Car ID

[Captainkirk]

How would one go about finding how many cars were produced in a particular model/configuration for any given year? I have the VIN, fender tag, and (somewhat legible and partially complete) build sheet. Since it's a factory '72 340 4 speed in a fairly unusual color (Winchester Gray/Gunmetal), I'm thinking it might be more rare than I originally assumed. Unfortunately, the original engine is long gone so it's not a matching numbers car, but the motor going in is a '72 period correct motor.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Look for chrysler historical society.

It has been harder to find on the chrysler website but I have stumbled on it a few times lately.

 

[72bluNblu]

If you tell us what make/model it is then someone can just tell you how many they made that year. The 340 #'s are pretty well documented, there's likely a # for auto's vs 4 speeds. But that's about it, there isn't a break down of options that's still available. A lot of the factory data from that time was lost/destroyed. Color data is only out there in a % of production, and that's only for the high impact colors. There may not even be a percentage for winchester gray cars.

 

[Captainkirk]

If you tell us what make/model it is then someone can just tell you how many they made that year.

I thought I did that?

1972 Duster 340, factory 4-speed, 8.75 Sure Grip, Winchester Gray with black interior/high back buckets.

 

[Dartnut]

2,871 produced for the U.S.
No color or other option break down, unfortunately.

 

[72bluNblu]

So, with a quick search here's the numbers I found...

From this post, with no source info given...
Interesting A-Body Production Numbers

1972 Duster

Fastback Coupe: 212,321
340 Fastback Coupe: 15,681
Total 1972 Dusters: 228,002

High impact paint %'s, which only shows info for two colors in 1972, hemi orange and lemon twist. Winchester gray isn't a high impact color, so, maybe no data on that at all
High Impact Color Production % #'s

Allpar, which lists the Duster and Valiant in the same category...
Plymouth U.S. Model Year Production Figures, 1946-2001

This post, which says 212,311 Dusters in 1972 and lists a source but no 340 breakdown (post #5)...
Demon vs Duster Production Numbers.

 

[72bluNblu]

2,871 produced for the U.S.
No color or other option break down, unfortunately.

What's the source? 340 only? Or 340 4-speed?

 

[CFD244]

I read somewhere that GA4 was used on 2% of the '71 Demons. Not sure if this is correct or BS.

 

[72bluNblu]

I read somewhere that GA4 was used on 2% of the '71 Demons. Not sure if this is correct or BS.

HA! Found the info on paint codes. Your post jogged my memory on that one. It was about 2.3% of production for the '72 Valiant and Duster. But that's total production, the 340 cars may have been a little different percentage-wise.

Here's the link to Hamtramck-historical for this particular image
https://www.hamtramck-historical.co...hAdvanceInfo/73_Plymouth_advance_Info0012.jpg

And in general, if information like that is what you want Hamtramck-historical is where you'll find it. @Alaskan_TA runs the site and knows a lot about that sort of stuff as well, he may be able to shine some more light on the production numbers. But as I said earlier, I'm pretty sure that you won't find a break down by options beyond the 340 and possibly the transmission, it comes up all the time and the records just don't exist anymore.
The 1970 Hamtramck Registry Home Page

 

[Captainkirk]

Thanks for all this great info! And in no way does it reflect how many of those vehicles are 6 feet under now. My guess is there would be very few survivors in GA4.

 

[CFD244]

Here's one.......Not quite a survivor, but working on it

 

[Dartnut]

What's the source? 340 only? Or 340 4-speed?

Galen's white books.
'72 Duster total 212,331 for all countries
U.S. production was as follows:
198 slant 6 was 17,165
225 slant 6 was 131,520
318 v8 was 44,479

Duster 340 was 15,681 total for all countries
U.S. production was as follows:
13,802 all
3 speed was 2,401
4 speed was 2,871
Auto was 8,530
Sunroof 340 with all transmissions was 41

I hope that this answers your questions.........

 

[Captainkirk]

Galen's white books.
'72 Duster total 212,331 for all countries
U.S. production was as follows:
198 slant 6 was 17,165
225 slant 6 was 131,520
318 v8 was 44,479

Duster 340 was 15,681 total for all countries
U.S. production was as follows:
13,802 all
3 speed was 2,401
4 speed was 2,871
Auto was 8,530
Sunroof 340 with all transmissions was 41

I hope that this answers your questions.........

Only question left unanswered is...how many survived? Probably no way to determine that answer. As a matter of fact, I did a VIN search on my car yesterday. Apparently it does not exist. It's been off the road for nearly 40 years.

 

[Dartnut]

Only question left unanswered is...how many survived? Probably no way to determine that answer. As a matter of fact, I did a VIN search on my car yesterday. Apparently it does not exist. It's been off the road for nearly 40 years.

How many have survived is the age old question.
I would hazard to guess that 5 to 10% of total production could still be out there somewhere, but we'll never know.
And they are getting fewer every year.........