1969 Polara Spring Special trim

MrMoparCHP

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Some like it some don't, I'm trying to find out some things about this package.

Is there an option code for it?
Is this code on the data tag?
Is this code on the broadcast sheet?

It is commonly referred to as the "Spring Special" trim.
When was it available?
Those with it what is your scheduled build date?

Access holes in the hood (six 1" holes near front edge), I do not feel the early cars have these holes, I assume all hoods after a certain date had the holes.
2012-10-14_004.jpg


When did they start?
Did they have all 6? (I have seen with only one of the middle ones)


Alan
 
All the option codes in DM27L9D200582's fender tag are accounted for, from which one can infer that the SS package was not coded in the data tag.

fender tag B409FBF9-4CAE-410A-AB68-1452EA4CA841.jpeg



You have posted your Polara 500's build sheet in this thread, but the photo is fuzzy -- making it hard to decipher most of the codes. I don't know the SS code offhand, but there are several candidate A__ option package codes here (list courtesy of @Dobalovr )
 
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All the option codes in DM27L9D200582's fender tag are accounted for, from which one can infer that the SS package was not coded in the data tag.



You have posted your Polara 500's build sheet in this thread, but the photo is fuzzy -- making it hard to decipher most of the codes. I don't know the SS code offhand, but there are several candidate A__ option package codes here (list courtesy of @Dobalovr )

View attachment 516685
I have decoded all the codes on the Data tag and Broadcast sheet, there are no unaccounted for codes, all trim codes are clearly not it.
The broadcast sheet is too faint to get a good scan. It is clear enough to know I didn't miss one or miss read one.

This thread is started in the idea that I do not feel it is original to my car although well installed.
A. The December 12 build
B. The absence of the 6th hole on the bottom of the hood (the trim only has five studs).

Alan
 
I would not be so sure it is not original. Look at this thread: NOT MINE - NOT MINE 69 Dodge Polara EBay

That F5 1969 Polara 2dr hardtop's SBD was two months earlier than yours, October 8, 1968. Yet it has the trim, too. The tag is here -- showing no unusual A__ code, either.

AFAIK, the extra brightwork on the nose was advertised in the spring (which is after either of the two cars we've discussed so far in this thread was built), but the text of that ad is written in such a way that the exact introduction date is not spelled out:


The April 2008 Collectible Automobile magazine article may have more information.
 
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I was told it might be A48
This car has the trim and the A48 on the tag, it has a 3/17 build
For Sale - 1969 Polara coupe (383-2, grey/black bench/black vinyl top, $12k)


Alan

AFAIK, the A48 DressUp Group is not the code -- here is what it is, courtesy of the Hamtramck Registry:

1645571490726.png



If you want an example of a late-build car that has the A48 code but not the front-end chrome, see here:


The above car, DL41G9D312661 has a very late (June 30, 1969) SBD, no front chrome, and the A48 package.
 
The Spring Special items were designed to bring customers into the showrooms after the "winter season". As with other marketing packages, it was a special grouping of equipment and colors not otherwise available, at a discounted price . . . as I recall. Such announcements would have been via Letter to the Dealer, with ordering instructions, I suspect. For them to appear in the spring selling season, I suspect the letters would have been sent sometime in December. Perhaps there might be something of this nature, although not specifically for 1969 Dodges, in the "Dealer Letters" section of the Library at www.hamtramck-historical.com ?

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
 
This page was found on the Hamtramck Historical, dated April 25 makes reference to "Something Special" for Spring campaign.
With this package you would have got the woodgrain dash overlay (easily omitted years later) and Tire code U31 or U32

So could this trim had been part of another package?

My car is coded U74 (G-70x15 WSW Polyglas)

69LTD 4-25-1969 p1.jpg



Alan
 
@MrMoparCHP -- the dates matter.

