I have a 71 Cuda 383 with a SPD of 6/22/71 which had an 3656397 alternator on it when I acquired it. I bought it 25 years ago with roughly 50k miles and most things were untouched. This is an AC car and the build sheet is coded "78" for the alternator. I don't remember the exact build date of the alternator but I remember it was very close to the build date of the car but still within what I felt reasonable for being original to the car. It is my feeling that my car came with this alternator from new but I obviously can't prove it 100%.

I bought a 3656397 alternator rear shell from a Moparts member a couple years back who was also restoring a 71 383 A/C Cuda June 71 build. He acquired it in parts with the car and opted to put on a 178 alternator since that was what is generally accepted because of the build sheet. The strange thing about this one is that the color code on it was orange/red as generally seen on 172 alternators.

I have never found any printed information regarding these alternators but I'm sure most of the posters here are aware of the service bulletin that references some late 71 cars getting 72 style alternators so it's not too far of a stretch that some of these 3656397 alternators could have been substituted as well.

Mike Afflerbach