1972 - First Build Date Fender Tag question

[ChallengerGary]

I've got another '72 Satellite I am starting to work on and I noticed the build date on the fender tag is 714. Is it possible it was a Day 1 Production car or is it near then end of the model year

I'll post the VIN tonight but the last few digits are 100206

[ChallengerGary]

Here's a pic of the fender tag on the car in question.  Anybody care to crack the codes for me?

[Challenger6pak]

Seems low on the production number. Barry will have an idea. I believe he consentrates mainly on 1970's so he may not know how low it is for a 74.

[Super Blue 72]

This is interesting! 

Yes, the sequence # seems very low but I thought the model year began in August of the previous year and July prodced cars were the last run of the model year?       If it was a last run car in July then the sequence # would be high I would think....I dunno.... 

[ChallengerGary]

I always thought so too but I ran this through one of those VIN decoders and it said is was sequence #206 in the '72 model year.  Maybe they stopped in the beginning of July an dstarted in mid-July to deliver cars the first of August...

[Challenger6pak]

I've emailed a few Mopar 'brains' about the Sat. We'll see what they say. It can be a week or more before I get a response.

[Alaskan_TA]

I honestly do not know much about 1972 cars in general, and even less about B-Bodies. That said....

Something DID change for the 1972 model year, the SPDs started earlier. I have seen three different July 1971 SPDs for 1972 Hamtramck cars so far. It appears that the model year change for Hamtramck was somewhere between 709 & 720 of 1971.

This car had to be very early for St. Louis, I'll email Eric at the 1971 & up B-Body Registry about it and see what he says.....

Barry

[ChallengerGary]

Cool - Thanks 

[Alaskan_TA]

Eric says he has only one on file with the same SPD so far, the VIN is lower - RM23H2G100165

Barry

[69coronetrt]

72 Production does seem to have started earlier than previous years as SPDs for 72 models can be found in July. 7/14 seems to be the first day at STL for 72. July 9 is the highest 71 STL I've seen.

FWIW...here's an example of how VIN and SPD don't necessarily match...pilot car 100006 from St. Louis has an SPD of Aug 1 meaning it has a lower VIN than the car in this thread and yet the SPD is over two weeks later.

[Challenger6pak]

No cloning this one Gary. Restoration only or they'll come and get you. . Good thing all the original parts seem to be there.

[ChallengerGary]

No cloning this one Gary. Restoration only or they'll come and get you. . Good thing all the original parts seem to be there.

All this being said, how much value does this add to the car?  Does it make it that much more valuable even as a 318 car that cloning it will hurt its value?   I mean will it be worth more painted the original color because of its "pedigree" or will it be worth more painted FE5, FY1 or EB5 or another color because of thier "desirability?"  Plus, will the gold interior hurt it's value?  Now I am really confused    

[NoMope Greg]

Looks like it's time for a poll!  Which would you pay more for - early build-date all original 318 or RR/GTX clone painted FE5?

[Butterscotch71]

Hey Guys
Barry told me about this post. It's interesting, 714 (of 71) is the earliest SPD I have recorded for a 72 B body. Also interesting is that the 72 model year production ran more than a year. The latest SPD I have is 721 (of 72), and I have several 714 (of 72) built cars.
The value question...
I personally place more value on an original or originally restored car like this. Especially if the originality is documented. Early build cars like this usually are a little different (parts/assembly techniques/etc) than the normal assembly line vehicles. That said, with the stupidity of ebay, you'd get much higher bidding if you cloned it to a runner with a high impact paint color. Depends on whether you're building it to sell. If so, I'd recommend finding another and saving this one for someone who'd do it back to original.

Eric Mayle

[ChallengerGary]

ERic,

Thanks for chiming in. BTW - Welcome to C-C.com 

As to the building it to sell, that is what I am doing.  I'm in a situation where I need to sell it and my 70 R/T Challenger to pay off a BUNCH of debts.  As such, fixing up my cars is now my "part-time job."  Unfortunately, the current condition of each car means that I need to put alot of sweat equity into them before they are worth anything.  I doubt I'll be able to get enough for it to replace it with another car that I can "flip."  That said, I believe I will document this car as much as possible from this point on. Unfortunately, a previous owner (or two) treated this car as a parts car.  It's missing a number of things plus the interior was redone years ago and is trashed now.  Overall, the body is in pretty good condition although I need to replace the driver side fender.  The driver's door was also replaced some time ago.  It was wrecked in the front end so I've had to repair the lower radiator support and need the entire grille assembly, lower valance, and new radiator as well.  I got a replacement one with the car, I hope it is the right one otherwise I guess hunting down a correct one wil be worth it.

I'll post some pics of it as soon as I resize them.

Thanks for your help and feedback everyone - this is why I love this site