space saver spare tire question

[TinCuda]

I am trying to figure out if my 1971 'Cuda had a space saver tire setup as originally installed.

According to Jim Schild's Challenger and Barracuda Collector's Originality Guide it did.

On page 86, it reads, When the 426 Hemi engine, R32 dual rear seat speakers, H31 rear window defogger, or any 15-inch wheels were ordered, a collapsible space saver spare (W34, part number 2944395) was required.

My car has the rear window defogger.  This makes me think the space saver spare came with my car.

Can anyone confirm this information?


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[ksierens]

I think that cars that came with 15" tires had space saver spares.

[kissalien]

According to the pocket saleman's guide it says it's required when you have both the dual rear speakers and the rear defogger in combination. Not if you have just one of them. Of course it's also required for 15" wheel cars.

[tommyg29]

I cant say for sure but I think I remember 15" wheels, and/or speakers with defog. Does anyone know if it would be marked on the broadcast sheet?
My car is a tribute, but it did have the speakers and defog, so early this year I did a lot of research on this subject, and decided to "finish" my trunk, and break down and do the jack and space saver spare "on the cheap". Bought the jack off ebay and refinished it myself, and bought a mustang spare off ebay of the same era. Total cost for everything was "only" a few hundred $, which was a bargain considering what people are asking for real cuda spares with original rubber. Not that I would lie about it if asked, but unless you really know what youre looking at, its hard to tell the difference. The rubber is the same except for the code on the sidewall, and the wheel also looks very close, except for very slight differences in the bolt holes and stamping. The mustang space savers are much more common though, so....much less $$
(looking at this shot you can see about the only remnants of my cars original color: tunisian tan) 

[TinCuda]

Just to start with, Tommy, I think your car looks great.

I have been working on something similar.  I plan on getting an original mopar space saver tire at some time in the future but for right now I have been playing with the cheap redneck method.  The body work has been taking some time and this project can really start to add up.  I have been spending money on must have stuff like rubber stop bumpers, weather stripping, body plugs etc.

This is what I have put together so far...

I took an old space saver wheel from a Datsun for $25, a 20oz paintball CO2 tank, a reproduction bottle decal, some metal, and some paint.

I made a bottle bracket/clamp from scratch by cutting and bending the sheet metal and painting it with a rattle can paint.

I also painted the bottle with an aluminium/silver paint, also from a rattle can.

Before you judge, just know that this whole project from start to finish has cost me a total of $81.

Take a look at what I ended up with...


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[TinCuda]

Ok, so I am really bad with posting pictures.  I have been messing with trying to get these pictures posted for two hours.


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[1ownr]

On our Broadcast sheet 
W34 - Collapsible Spare Tire

judy

[TinCuda]

On our Broadcast sheet 
W34 - Collapsible Spare Tire

judy

I sure wish that I had my build sheet.  That would make things a lot easier.


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[tommyg29]

On our Broadcast sheet 
W34 - Collapsible Spare Tire

judy

what line is that on?
mine is hard to read
Thanks

[Jamiez]

Line 4, box 10 I believe.

[1ownr]

what line is that on?
mine is hard to read
Thanks

On ours it's on Line 2 / Box 8 (2 boxes after TIRE  and 2 boxes before TRIM CODE)

judy

[tommyg29]

I see it. The box on line 2 right before "Misc Codes" says "W" at top, then 3- on the second line, and my box is blank, so I guess it did not come with it.
But I have it now!!

Thanks.

This will give you an idea of the condition of my broadcast sheet, which is fairly typical I think:

[tommyg29]

Tincuda,
I admire your resourcefulness, if thats a word.
Only true mopar enthusiats will know the difference. Be prepared to be asked "did those old cars have spares like that?" To be honest I wouldnt have guessed and didnt remember myself.
And $81! No. Cant argue with that. 
IIRC I spent a little more than that for my jack set alone, and it needed some minor "restoring". Basically, I had to repaint several black painted parts the correct dove gray. Or at least as close as I could find on the spray paint shelf at the local store.
If you dont have one, heres my interpretation of the set that "should have" come with the car, after I was finished with it:



And heres a shot of what it looked like when I got it off ebay:

[TinCuda]

You have a real nice setup there.

I didn't have to buy a jack but the one that came with the car when I bought it, was black.  That is, what wasn't just rust color.  It is likely that it was a replacement at some point.

I have been burning up the old paint box...LOL


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[TinCuda]

I figure that anone that is just walking by at the kind of car shows that I go to will just be really impressed to see a space saver.  That group would probably only know about them from a magazine picture or something and won't know the difference.  It would take someone that is completely ate up with mopars, someone with a border line problem obession with mopars.  Like needs to see a doctor obession with mopars.  The kind of guy that spends all his free time reading mopar forums... to know that it is not an original setup.  That guy, I will tell him what parts that I used and hopefully have a laugh about it.

Really, this is just for fun to see what I could do.  At some point in the future, I plan on putting all correct stuff in there.  This is all completely removeable parts.  I am not cutting corners on the important parts of the restoration.

For my next project, I am thinking about replacing my hood pin lanyards.  HHHmmmmm, Hardware store 1/16 coated braided cable and ..... what to use for the ends...?  Might be fun to give it a go...


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