Is my Aspen as rare as I have been told?

[Leeinri]

Hello group! I need a little help please. I was recently told by someone (I will not disclose his name) who claims to be a F-body guru that my car is a one of one. He claims that there were only 26 Aspens equipped with the V1 "Halo" vinyl top in 1976. He then told me mine was the only 318 4 speed. He then asked who removed the body side mouldings from my car and I assured him that my car never had them. He explained that the V1 halo top was only available on "NH" or "NP" high or premium price class Aspens that came with the body mouldings. I told him my car is a "NL" low price class Aspen and he told me no way with that top. He asked for a picture of the fender tag and dash VIN along with some more general pics of the car, all of which I sent. He called me 15 minutes later and offered me $8000 for the car and explained how it is a one of one car and it needs to be returned to original and preserved. I told him I would think about it and let him know. Can someone please help to verify or debunk what he has told me? Thank you guys!

 

[DCAspen]

I'd like to know where "The Guru"got his information from.

 

[Leeinri]

That's what I want to know!

 

[BudW]

I might have been a half Guru, at one time – and that was before I forgot the other half . . .
That said, I hadn’t seen a F-body with that seat design or style of vinyl top, before.


The VIN tag (that I can make out) is decoded as (which is as good as my eye sight – which is not saying much):
189 – not sure
M21 – Drip rail moldings
M31 – belt moldings
M32 – Body side moldings, Doors and quarters
N11 – not sure - but I suspect a normal air cleaner
L1 – dash lighting code – but not sure (no extra lighting, maybe)
I7 - not sure
V1X – (Upper Body color) or Vinyl roof - special
U 1 – tires/wheels (but not showing that code)
B11 – Standard duty brakes
F13? – alternator rating (60 amp, if I read your number correctly)
G01 – rear electric defroster
G31 – Right side outside mirror - delete
MR6 – Lower Paint code – Chrysler Claret Red
A1X0 - Interior Trim Code – this made no sense to me. A = price class and it should be a “L – low”, 1 = solid bench seat, not split back as your photo shows, X = Black, 1 is shade (on scale of 1-10) = “Very Light”.
000 ? – Interior Paint Code
710 – Built on July 10 (in 1976?)
312640 – Vehicle Order No.
E44 - 318 2-bbl
D24 – 4-speed manual transmission with overdrive
NL29 G6B 454444 – VIN:
N – Aspen
L – Low Price range
29 – 2-door Special Coupe
G – 318 2-bbl
6 – 1976
B – Built in Hamtramck, MI assembly Plant
454444 – Vehicle Sequence No.

If I have some of those codes wrong, you might want to let me know which ones. What I read might not be 100% correct. The codes I gave are correct for the codes I do have (I have about 85% of the fender tag codes).

Your trim code must be special (not in my book) or I can't read it correctly.
BudW

 

[4speedjim]

Get the check!!! Thats a great offer! Just because something is old or rare, (Unpopular) it doesn't make it valuable. Thats all the high noon money IMO. I think its a strong offer on that one of one NL29. Very strong!
I do have 40 of 45 yrs as a franchised dealer. I was used car mgr and did all the appraising used and factory mopar buying and selling.

 

[4speedjim]

And hello! Welcome Leeinri! You've found the best guys on the www for FMJ and mopars in general. All the info, none of the drama! Welcome aboard!!

 

[volare 77]

That top is rare. Nice car btw. I would ask for $10,000.

 

[Leeinri]

Hi Bud! Thank you for the help! I believe it is A1X9 and not A1X0 but I will double check tonight. Thank you again! Lee.

 

[DCAspen]

X9 would be black,Can you give us a clearer photo of your fender tag?

 

[BudW]

Sometimes it helps to use a flashlight shining sideways, to get a good shot of those raised numbers (or a pencil rubbing)

Downloading and blowing up the pictures didn’t help, this time.
I’m pretty sure 80% of the characters I wrote down are correct – but that remaining 20% - I had to guess on.
BudW

Edit: A good chance your car is worth $8,000 or $10,000 (I’m not sure on actual numbers), just because car is low mileage and appears to be in very nice condition – and not because of the top or seat covers.
I’m not sure the top design or seat covers would make much of a difference, in this case (but could be wrong).

