Re: [Chrysler300] Chrysler Body Designations

[lettercars@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 2/27/2005 9:10:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
mjraguse@xxxxxxx writes:

> 
> 
> Some time back the discussion of body designation came up and I tried to 
> post 
> a chart that was developed inside Chrysler to support our own purpose as 
> well 
> as the Walter P. Chrysler Museum. Today the full chart, 1924 to present, is 
> available on the Chrysler Museum website.  I truncated it to only reflect 
> 1955 
> to 1998.  When I attached it and tried to send it out,  I was soon made 
> aware 
> that our list server will not allow the transferring of files.  Bob Merritt 
> was kind enough to help by providing a URL.  So here it is.  
> 
> http://www.chrysler300club.com/rcmstuff/bodyname/chart.html
> 
> 
> When I look at other attempts at compiling the Chrysler body history I 
> always 
> seem to find a discrepancy or two so have fun with this one. I think it is 
> accurate. 
> 
> Marv Raguse.  
> 
> 

Hi Marv and All:
Thanks for a great body name chart.  I had long thought about doing one for 
our local mopar club, but just never did, even though I had collected much data 
for it.

Anyway, your last paragraph seemed to welcome a close look, so I did.  During 
my time at Chrysler (1963-1982) I received and saved the various Engineering 
Model Charts (EMCs?).  The following is primarily based on them:

       1. The "C" body designation was used before 1965.  The A,B,C, and D 
designations 
                appear in my "V" Series EMC.  Unfortunately, I am missing the 
1963 version,
                so can't say on that.  They are NOT used in 1962.
       2. The "A" body was also around in 1976.  Chrysler kind of "hedged 
their bets" on 
                compacts that year, and produced both the "A" and "F" bodies. 
 I remember 
                early drawings of the new "F" body cars being labeled as 1976 
"A" bodies.
       3. This is kind of a weird one.  There were NO "B" bodies in 1979.  
For whatever 
                reasons, the Chrysler and Dodge "Specialty" cars (Cordoba and 
Magnum) 
                were called "R" bodies in 1979, despite being the very same 
cars as 1978!
                There apparently was never any intention to call anything in 
1979 a "B" body,
                as even the earliest 1979 EMC I have, dated 12/76, does not 
show one.

Now, I have a couple of questions/comments:

       1. Would the Imperial really be designated a "D" body in the 1950s, 
since there were
                no other designations by body? (Perhaps you were just 
indicating it was the 
                same body thru 1966.)
       2. I can find no reference to an "A" body before 1964, although, as I 
have said, I am
                missing the 1963 Chart.  Somehow, I vaguely remember seeing 
that first
                Valiant refered to as a "Q"? (or "X"?)---if so, it was short 
lived, I think.

Thanks again for sending us the chart.  For some twisted reason, I seem to 
find this stuff
interesting!!!!   300ly, Gil Cunningham


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