Kermit
Well-Known Member
For sure, I would love to know. It does have a funky receiver hitch on it...wondered if it was factory.
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Kermit
Well-Known Member
Picture of the hitch
I do not recall seeing an F-body with HD (Heavy Duty) towing package, before.
B and C-body’s, yes, but not one on an F-body (or not yet, anyway).
Chrysler has three different towing packages, light, normal and HD.
Light package includes the wide radiator and a different fan clutch. Depending on year, it also included (on F-body) the 8¼” differential (which is standard on station wagons to begin with) and stiffer rear leaf springs.
The normal/regular towing package includes a HD transmission (usually an A999 or A727) stiffer rear leaf springs and better gears (2.94, 3.21 or 3.55).
The HD comes with a whole lot more items – but they are so few and far between that I've only seen a few vehicles with that package. Generally, they only come on special order cars.
I do not recall seeing an “automobile” towing hitch with Chryslers name on it, before. Pickups, yes, but cars, no. In the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, the car (if optioned) was ready for towing – but it was up to owner to get the hitch added on, at his expense.
The dealer I worked at (in the '80's) sent vehicles to a local business to get hitches installed for customer’s cars. That has changed sense then.
My records for ’76 and 77 – show only the Light Towing option was available for F-body's. I have no documentation for the newer cars . . . that I can find.
If you can find the parts – it is not too hard to retrofit a police transmission cooler into one of our cars – which might have been something that was performed to your vehicle – possibly.
I have a (almost) complete set in my garage, waiting to be installed into my 5th Ave - when the big block gets dropped into it.
BudW
B and C-body’s, yes, but not one on an F-body (or not yet, anyway).
Chrysler has three different towing packages, light, normal and HD.
Light package includes the wide radiator and a different fan clutch. Depending on year, it also included (on F-body) the 8¼” differential (which is standard on station wagons to begin with) and stiffer rear leaf springs.
The normal/regular towing package includes a HD transmission (usually an A999 or A727) stiffer rear leaf springs and better gears (2.94, 3.21 or 3.55).
The HD comes with a whole lot more items – but they are so few and far between that I've only seen a few vehicles with that package. Generally, they only come on special order cars.
I do not recall seeing an “automobile” towing hitch with Chryslers name on it, before. Pickups, yes, but cars, no. In the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, the car (if optioned) was ready for towing – but it was up to owner to get the hitch added on, at his expense.
The dealer I worked at (in the '80's) sent vehicles to a local business to get hitches installed for customer’s cars. That has changed sense then.
My records for ’76 and 77 – show only the Light Towing option was available for F-body's. I have no documentation for the newer cars . . . that I can find.
If you can find the parts – it is not too hard to retrofit a police transmission cooler into one of our cars – which might have been something that was performed to your vehicle – possibly.
I have a (almost) complete set in my garage, waiting to be installed into my 5th Ave - when the big block gets dropped into it.
BudW
Tag one
N88 - Auto Speed Control
N95 - Emission Test and Label (California Emission Controls)
P31 – Power Windows
P45 – Power Deck Lid Release - Electric
R32 – Dual Rear Seat Speakers
CTD – Continued onto next tag
M35 – Door/Quarter Upper Frame Moldings (perimeter of door glass)
M36 – “Rear Bumper Periphery” – I believe to be Rear Bumper Guards – but not 100% sure.
M43 – Grill Surround Molding
M44 – Hood Center Molding & Ornament
N91 - Special Emission Package
G11 – Tinted Glass - All Windows
G52 – Left O/S Mirror Remote Chrome - Standard
H51 – Air Conditioning w/Front Heater
J25 – Deluxe Windshield Wiper (3 variable speed)
J52 – Hood Release - Instrument Panel Mounted
M31 - Belt Moldings - Door/Quarters
RF3 – Upper Body Paint Code – in this case: Mint Green Metallic
U – Built to USA specifications
A68 – Premium Interior Group
C21 – Center Front Cushion/Arm Rest
G56 – (not sure – but believe it to be passenger side mirror - delete)
RF3 – Lower Body Paint Code - Mint Green Metallic
C6F6 – Interior trim code – Vinyl non-reclining bucket seats (40-20-40, I presume) in medium green
000 – Interior paint color – in this case, same as exterior
616 – Vehicle was built June 16, 1978
DM7270 - Vehicle Order number
E46 – 318 4-bbl (non-High Performance) almost all California cars w/318’s were 4-bbls, for emission purposes.
