'66 C body production info aka "How many?"

[69CoronetRT]

Many of you know I'm a 'number's guy'. I recently bought the '67, '68 and '69 editions of the Wards Automotive yearbooks that are filled with all sorts of production information for the automotive industry on a model or calendar year basis.
To my knowledge, there is not a lot of C body options and accessories reports available to the general public as there are later years B and E body info.

So...here's some.

The one chart tells us about what percentage of which makes came with specific options. So 1966 Fury owners, about 1.6% of the 290,872 Fury's made in the US, came with a four speed. That's about 4,653 cars. Polara owners, about 0.2 percent of the 136,674 Polaras made in the US came with a four speed. (about 273 cars)

Chart two gives us a break down of make built by factory. So, if we add up the 193,100 1966 Furys built at the Hamtramck plant to the 53,261 built at Newark and the 44,516 from Belvedere, we come up with 290,877 cars (see, even the factory numbers don't match. that's on reason we never know exact numbers).

This is total production regardless of where the units were sold. Meaning cars sold in the US, Canada or Exported could be included in this number.

Canada built cars, regardless of whether they were exported to the US or sold in Canada, are reported separately but only by total production. The year book does not provide a break down by make or how Canada built cars were equipped.

In the end, we don't wind up with a complete picture, but we do at least gain some insight into production and options.

Enjoy and use the data responsibly. ;)

 

[413]

Awesome info thanks for posting.

Do you have any of this for 1967?

 

[69CoronetRT]

Awesome info thanks for posting.

Do you have any of this for 1967?

Yes. Coming 'soon'.

 

[MoPar~Man]

Would Monaco be lumped in with Polara? Somewhat interesting is 1.8% of all Chryslers came with disk brakes, while Polara was 2.0 % (Barracuda at 5%), Imperials unknown? Dual exhaust is mostly very low except for Charger. Limited slip diff was more common than dual exhaust. The chart seems to indicate 100% Polara's were V8 (as you would expect with the Chrysler's) with only the Fury's have some slant-6. No breakout for conv's.

 

[LocuMob]

I've used automobile-catalog.com for my rough estimates. They are close to your numbers, but still off by a few thousand. They round up their figures.

 

[LocuMob]

Would Monaco be lumped in with Polara? Somewhat interesting is 1.8% of all Chryslers came with disk brakes, while Polara was 2.0 % (Barracuda at 5%), Imperials unknown? Dual exhaust is mostly very low except for Charger. Limited slip diff was more common than dual exhaust. The chart seems to indicate 100% Polara's were V8 (as you would expect with the Chrysler's) with only the Fury's have some slant-6. No breakout for conv's.

No, they are not. They made somewhere around 30,000 Monacos, and 7300 Monaco 500's. Those numbers aren't verified.

 

[CBODY67]

"The Standard Catalog of Chrysler" has production figures too. In some years, major options are listed in percentages, but not uniformly for C-body vehicles. Still quite interesting!

Thanks for the postings!

CBODY67

 

[cbarge]

Would Monaco be lumped in with Polara? Somewhat interesting is 1.8% of all Chryslers came with disk brakes, while Polara was 2.0 % (Barracuda at 5%), Imperials unknown? Dual exhaust is mostly very low except for Charger. Limited slip diff was more common than dual exhaust. The chart seems to indicate 100% Polara's were V8 (as you would expect with the Chrysler's) with only the Fury's have some slant-6. No breakout for conv's.

U.S. Polara's were all V8.
Canadian Polara's came with the slant six or 318.

 

[69CoronetRT]

There's calendar year and model year listed on that site. There's nothing listed that is comparable to what is above.

• calendar year 1966 - Dodge (USA) Monaco, total production - 30600 units
• calendar year 1966 - Dodge (USA) Polara, Station Wagons, all V-8 - 29300 units
• calendar year 1966 - Dodge (USA) Polara, Polara ?318?, economy models, all V-8 - 12400 units
• calendar year 1966 - Dodge (USA) Polara, total production - 75400 units
• model year 1966 - Dodge (USA) all versions, total Station Wagon, V-8 - 24600 units
• model year 1966 - Dodge (USA) all versions, total Station Wagon, 6-cyl. - 3100 units
• model year 1966 - Dodge (USA) all versions, total Station Wagon - 27700 units
• calendar year 1966 - Dodge (USA) Monaco 500, total production, all V-8 - 7300 units

 

[MoPar~Man]

I'm looking at the chart posted at the top of this thread, and wondering why it mentions Polara but not Monaco. Additionally, I thought the popular belief was that while a US Monaco or Polara came with a V8 standard (as did many Canadian cars) that one could opt for a slant 6, in the US, if they wanted. But the chart shows 100% Polara V8 even though a 4-door Polara with a slant-6 might be desirable for at least some buyers (taxi maybe?).

 

[69CoronetRT]

Would Monaco be lumped in with Polara?

Given how the other B and C bodies submodels are not reported, as the Monaco is still VINNED a full size Dodge, I believe they are. It wouldn't be that hard to test.

Again, use the data responsibly.

 

[CBODY67]

To me, one thing which must be remembered is that many of these figures might not be "cast in stone". Additionally, they can tend to be "broad brush" situations rather than not.

