When was 1st Challenger built?

[kissalien]

Just so everyone is on the same page ...

VIN Sequence Number does not equal build order.

[cudaized]

I know where 70 Cuda 100001 is sitting , it is a 383 B5 Convert with white roof , it will return to earth soon as it is outside rusting to nothing !! I tried very hard to buy it but the owner knows what he has , has owned the car since the 70s & will not sell it .

Chryco Psycho: could you be mistaken and you ment to type 1971 Barracuda convertible?

[cudaized]

Would like to know, when the first Challenger ever was built.............?

That is a great question. One that can not be answered with the current available information. There are a few people who can answer that question, but they will never share that information. They knew the beginning and some have specific documents.....Time will tell if that information will ever surface.

So, that leads us to other individuals that have researched this pondering question, for years and years. Trying to make some sence of all the speculation that has floated around for the last 25-30 years.

In my research of the early E-Bodies, I have come up with that JH27G0B100013 is the lowest V.I.N. assigned to the Challenger body line.

Here are some other early V.I.N.s. I will only list up to 100030 for eash assembly plant. There are too many to publish here.
Many of the early E-Bodies do have "pre-production" status. This is documented on body parts that have earlier date codes then August 1st 1969. Yes, the earliest ones were "hand assembled". No, not the entire car, but at some point after the unibody was welded together on the early jigs before the assembly plant went into full production. It is interesting to see June or July dates on parts from the early cars (SPD of 801 or 802).

Plymouth had 0B100001-0B100012 V.I.N.s assigned, then it switched to Dodge 0B100013-0B100029 (possible 0B100028). Then it switched again, Plymouth 0B100030-? etc. Different at the L.A plant
V.O.N. are an easy read also. 

Hamtramck plant
0B100001 missing
0B100002 missing
BS23R0B100003 auto
BS27V0B100004 4 speed
BH27G0B100005 auto (not 100% sure)
BS23x0B100007 hidden car
BP23N0B100009
BS23R0B100010 auto
BS27R0B100012 (supposed to be the missing hemicuda convertible EF8 H6F8)
JH27G0B100013 auto
JS29R0B100015 auto
JH23G0B100018 auto
JS23V0B100019 auto
JS23R0B100020 (not 100% sure)
JS27V0B100021 4 speed
JS27R0B100022 4 speed
JS27V0B100028 auto
BP23G0B100030 auto


LA plant
BH23G0E100001 auto
BP23L0E100002 auto
BS23V0E100004 4 speed
JS23N0E100010
JS23N0E100011
JS23N0E100012
BH23G0E100019
BP23G0E100030 auto

If anyone has additional information, please e-mail me.

Ola Nilsson

cudaized@cudaized.com

[cudaized]

...I used to own a Challenger with vin #100013............but I still have pictures of the car and fender tags.............

I ended up selling the car to a collector out of New Jersey around 15 years ago. The guy happened to own the first Cuda with vin number 100001.

PM sent

The collector in New Jersey still has the car. The other Barracuda (100001) is the first V.I.N. from the L.A assembly plant. (0E100001)

[cudaized]

That's interesting. I remember when a guy had a 70 Barracuda advertised in the round-up magazine and said it was the first one with the vin #100001. He was located in Texas and when I called him he said it was already sold to a collector out of New Jersey.

Yup, that was 0E100001 sitting in Texas.

[Chryco Psycho]

I know exactly where the other 100001 is !!
 not missing

[cudaized]

I know exactly where the other 100001 is !!
 not missing

That is truely amazing. Just to verify, you have seen the V.I.N. and it is BS27N0B100001? EB5 H6XW V3W probably auto.

Any chance that you have a picture or two? Perhaps the Data Plate info?

All these years and the accepted knowledge has been that BS27V0B100004 was the very first E-Body convertible assigned V.I.N.

Ola

[Matt70]

Just so everyone is on the same page ...

VIN Sequence Number does not equal build order.

So how were they assigned?

[Chryco Psycho]

i BELIEVE i HAVE PIX & WILL TRY TO GET SOME

[quapman]

Stupid question...

Each plant had its own set of sequence numbers, so there are possibly TWO of every 70 E-body (one L.A. and one Hamtramck) ? Up to a certain point, of course, since there were fewer cars built in CA.

...and yes, I know other cars were built at those plants, not just E-bodies, but this duplicate (last 6 digits of the) VIN thing has me befuddled.

Since there were 8 plants running in 1970, could there be EIGHT cars with the same last 6 digits?

[DAYTONA]

Hi everyone, I am new to this site and came across an old conversation about the 1st Challenger. Hope you don't mind, but I wanted to try and shine a little light on the subject. I used to own a Challenger with vin #100013 as talked about previously. I purchased it from a gentleman who bought it off of an old lady who's husband was an executive at Chrysler and was believed to be the original owner. The car was a convertible with a 318, column shift, bucket seats and cruise control. It was white with a black top and interior. It was in really rough condition and in need of extensive body work. I can't remember what job number it was, but I still have pictures of the car and fender tags. It didn't have a build sheet and from my understanding they didn't put them in the jobber cars. I also was told that a lot of these car were hand assembled and used in promotional ads.

I do remember having a conversation at the Mopar Nats with the gentleman who owned the first Hemi Challenger and showing him pictures of my car as he stated in a previous post.

I ended up selling the car to a collector out of New Jersey around 15 years ago. The guy happened to own the first Cuda with vin number 100001. It was a 318 car, but the drive train was long gone and was in really rough condition. He also owned what was at the time the last Challenger. This was a 1974 car that was featured in several magazines. This one was in very good condition. I tried to purchased both cars when I found out they were for sale, but he beat me to it. So after several years I finally sold him my Challenger.

From conversations I had with Galen I was told that vins #100001-100011 were verified to be Cudas and Barracudas. Vin #100012 he had  no info on and my Challenger was #100013. He told me that the car could have been the first Challenger and even if #12 surfaced mine was probably the first convertible.

I wish that I still had the car, but it needed so much work it was more time and money that I had to put into it. In the end it was also still just a 318 car.

Hope this helps to clarify things a little.

...I'm the guy you talked to at the Nats many many years ago, I owned the 1st HEMI Challenger(red RT/SE)...always wondered what ever happened to the convertible...mine, #100015 did have a fender tag, but no build sheet...I also remember a guy that had "100019, Yelo 6-PACK Challenger

[cudaized]

Larry,

Here are some pictures of 0B100019

Ola

[cudaized]

i BELIEVE i HAVE PIX & WILL TRY TO GET SOME

Thank you. I am looking forward to seeing them.

Ola

[DoNotChallengeHer]

The first car that carried the Challenger name was the limited edition 1959 Dodge Silver Challenger. This was a six-cylinder or V-8 model available only in silver paint ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autohistorian/4111058765/

[kissalien]

The first car that carried the Challenger name was the limited edition 1959 Dodge Silver Challenger. This was a six-cylinder or V-8 model available only in silver paint ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autohistorian/4111058765/

I knew this. I think I sent Barry info on them a while back. :-)  Actually I think it's only the first Dodge Challenger. I'm pretty sure the name was used before.