I repeat my suggestion to look at the April 2008 Collectible Automobile magazine article that focused on the fuselage (1971-73) senior Dodges. I don't have access to my copy right now, as I am halfway across the country from it, but I have a recollection of the author's mentioning the changes that were made to the Dodge. Whether there was a mention of both the front end in 1969 or only of the wider rear track and other restyles in 1970, I do not remember. But if the front end dress-up chrome was mentioned, there should be a useful mention of dates.

Regardless, I looked up in my lunch break the tags I have for the 1969 Polara 500 'verts of which I am aware that post-date the April 25, 1969 letter you scanned above. Here is what I found:

DM27H9D312076 by @CHASCASH -- SBD 6/26/1969, coded A47, front chrome surround
DM27G9D291517 (was listed for sale and mentioned) -- SBD 5/29/1969, coded A47, front chrome surround
DM27L9D280367 by @69monaco -- SBD 5/14/1969, NOT coded A47, front chrome surround

Note that DM27G9D231216 must have been built in Feb. or March 1969, and it has the chrome surround. @rcsfca owns that car and has the build sheet, so you may want to check with him.
 
Keep in mind this is not just a convertible thing or a 500, although the letter doesn't mention the Monaco they might be included.

It is highly likely that cars had the trim added over the years, even day 2.


Alan
 
Dealers may have taken unsold stock and dressed them up regardless of how the car was tagged. Wasn't this a Dealer Promo car? It might have been on the lot long enough that come spring it got the treatment to take advantage of the sale.
 
This “package” was released by Dodge and Plymouth to help increase sales and also more to the point, it was to compensate for the unfinished design on the Plymouth and Dodge divisions full size vehicles. Essentially, the 70 style front end should have been released in 1969 but both divisions were not able to complete it before production began.

The “loop” or “hoop” concept of the front end design was division wide and mostly model wide, but couldn’t be implemented on target 1969. Hence, the “Spring Special “ front end trim package, to help make the car look more like the 1970 design target.

Dealers were encouraged to offer the upgrade at cost or at no cost to customers, so many cars had the “Spring Special” package added by the dealer.
 
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Some more for the puzzle:

DL23F9D144724 SBD = 10/8, YES chrome surround
DH43H9D160652 SBD = 10/25, NO chrome surround
DL45G9R18696?, SBD = 11/29, NO chrome surround
DL46F9D212992 SBD = 1/8, NO chrome surround
DL27G9D213140 SBD = 1/??, NO chrome surround
DK41L9D218179 SBD = 1/15, NO chrome surround
DM27H9D241455 SBD = 3/6, NO chrome surround

None of the above cars has the A47 code on its fender tag. FWIW, I did find one car in my sales records with the A48 (but not the A47) code that had NO chrome surround:

DL41G9D312661
 
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By the way..both divisions knew they would not be able to finish their respective designs by May 1968, so the “Special” package was considered well before the car was finalized and or production started in August 1968.

I’ve got a complete NOS package in the box for a Plymouth..I’ll look on factory label for a code or anything else that may help..
 
do you know of any clay models (pics) with the originally planned 69 look for the Dodge&Plymouth, Trev?

Carsten
 
do you know of any clay models (pics) with the originally planned 69 look for the Dodge&Plymouth, Trev?

Carsten

If memory serves, and at the risk of sounding like a broken disc, CA usually has pics of the early sketches and clays. I see no reason why Jeff Godshall's article in April 2008 should not have some.
 
I had a friend look at my old CHP car, the hood on it was from a parts car (8/28/68 SBD), it does not have the access holes for the Spring Special trim.
A little early to be much use other that to point out that not all hoods had the holes.


Alan
 
Here is a hood from an early car (12/3/68) and it doesn't have the holes (access on back side) to attach the trim.
I have seen hoods with these holes that clearly never had the trim, they were all later cars.
IMG_8314.JPG

IMG_8315.JPG

IMG_8316.JPG


Alan
 
Interesting. Do you have more info about DL23G9D144548 ?
 
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