D32 – A998 automatic 3-speed transmission
VIN
N – Aspen
L – Low Price Class
45 – 2 (rows of) seat Station Wagon
H – 318 4-bbl (E46)
8 – 1978
B – Built at Hamtramck Michigan
361793 – Sequence Number
Tag two
13 – Car shipped to/sold in Idaho,
799 - Not Sure
VIN NL45 H8B 361793 (repeat of above)
Most F-bodies did not get mirrors on Right side of car – unless special ordered or dealer-installed.
A lot of people ordered the E46 (California Emissions equipped 318 4-bbl) because they wanted more power than a 318 2-bbl, but didn’t want a high performance engine – especially for people who normally drove in the mountains (Idaho = Rocky Mountains). Personally, I think the California Emissions negated the 4-bbl benefit on those – but that is only my opinion. Most insurance company’s rated 318’s in same group (2 or 4-bbl versions) and 360’s in the next higher class.
Looking into it, the Heavy Duty towing package was available as special order and they only came with 360 engines. I suspect someone upgraded the transmission cooler on your car.
BudW
N88 - Auto Speed Control
N95 - Emission Test and Label (California Emission Controls)
P31 – Power Windows
P45 – Power Deck Lid Release - Electric
R32 – Dual Rear Seat Speakers
CTD – Continued onto next tag
M35 – Door/Quarter Upper Frame Moldings (perimeter of door glass)
M36 – “Rear Bumper Periphery” – I believe to be Rear Bumper Guards – but not 100% sure.
M43 – Grill Surround Molding
M44 – Hood Center Molding & Ornament
N91 - Special Emission Package
G11 – Tinted Glass - All Windows
G52 – Left O/S Mirror Remote Chrome - Standard
H51 – Air Conditioning w/Front Heater
J25 – Deluxe Windshield Wiper (3 variable speed)
J52 – Hood Release - Instrument Panel Mounted
M31 - Belt Moldings - Door/Quarters
RF3 – Upper Body Paint Code – in this case: Mint Green Metallic
U – Built to USA specifications
A68 – Premium Interior Group
C21 – Center Front Cushion/Arm Rest
G56 – (not sure – but believe it to be passenger side mirror - delete)
RF3 – Lower Body Paint Code - Mint Green Metallic
C6F6 – Interior trim code – Vinyl non-reclining bucket seats (40-20-40, I presume) in medium green
000 – Interior paint color – in this case, same as exterior
616 – Vehicle was built June 16, 1978
DM7270 - Vehicle Order number
E46 – 318 4-bbl (non-High Performance) almost all California cars w/318’s were 4-bbls, for emission purposes.
D32 – A998 automatic 3-speed transmission
VIN
N – Aspen
L – Low Price Class
45 – 2 (rows of) seat Station Wagon
H – 318 4-bbl (E46)
8 – 1978
B – Built at Hamtramck Michigan
361793 – Sequence Number
Tag two
13 – Car shipped to/sold in Idaho,
799 - Not Sure
VIN NL45 H8B 361793 (repeat of above)
Most F-bodies did not get mirrors on Right side of car – unless special ordered or dealer-installed.
A lot of people ordered the E46 (California Emissions equipped 318 4-bbl) because they wanted more power than a 318 2-bbl, but didn’t want a high performance engine – especially for people who normally drove in the mountains (Idaho = Rocky Mountains). Personally, I think the California Emissions negated the 4-bbl benefit on those – but that is only my opinion. Most insurance company’s rated 318’s in same group (2 or 4-bbl versions) and 360’s in the next higher class.
Looking into it, the Heavy Duty towing package was available as special order and they only came with 360 engines. I suspect someone upgraded the transmission cooler on your car.
BudW
Kermit
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the leg work! Its cool to see that most of the options it has are factory installed. I do think it is a factory transmission cooler, and I agree that it probably was added to the car after the assembly line.
Jared
Jared
