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well i'm back with some nagging questions that need clearing up. 1, why did the cars come down the line with 383s on the vin tag then have to change, why didn't it just start as a 440? it wasn't like they didn't know they where making them. my fender tag has the 383 number. 2, that wire clips only purpose is to hold that joint lid on,leads me to think it was removed after assembly for some reason. i haven't seen them on any other car in these numbers. any ideas




"Package cars" as in this case the 1969 A13 Dart/Cuda and the A12 "Package" '69 B-body RM, WM models were just that an optional "Package" that was ADDED to a base model. Product planning (PP) made a list of additions ("Package" contents) and deletions (Items not necessarily in the "Package" but not used like hub caps or wheel covers on the A12's ) and then PP got together with the "Fleet Engineering" (FE) department and determined when and what could be done on the normal production line. They (FE) would set a best target date for the start of production (302-A13, 329/426-A12) knowing not all planned units could be built in one day or on those dates. If space (canceled other car orders) became available then Fleet Engineering slotted package cars into those available openings. With the A12 cars the package was added to a 383 base RM/WM car so that some of the base items were in place at Body-in-White and when it came to installing the 383 the broadcast sheet dictated the deletion of the 383 and the addition of the 440's.

The PP/FE addition and deletion list pretty much had every nut, bolt, screw, washer, and items that was added or deleted and anything that couldn't be put on during normal assembly was left up to Fleet Engineering to figure out how to get done. In the case of the A12's that seemed to be the intake, carbs, hood and hood pins. With the A13's IMO there wouldn't be much that couldn't be done on the standard assembly line?


BTW, I thought the standard differential for the A13 was an 8-3/4 3.55:1............and the reason for only the 3.91: 8-3/4 and no 4-speed trans was there wasn't a Dana narrow enough to fit the '69 A-body???

MikeR