Shout from Southern MD: new member & '73 owner

[Super Blue 72]

Ht slsc98!  Welcome! 

Good to see you jumoing right into this forum!  Nice looking Challenger!

Were you about to decode the whole fender tag?  If not, feel free to post the codes here or on another thread and someone will chime in.

Lots of nice people here with great info!  Have fun with your car! 

[slsc98]

Hey, Super Blue 72!   (That pic of the scale car in front of the 'iceberg' STILL blows my mind and eyes. Man, I LOVE the rake on that car! 

Yes, thanks entirely to this site, I was abale to decode the fender tag and I will try and paste what I came up with, below. My wife is soooo jealous. I mean, the GTO Forums are great but, she has yet to find links to mfr decoder websites the way I did here in CC.com!

As you'll see, there was only one I wasn't able to decipher: the numeral "1" that results in "1 - Unknown At This Time"

I tried just a lowercase "L" (e.g., 'l') and anything else I could think of that is close in appearance to a "1" but, no doubt about it, that is a numeral "1" sitting in the 3rd row DOWN and the 2nd "column" OVER from the LEFT, all by its lonesome.  Wierd.

Anyhoo, according to http://www.stockmopar.com/mopar-fender-tag-decoder.php , here's what I came up with (how'd I do?):

E55   340-4 Barrel 69-73
D21   Heavy Duty 4-Speed Manual Transmission

JH23   
J = Dodge Challenger
H = High
23 = 2 Door Hardtop

H3B   
H = 340 240HP(net) 1-4BBL 8 CYL               (*Disclaimer: as I mentioned initially, the car now has a 440 Magnum out of '70 GTX in it)
3 = 1973
B = B = Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA

1973 = 27,930
Note: All models were V8-powered hardtops

181939   Sequence Number '181939'
JA5   Paint Code: Unknown At This Time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Challenger#1973
1973
Dark Silver Metallic- JA5       (original color?)
           Dark Green Metallic- JF8           (present day color)
A6X9   Trim Grade/Style/Color
A = A Class
6 = Vinyl Bucket Seats
X9 = Black
000   Upper Door Frame: Full Door Panel
A18   Date Built: 10 / 18 / 1972
E31315   Order Number: E31315
V1X   Roof Type OR Color: Full Vinyl Top - Black
1   Unknown At This Time
A57   Challenger / Charger - Ralleye
B41   Front Disc Brakes Some Yrs. Power
C56   Bucket Seats 1972 up
J52   Inside Hood Release
J54   Hood Insulating Pad
M08   Simluated Door / Fender Louvers
M21   Roof Drip Rail Moldings
N41   Duel Exhaust w/o Tips
N42   Chrome Duel Exhaust Tips
N85   Tachometer
R11   Music Master Radio AM
V6X   Black Longitude Sports Stripe
26   26 in. Radiator
EN2   End of Codes Assembly Line 2

[Jamiez]

Based on your description, it isn't a 1 or an L it's an "I".  That is normally where the country code goes:

U = USA
C = Canada
I = International

I've heard that most international cars were ordered by service men, but I'm no expert.


This may shed some insight:
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=86730.0

[cudagirl4406pk]

Yes i hope we can meet up one day would be cool to see your car in person and the wife's gto .


We are above belair md right over the line in PA.We lost power for a day but other then that we were al good.



michele

[slsc98]

We are above belair md right over the line in PA.michele

Whoa. You have GOT to be kidding me; I bought my "MISCHF" off her previous owner, who lives just outside Red Lion, PA!!!!   Geez, what a small world . . . 

[slsc98]

Based on your description, it isn't a 1 or an L it's an "I".  That is normally where the country code goes:
U = USA
C = Canada
I = International
I've heard that most international cars were ordered by service men, but I'm no expert. This may shed some insight:
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=86730.0

Oh wow, Jamiez, THANK YOU!!!!!!!  Wow, I came here to learn and I sure AM learning!  I'm positive I tried "I" and it is possible the "International" thing threw me off after I did some more (not so complete) research and only found "U" and "C" explained!

Hot d*mn this webiste / forum is THE BOMB!   Thanks AGAIN!

[cudagirl4406pk]

Did you buy the car right of rt74 before you get into red lion?

michele

[slsc98]

cudagirl (what a handle, my gosh), no. The seller actually lives closer to Felton than Red Lion. He met us at the Cracker Barrel off the Rte 83 Shrewsbury exit and then we followed him over hill, over dale and through the creek to grandma's house (literally!) until we arrived at his place, a way's off Muddy Creek Forks Road. Beautful. Up on top of a small mountain, 6-car garage with 3 bay doors and his own hydraulic lift. Spotless floors and flourescent lighting everywhere. Cathy had to pick me up off the floor, I was slobbering so bad about him livin' MY dream.  I was pretty pitiful but, oh my, ya had to see this guy's garage and shop. Oh no, here I go again!!!   

By any chance, are you and your GTO-owning husband going to the GM Nationals in (IIRC) Pikesville, MD?  The first week of December, I think is what I heard?  S'posed to be some gorgeous goats there . . . !  Cathy is like,   

[cudagirl4406pk]

We live near muddy creek forks rd we are about 6miles from where u got ur car.We have a 3000ft garage with 7 cars in it right now.No we are done for the season no  more car shows  for us the cars are put away for winter.My husband gto is unique only one out there done in house of kolor chamelon the whole car chages 8 colors.He takes it to the ocean for those shows as do i with my cuda. We do garage tours in the winter for our car club the lowes cruisers.We meet at lowes in abiington every friday night from april till november and get from 300-500 car a week.Maybe next year you can come up to lowes.In febuary we do the tours and our shop is one on the list i can let you know and maybe you can take a daytrip up to ur shop.Right now in the shop we have the following   69 camaro conv,68 camaro hardtop,67 gto conv,68 gto conv,55 chevy 210 sedan,49 chevy,69 chevelle.All cars under restoration for people and our own cars.Let me know if you all want to  come up here or your in the area and can stop by.


michele

[Super Blue 72]

Hey, Super Blue 72!   (That pic of the scale car in front of the 'iceberg' STILL blows my mind and eyes. Man, I LOVE the rake on that car! 

FYI- That's a 1/24 scale model of my car.    That iceberg is a snow pile in my driveway. 

[slsc98]

We live near muddy creek forks rd we are about 6miles from where u got ur car.We have a 3000ft garage with 7 cars in it right now.Maybe next year you can come up to lowes.Let me know if you all want to  come up here or your in the area and can stop by.michele

That sounds cool and I am going to let Cathy know (she'd be on-line with us but for the grandkids). A couple-day trip would allow me to include some sporting clays into the trip (I shoot quite a few clay targets in pa, every year!)

[Madmax440]

FYI- That's a 1/24 scale model of my car.    That iceberg is a snow pile in my driveway. 

Hey, Super Blue 72, If you shouldever use the picture of your car dwarfed by that iceberg as a way to get the day off due to snow, you may want to use this picture and letter also.   

[Super Blue 72]

Hey, Super Blue 72, If you shouldever use the picture of your car dwarfed by that iceberg as a way to get the day off due to snow, you may want to use this picture and letter also.   

   I'll give it a try next time it snows!!!