1,3, 7 = ?  Maybe Torsion Bar setting for height?


Have you seen a sheet with an even number in that 3rd box or a 5 or 9?  I've only seen 1, 3 and 7's.

[anlauto]

Galen Govier once told me that nobody has ever deciphered what those numbers stand for.

[ChallengerHK]

Sounds like we're going where no man has gone before 

[RUNCHARGER]

I've always wanted to know as well.

[cataclysm80]

I always wanted to know more on that subject.
I had a little info on it, but not enough to satisfy me.
I'll see if I can dig it up in a couple days when I have time.

[Cuda Cody]

The theories above work, but not the torsion bar theory.  Here's why (quick sample):

1 = 440+4 Challenger (32 trans)
1 = 426 Hemi Challenger (21 trans)
1 = 440+4 Challenger (32 trans)
1 = 440+6 Cuda (21 trans)
1 = 426 Hemi Cuda (21 trans)
1 = 426 Hemi Cuda (21 trans)
1 = 340+6 Challenger (32 trans)
1 = 383+4 Challenger (21 trans)
1 = 383+2 Challenger (32 trans)
1 = 383+4 Challenger (32 trans)

3 = 318 Challenger (31 trans)
3 = Slant 6 Conv (31 trans)

7 = 340+6 Challenger (32 trans)
7 = 340+6 Challenger (32 trans)

As shown above, we have 340 six packs with both 1 & 7.  And 1 is by far the most popular in the small sample I just looked at.  Here's two 340+6 cars built close to each other (and both sheets were pulled out of the same car).  One has a 1 and the other is a 7.  I've crossed out (in blue) things that are the same so we know it's not having to do with them.

Help me think in terms of things that come in 3's.  There are 3 steering / gear shifters?   

~Column Shift Auto
~Floor Shift Auto
~Floor Shift Manual

Or maybe it has something to do with steering shaft coupler?  But there's only 2 of those, right?  Steering box or arm....  Manual, Power, and Fast Ratio?  I'm just thinking out loud now.  With the P & M being Power Steering and Manual Steering, what else would a working need to know that was working int hat area?  Steering column information when the guy is installing it?  Could it be a pulley for the pump?




click to enlarge photo

[Brads70]

I wonder if it had something to do with actual heights , like if you had a certain tire combo and different leaf spring packs it was bound to cause different heights , they chose 3 different height codes as a way to double check when it was final assembled. Might catch hemi springs wrongly installed in a /6 car or that sort of thing?    Just a guess?

[Culvers]

...do you guys know what the three numbers mean in line 5 under "CAR HEIGHT"?

all I found is:
The number is an internal factory number that measures the car height from either the lowest point of the steering knuckle to the ground to the lowest point of the adjusting blade to the ground

Have you seen a sheet with an even number in that 3rd box or a 5 or 9?  I've only seen 1, 3 and 7's.

on A, B and C-bodies I found a 5, on 73/74' E-bodies I found a 2

[Brads70]

on A, B and C-bodies I found a 5, on 73/74' E-bodies I found a 2

T/A  AAR Exhaust? I'm guess that would be the lowest thing on an e-body? 

[6bblgt]

I thought I had an idea until Cody posted the T/A sheet with the "1"??  Is it possible that is a "typo", anyone else have a T/A or AAR sheet with anything other than "7"?

1 = F78-14 or F70-14 or E60-15 or F60-15 tires (T34, T35, T86, T87, U82, U84)
3 = E78-14 tires (T25, T26)
7 = E60-15/G60-15 tire combo (A53 & U01)

thought it was a height setting of the front suspension based on tire diameter, but I don't know what that number is or where it was measured from - or why manual/power steering would make a difference??  unless the factory had different alignment spec's added into the available combinations??

[RUNCHARGER]

The factory repair manuals always tell you to measure from the adjusting blade when measuring ride height.

[Cuda Cody]

I like how you are thinking.  Let me look for some more T/A sheets and see if we can find any with a "1".

I thought I had an idea until Cody posted the T/A sheet with the "1"??  Is it possible that is a "typo", anyone else have a T/A or AAR sheet with anything other than "7"?

1 = F78-14 or F70-14 or E60-15 or F60-15 tires (T34, T35, T86, T87, U82, U84)
3 = E78-14 tires (T25, T26)
7 = E60-15/G60-15 tire combo (A53 & U01)

thought it was a height setting of the front suspension based on tire diameter, but I don't know what that number is or where it was measured from - or why manual/power steering would make a difference??  unless the factory had different alignment spec's added into the available combinations??

[6bblgt]

the '70 Challenger/Dart "SERVICE MANUAL" shows just one height in the "front suspension spec's" & the instructions for measuring

it does show different "CASTER" spec's for manual VS. power steering

at this point I would say the b'cast sheet's "CAR HEIGHT" is the factory alignment spec's & it was tweaked "in-house" for different factory available tire sizes - but published in a one-size-fits-all for service spec's

[Cuda Cody]

Wayne Voigt from our E-Bodies Facebook Group shared this one....

I thought I had an idea until Cody posted the T/A sheet with the "1"??  Is it possible that is a "typo", anyone else have a T/A or AAR sheet with anything other than "7"?

[Cuda Cody]

@6bblgt  lets think about this from a different perspective.  It looks like the 1's and 7's all have trans 21 & 32's, but can you find any with a 31? Do you have any CAR HEIGHT 3's?  What do they have for a trans?  All the ones I have list a 31.  Just  what that might have to do with the number.  If we can find a pattern with one of the numbers it might lead us to what it means.