Option wise (except for seat covers and top), your car is close to my ’77 wagon (no A/C and not much else option wise). The only options mine came with is limited slip, 904, rear electric heated glass and woodgrain delete.

 

[Silver Bullet]

The N11 might be R11, AM radio. A1X9 would be A=grade A, 1=straight bench in cloth & vinyl, X9=black

 

[Leeinri]

It is A1X9 and the car did come from the factory with a AM only radio. I upgraded it to a 1976 AM/FM unit.

 

[Leeinri]

I really don't care what it's worth. I just want to know if it is indeed a "1 of 1". Lol

 

[4speedjim]

If your gonna take it the grave with ya, nothin really matters. It may be one of one because of rather Unique equipment that only one was ever ordered. We typically sold 25-35 new cars and double that for used a month in them days. I bet the 318 833od bench seat and the roof is the definitive difference. Check under the FT&RR seat springs and other places you wouldnt normally be. If, and Im certain it is still in an 8k mi car. You will find the cars birth certificate. Its got it all, and you will be able to decifer every detail. My curiosity is was that a sold order or inventory? Im 99% that it was a customer sold order.

 

[4speedjim]

There is sites that I guess must cross a DATA base for things like 1 of 1 cars. I doubt there is one for fmj's. Just thought id throw that out there and maybe we'll get a hit or two.

 

[Dr Lebaron]

I had those seats in my 77 Aspen before I went to buckets.

I saw another 76 F that had the same roof and was red, mid/later 1980's at Moparfest.
His was auto and I think it was a Volare
It went to Malta and there can't be many F's there.

Row your owns where nothing special then, just low budget.
So someone popped for a roof option or the dealer ordered it.

 

[Leeinri]

Hopefully this one is better! Is there a certain code to tell if it's special order? Thanks guys!

 

[BudW]

Is there a certain code to tell if it's special order?

There is codes for that - but I hadn't seen it stamped on a fender tag, before.
The paper build sheets - do have that information on it as well as an exhaustive list of what parts were used to make your car - however, Chrysler stopped leaving the build sheets in cars (unless an accident) because of potential fire hazard, in the early/mid '70's.
If your car has a build sheet, it would be above headliner, underneath any of the seats, under carpet, under trunk pad, under dash, etc.
I have only heard of a couple of the paper build sheets left behind in FMJ cars (and Chrysler still used the paper build sheets well into the '90's if not longer.

My '77 wagon had a small triangle of a build sheet that was taped onto of the dash. Someone tore it off - leaving a 2 inch triangle, with the tape, still on the top of the black cluster frame.

Fender Tag Differences:
M32 – Body side moldings, Doors and quarters
Should say
N37 – Catalytic Exhaust System

B11 – Standard duty brakes
Should say
B41 – Power Disk Brakes Front / Drum Brakes Rear

F13? – Alternator rating
Should say
F18 – 65-Amp Alternator rating

G31 – Right side outside mirror – delete
Should say
G51 – Left Side Outside Mirror Manual Chrome

A1X0 - Interior Trim Code
Should say
A1X9 – A = price class, 1 = solid bench seat, not split back as your photo shows, X = Black, 9 is shade (on scale of 1-10) = “Very Dark”.

710 – Built on July 10
Should say
730 – Built on July 30 (1976)

BudW

 

[Leeinri]

Thank you Bud! I wish some of you guys were closer, we could all go to the cruise nights! We have a ton of them here in the ocean state!

 

[DCAspen]

A little update on your fender tag,U 1 -built to US specifications L1-End of sales code,17- State code Kansas,730 build date,Very rare to have a late july build date,Chrysler usually stopped production in the middle of July,I'm leaning toward a late build do to the high VIN # 454444,Also 76 speedometers did not say unleaded fuel only on them,but a small decal was placed on them after January 1st do to Govt. regulations like yours has.312640 is your cars order #.189 code on the top of the tag I don't know what that is,Hopefully somebody else might have an answer.Your car could be a 1 of 1 but Chrysler didn't break down the codes that detailed on the cars in the later 70's like they did in the Muscle car heyday of the late 60's and early 70's.One of my cars I own could be a 1 of 1 do to its color and options but there is no true breakdown on the color codes,I know it is 1 of 438
but there is no further breakdown,The F-Body Guru I know passed this info to me when I purchased the car.