AAR Cuda production built???

AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/07/12 06:04 PM

Don't know if this has been answered
before here, but anyway....

Anyone here know how many AAR's in 1970
were produced with factory bench/buddy
seat and column shift??
Thanks for your help!

Posted By: 6bblgt

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/07/12 06:59 PM

GG's "'Cuda Option & Accessory book" shows:
BS23
16,710 built to US spec.
*~2,724 (of 16,710) w/A53 (TRANS AM) 16.3%
*~1,203 (of 16,710) w/bench seat 7.2%
~10,243 (of 16,710) w/C16 (console) 61.3%
*~1,604 (of 16,710) w/A53 & D32 (auto trans) 9.6%
*~1,120 (of 16,710) w/A53 & D21 (4spd trans) 6.7%

I do not believe the number exists for 'Cuda AAR w/bench seat.

Posted By: RoadRunnerLuva

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/07/12 07:18 PM

Thanks Dan! Still though, it's a rare combo!
I know someone who has one for sale. And I
was curious about the # produced like this.

Posted By: autoxcuda

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/07/12 07:36 PM

Seems like a higher percentage of AAR's with colunm auto than 'Cudas. That number does not break down AAR with bench seat.

The AAR's were not really ordered by customers to dealers didn't want to have an expensive car sitting on thier lots they didn't know if they could sell. Remember these were the same Plymouth dealers that got stuck with Superbirds not much before this.

Even though column auto seems rare in total 'Cuda numbers, it is very undesirable. I know of many AAR's that were converted from bench column auto's to console autos. So what you "see" today isn't always they way they came from the factory.

Posted By: Alaskan_TA

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/07/12 08:28 PM

I can do color reports that include the transmission & shifter type for AARs known to me. See http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/services-1.shtm for more info.

Posted By: 6bblgt

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 03:51 AM

Quote:

The AAR's were not really ordered by customers to dealers didn't want to have an expensive car sitting on thier lots they didn't know if they could sell.

..... but the bench seat was still an OPTION, with a $16.50 price tag.
Bucket seats with a column auto was "cheaper". The console was a $53.35 OPTION.

The only reason bench seat (non-AAR) 'Cudas are not seen today, is because the more mundane 4bbl (340, 383, 440) automatics w/bench seat interior were shuned & parted years ago as undesirables. Multiple carb cars have a higher survival rate because of multiple carbs.

Posted By: Alaskan_TA

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 03:56 AM

.....and contrary to popular belief, some AARs were actually ordered.

Posted By: 6bblgt

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 05:29 AM

1 out of every 6 automatic 1970 US spec. 'Cuda hardtops were bench seat & column shift. NOT RARE!!

The numbers I used above are approximate (namely the ~1203 bench seat 'Cudas), figured another way - I end up with ~1336 bench seat 'Cudas.

Using the ~1203 number - & this is a big "IF" - just to give some perspective I KNOW THE NUMBERS DO NOT SUPPORT THIS!!:

~7771 total 1970 automatic US spec. 'Cuda hardtops (BS23) lots of approximate numbers so I'll use +/-50 to cover the ERROR

340-4bbl auto 1788 $216.20 1778/7771 (22.88% x 1203) ~275+/-50 = 225-325
340-6bbl auto 1604 $$??.?? 1604/7771 (20.64% x 1203) ~248+/-50 = 198-298 column shift bench seat AARs
383-4bbl auto 2540 $227.05 2540/7771 (32.69% x 1203) ~393+/-50 = 343-443
440-4bbl auto *618 $227.05 *618/7771 (*7.95% x 1203) ~*96+/-50 = 46-146
440-6bbl auto *853 $227.05 *853/7771 (10.98% x 1203) ~132+/-50 = 82-182
Hemi2x4 auto *368 $227.05 *368/7771 (*4.74% x 1203) ~*57+/-50 = 7-107

Barry, What did an automatic cost in an AAR? What did it cost in a T/A?

Posted By: Alaskan_TA

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 05:35 AM

I have never paid attention to prices, but I may have that listed somewhere.

For AARs that actually were ordered, I know of 76 so far.

Posted By: 6bblgt

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 05:36 AM

I figured you 'd have a window sticker or two handy?

Posted By: autoxcuda

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 05:39 AM

Quote:

Quote:

The AAR's were not really ordered by customers to dealers didn't want to have an expensive car sitting on thier lots they didn't know if they could sell.

..... but the bench seat was still an OPTION, with a $16.50 price tag.
Bucket seats with a column auto was "cheaper". The console was a $53.35 OPTION.

The only reason bench seat (non-AAR) 'Cudas are not seen today, is because the more mundane 4bbl (340, 383, 440) automatics w/bench seat interior were shuned & parted years ago as undesirables. Multiple carb cars have a higher survival rate because of multiple carbs.

Very good points. I agree, most of what we see today is not a good indication of what was built and sold. I didn't remember a bench seat was an extra cost option.

But even as multiple carb 440-6 and Hemi 'Cudas go, in your opinion does it seem to you a lot of AAR's are bench seat?

I realize you could order an AAR/TA, but most were not.

Posted By: Alaskan_TA

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 05:41 AM

T/A transmission prices at http://www.challengertaregistry.com/photos/bulletins/bulletin_fj_dd_supp_2_pg2.jpg

Posted By: Alaskan_TA

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 05:48 AM

For most things, I would need a VIN to look up what I have.

Window stickers have been available in non-original form since the late 1970s, so I do not put much stock in them. Some of them are quite good, but not original.

Column shift / bench seat AARs are more common than column shift / bench seat T/As as far as the cars I am aware of go. I love them myself. I have not seen any at dealerships 'not sold' so every one of them must have been 'desirable' to someone at some point. I love the combination myself.

Posted By: 70BigBlockSE

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/08/12 01:00 PM

In either 78 or 79 I saw a white benchseat column auto AAR in Sheldon Iowa. I has just got my 70 Challenger and thought it a very odd combo. The guy also had a 71 Hemi Runner sitting in the apartment parking lot.

Posted By: Morty426

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/09/12 05:19 PM

Quote:

I have never paid attention to prices, but I may have that listed somewhere.

For AARs that actually were ordered, I know of 76 so far.

Cool! Learned something new today

Posted By: stwheels

Re: AAR Cuda production built??? - 04/10/12 09:07 PM

I like them too Barry. Here is my old 70 383 R/T conv. with column shift, (couldn't get a bench in a rag top even though the original owner ordered it that way) cruise control, am/fm, pw, pt ... FC7 but Black and White when I owned it.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
web site: www.stwheelz.com

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