I never really did like the "percentage of units" orientation rather than specific numbers. The assy line/plant managers had to have had solid numbers for everything. They had to have solid numbers to ensure they had enough materials and such to build the vehicles. Vehicles which were scheduled for production as solid units. BUT, we were gifted these numbers and percentages, so that's what we have. I kind of doubt that there will ever be any numbers which "all add up" on these things.

Solid numbers would be needed as the OEMs transitioned into "Just In Time" parts and material delivery production orientations. No large inventories of parts/materials on hand at the assy plant, but deliveries of such were scheduled to coincide with their need in the assy plant.

In The Standard Catalog book, the figures presented in there don't add up either. When I saw those, it was the first place I'd seen them. Unfortunate that they were not as detailed and consistent in some model years or even between the vehicle platforms. Normally, more information on B and E-body platforms than C-body platforms.

Due to the page titles, I suspect what is presented if only for USA vehicle sales. BTAIM

Kind of interesting to see the number of vehicles which had "disc brakes" on them, back then. 100% for Corvettes (4-whl pwr disc brakes) and T-birds and Lincolns (power frt disc brakes). Then the number which came with heaters and wheel covers. Dual Exhausts were on all Corvettes, Rivieras, T-birds, and Lincolns, too. 1 for performance and the other 3 for image.

In any event, the supplied figures can give an insight of vehicular model and equipment trends. Especially when positioned against other model years' information.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[69CoronetRT]

UPDATE

Yes, Monacos are included in the Polara total numbers.

Here's another breakdown from the book. Notice with the breakout, the rounded total (136,600) comes very close to the total listed in the first chart (136, 674).

 

[66 Monaco 500 365]

Does anyone have option breakdown? I think my '66 Monaco 500 may be single digit or 1 of 1.
I have a 440 365 HP, auto, tach, PDB, tilt, a/c, power windows and seat, trunk release, black stripes and the weirdest thing, Mauve over white.
The roof was so rusted when I got it, I painted it white
I guess there isn't breakdowns, but I wonder.

 

[LocuMob]

Does anyone have option breakdown? I think my '66 Monaco 500 may be single digit or 1 of 1.
I have a 440 365 HP, auto, tach, PDB, tilt, a/c, power windows and seat, trunk release, black stripes and the weirdest thing, Mauve over white.
The roof was so rusted when I got it, I painted it white
I guess there isn't breakdowns, but I wonder.

View attachment 655446

There's probably not many that were made like that, let alone prowling the streets.

 

[LocuMob]

UPDATE

Yes, Monacos are included in the Polara total numbers.

Here's another breakdown from the book. Notice with the breakout, the rounded total (136,600) comes very close to the total listed in the first chart (136, 674).

View attachment 655421

Most of those numbers jive with the ones from the site I listed above. And yes, I know the numbers on that site aren't accurate, but it was one of two sites that had any numbers for '66. Too bad we can't be like those E body guys and have a complete breakdown for options per model.

 

[CBODY67]

If you look at the percentage breakdowns, you can get an idea. Go from most-installed to least-installed of the options and then look at color combination. If anything, the original color combination can cut the numbers down significantly, I suspect.

In looking at my '67 Newport Fasttop, it has the optional bucket seats, but no console. It is the 300 seats with Newport door and dash trim. Only about 13% total Chrysler production, but then how many Newports came that way? Then add in the factory 383 4bbl into the mix.

On my '70 Dodge Monaco DH43, it has the optional Brougham Package, but to me, the kicker is the 383 4bbl from the factory. Not the 440, as listed in the owner's manual or sales brochure. Must have been a Spring availability as it was built in March, 1970 and was bought off of the lot, rather than a customer order. Power windows, seat, locks, tilt wheel, but an AM radio (it was sold in an area which did not have strong FM Multiplex reception, so I added it after I bought it in 1975). THEN the W23 Class II 16-slot Road Wheels. All together, gotta be low numbers of that combination.

In both cases, the model numbers are below about 25K. Putting the installation of the options into the mix and I suspect the real numbers of those cars still around is very small, all things considered. They were by no means "1 of" cars, but still important enough to save and keep going.

Rarity is nice to respect, but not always an indication of ultimate financial value. Except for B and E-bodies, it seems.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[MoPar~Man]

This may be of some use, or not. Below is page 28 of a 112 page document titled:

Automotive Trade Statistics 1964 - 78
US factory sales, retail sales
Imports, Exports, Apparent Consumption
Suggested Retail Prices and US Bilateral trade balances with 8 major producing countries.
Passenger automobiles
US International Trade Commission

https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub1002.pdf

There is no breakdown in terms of car models, beyond simply "Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge". But it might give some idea of how many of these cars were sold in the US beyond the ones that were made in the US.

 

[Stev]

Would Monaco be lumped in with Polara? Somewhat interesting is 1.8% of all Chryslers came with disk brakes, while Polara was 2.0 % (Barracuda at 5%), Imperials unknown? Dual exhaust is mostly very low except for Charger. Limited slip diff was more common than dual exhaust. The chart seems to indicate 100% Polara's were V8 (as you would expect with the Chrysler's) with only the Fury's have some slant-6. No breakout for conv's.

Probably for the US. I've seen a factory slant 6 polara sedan on craigslist here.

My takeaway was only 9% of Polaras came with limited slip, including mine. Thank you uncle allister for spending the money on Big Blue.