Except that.......

If you compare the tags for those two cars, they are not identical.

Enlighten us

I did notice that on another car it adds on the f-tag A28 and N97...both Noise Reduction.
And 26 for 26" radiator...which is odd.
Also it doesn't show the A67 - Backlight Louvers on the tag.
I would like to see the build sheet.

Yes i know.. but just let say almost identical with gy3 & rear louvers rubber bumpers.. AND the important thing, all are US promo cars.

So the entire range of 100-120 was for these cars?

what about these 1971 show cars?
I have info on 4 or 5

Wierd! What's the story on that VIN???

AKA BS23H1B100141

So is it a fake tag or factory? If factory, why did they do that?

The theory is 'pre-factory', possibly hand build to check parts fitment.

It is not the only one.

What is V26 on a '71 Cuda?

Fake tag??? Really?
Why would I post a fake tag in a conversation about 71 show cars?
This is not my first rodeo.


These "CAR" cars are show cars. 2 of them have a documented history. One of the cars is a 71 Hemi Challenger, the other a 71 Hemi 'Cuda.

The sequence # on the tag does not match the actual vin sequence # of the car.

What does "CAR" represent?
They had a specific purpose.
What was the purpose?
Where do they fit in with the rest of the "show cars"?
How were they built? Hand built? Assembly line built?
Yes there are differences in their parts from the assembly line cars and in the way they were painted.
Were they really built at the plant?
When were they built...08-01? That is a scheduled date.
what about the 0802 and 0803 cars?

Then there is BH23C1B100121 with "BH23CAR000114 on the tag....
08-01

Gregg at Great Lakes Mopar also has an EL5 71 Hemi Challenger with "CAR" in the VIN. I always wondered what the "CAR" designated.

I remember first seeing the car in the early 2000's and Ron Adair at that time said there were different parts and fasteners used to assemble it because it was hand built in a separate area of the plant, not on the assembly line and was a pilot/show car. He stated “CAR” stood for “Chrysler Automotive Research”. He also told me how people at the time were discussing the types of fasteners used to bolt the intake manifold to the engine, and how nobody had seen that type of faster used at that location.

Interesting tags Tom_Q - thanks for posting!
I have heard - not gospel, that pre-production and first day vehicles were typically Pilot cars...to do dry runs down the line for fit and finish and possibly to supply pictures for parts books, manuals and even promo photo's. I imagine promo/show cars came next.

I saw that EL5 71 Challenger that Gregg brought to MCACN last year. It did have a lot of 70 stuff and some weird stuff on it....very interesting....although it was restored. Hopefully it was fully documented and photographed prior to the resto.

The "M" special order numbers are probably relevant...as well as the sequence number on the broadcast sheet. It would be interesting to be able to sample a good batch of this information.

I would agree with Barry that a fender tag that has CAR in place of R1B N1B V1B or what ever engine is a preproduction hand built vehicle or a test vehicle that was built as a test vehicle on the line or off the line to test the assembly process or new parts for the next years production. Likely did not have a drive train assigned to to the chassis till a later date.

These other 1971 Yellow Cudas seem to pop up for sale every year. I use to know of two near were I live. Not sure if they are still around but Ola of the Convertible E Body Registry was keeping some kind of track on this kind of vehicle.

Pretty dang cool info here, learning and seeing the uniqueness even amongst the unique. Some questions come to my mind that may or may not have answers but hopefully I'm building on the discussion:


To clarify what I think I read,

1. Aren't _100010/_100011 just "as always" early build promo/photo cars, or are you including them in "CAR"?

2. These are all Hamtramck sourced, and you are saying _100116*SPD802 is an equal purpose "CAR" because it has "M" VON same as _000141/_000143*SPD801? So you've made the connection all 20 GY3 builds are "CAR"?

3. Its heresay that _100100 to _100120 are all GY3/elastomeric/auto/3.23 and Dan, Ola, or Barry has no records on them?

4. Weren't promo cars usually highly optioned, especially "new for __" items to showcase them to public? And maybe catered to regional preferences? So why 20 GY3/elastomeric/auto?


About the "CAR",

5.Why would 71 "CARs" that have some very non-factory processes be used as promos when a 68 Coronet, 70 Cuda, or any model/any year early builds were pulled from the line for promo/photos but still had factory line processes, parts (exceptions i.e. FE5 Shakers etc.), and VIN standards?

6.If hypothetically "CAR" was a new-for-71 methodology, wouldn't a 71 Fury GT with electric sunroof also have a "CAR" promo batch?

7.Why would there be a need to hand-build many pilot 71's to test the process when its essentially a 70 in terms of factory line?

8.Why would there be a need for experimentation with parts and leave those parts on just a few, i.e. intake bolts on a 440, when they've been churning out 440s for years and 71 is essentially a continuation?

9. Why would there be a Challenger in the mix, and two hemi's?


So because of those thoughts,

-Could the "CAR" batch be cars with varying options/engines that were pulled off-site and being used to test coming emissions/crash regulations? Hence the non-factory finish work, or testing a prototype intake with different runners and bolts, but later swapped back to parts bin intake, overlooked the bolts, and made it back to a sales floor?

-Could the "CAR" batch be cars that were going to be part of a special build program, like say testing different versions of another AAR/ T/A run, or some alliance like Shelby/Ford had?

-Could the 20 GY3 cars been dedicated to a marketing program a'la Warner Bros. that went sour?

I'm trying to get the f-tag and b/cast sheet info on the other one that Roger restored. I think Mike Mancini restored one as well?

'71 "pilot" & "promo" cars on Moparts

what I think I know

1971 model year HAMTRAMCK "CAR" fender tags are for PRE-PRODUCTION / "pilot" cars - built during spring/summer 1970 well before '71 production started around August 3, 1970 (they have 801-SPDs)

their VINs were assigned after the "promo" cars had their VINs assigned and appear to be quite "random" unlike prior years

1971 model year HAMTRAMCK "DEALER ANNOUNCEMENT MEETING" show / "promo" cars were built in multiples of nearly identical cars (some believe 21 units based on the number of dealer shows across the US with an additional 7-9 CANADA spec. units built for shows in Canada) most of these have 802-SPDs (again the UAW wasn't working Saturday/Sunday) but the cars were built during the month of August in preparation of shows scheduled for late-August/early-September before the cars went on official sale.

1971 NEW CARS DEBUT 10/6/70 (Dart & Valiant DEBUT 9/15/70)

Here's a copy of the '72 Dodge "ANNOUNCEMENT MEETING" schedule (21 shows)

1972 production started earlier than usual in mid-July '71

1971 known surviving E-body "pilots"

BH23C1B100121 "CAR" 000114
BS23H1B100126 "CAR" 000141
BS23R1B100378 "CAR" 000143

JS2?R1B100236 "CAR" 000??? known HEMI block ONLY
JS23R1B100243 "CAR" 000134