PLEASE READ THIS STATEMENT CAREFULLY

This page is going to show the correct items your AAR or T/A should have had from the factory. In NO PARTICULAR WAY am I saying I know it all or this is gospel nor am I a self proclaimed "AAR & T/A Guru" and these parts or options should be on your car, and for anybody to take a stance that things are cut and dried is wrong.  My conclusions have come from looking at several UNTOUCHED cars over the years and from the various people I have known over the years who have owned these cars and restored them and also by an extensive amount of time just looking at cars overall. I am always learning something new about these cars and I will never say that a particular car did or did not come with an option or a part. Nobody can, nor should make such a statement. These cars were built by humans and also built mid year so they did leave the plant sometimes with things they weren't supposed to. If you have any questions please e-mail me. Thanx

Having made my statement above I received an e-mail about how I came to this conclusion. What you are about to read is from an employee who worked at Chrysler since 1970 and this is what he had to say about parts and their use on the assembly line.

Jeff, I was asking about the exhaust manifold. I have seen a good number of AARs and TAs both "original and restored" which had  exhaust manifolds with and without embossed part numbers. I have worked for Chrysler since December of  1970. At our plants we only identified and tracked parts by the Chrysler P# (Part number). Date codes had no bearing to our line workers.
If the part number was correct the part was used (sometimes it did not have to be the correct part number. It just had to fit. i.e. one white door panel and one black door panel or a Dodge emblem on one side of the car and a Plymouth on the other side).
When the lines were filled with parts the assembly workers would use the correct part number that was most convenient / closest to them. Many times that resulted in the older stock staying in the back and the newer stock being applied.   Every so often the line Supervisor would have the work areas cleaned up and the stock would get shuffled. Stock that carried a Supplier Date Code of last year would be used the next year if the part was "interchangeable" (different Part number but would also fit)  or used if it was a "carry over Part number (i.e. a part number for a 1969 unit was also used in the 1970 model year.)
In short, as long as the part was at the plant and would fit on the car it would / could be used.   Once we got to the end of a model year ( This was called  "Build out"). We would build all remaining cars in our "Build Program" using whatever parts that were there. Sometimes a car would get built even if all the needed parts were not there. These build out specials would sometimes look very strange but the Plant manager made his production quota. Even if it did not have all 4 wheels. Of course these cars were not supposed to be shipped to our Sales Bank until they were corrected.

Thanx to Bruce F. Thomas for this information.

 
This is a particular piece often missing on most cars. The Crankcase Breather for an AAR or T/A should have 2 nipples as shown in this picture. The larger lead goes to the air cleaner assembly the smaller lead goes to the bowl vent on the center carburetor. This is often replaced by people with a 1 nipple and the bowl vent is plugged shut.    Now if your car had the Evaporative Emissions Control or commonly called "A California Car" then you would have a 3 nipple crankcase breather.

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These next few images are of 3 areas on an AAR or T/A that show the areas on your block and intake manifold to find casting numbers and the vin number pad on your block.

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Casting #

 

Vin #'s Pad 

Carb Intake Part #

                            
 

This next item is another item that is commonly missing as well and is an item that is only found on ALL 1970 makes and models that had a 340 motor in it and not just an AAR or T/A.

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These are 2 pics of the correct fan that should be on your AAR and T/A. There is also the correct clutch mechanism on it as well. Check the part number on the back of the clutch mechanism.

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These 2 pics are of the toughest item to find for your AAR or T/A. This is the correct Exhaust Heat Shield for any '70 340 Dodge or Plymouth. It looks similar to a 318 one but there is a difference. The port openings are different. Part # on the 340 one is 2946105.

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This next item is only found on AAR's and on Gran Coupe Barracudas. These are the Chrome Bars that go in the grill. Often the chrome is tarnished or pealing off and the tabs are broken. You can get these rechromed if you find a place that will do this for you.

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This pic is to show you the difference between an ORIGINAL AAR Spoiler and a REPOP one. The spoiler on the left is a reproduction and the Spoiler on the right is an ORIGINAL one. Notice how thin the original one is compared to the repop one. I think what happened here is that they took an original one and made a mold from it and that's why the repop is thicker than the original one.

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This is a pic of the windshield washer fluid squirters which are mounted on the hood. These are original ones and this is the complete set up for an AAR or T/A.

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These next pics are of an NOS Muffler Assembly. This is one of a set I bought for my AAR. They were painted flat black from the factory and were this way when installed on the assembly line. Mine were produced in 1975 as the date code shows. The reproductions to my knowledge are not painted black but should be. This is often overlooked or purposely left natural. To be correct they should be painted flat black.

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This item here is also overlooked on most restorations. It is the positive cable holder or strap. Usually missing or was broken when someone tried to remove it. It mounts to the top of the stud on the shock. This is an original one, And also 2 pics on an untouched car. notice how they mounted them at the factory.

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I have from time to time spoken my feelings on replacing full 1/4's on any AAR or T/A when only the lowers are needed. These pix will show the particulars I have mentioned.

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  Original 1/4 

   Repop 1/4

 

Notice the Wheel lip area and how thin it is compared to how fat the repop is. This is often overlooked at the body shop and would only take a few extra minutes to correct. By taking a wheel lip molding and either clamping it or actually installing it on the wheel lip opening and then tracing the edge so you have the correct width and know how much to trim off. It will look so much nicer after doing so.

 

 

These are 2 examples of what factory original wire looms are supposed to look like and a set of NOS ones. While the reproductions are nice looking they still are not the correct color. I would suggest trying to find a nice used set in a junk yard and clean them up. Its not hard to do and will look alot better than bright white ones!!

 

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These are a few pix of the Cowl Paint and various other areas that have black out and overspray on them on an AAR. All of these cars were original and untouched.

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These are a few pix of the Cowl Paint and various other areas that have black out and overspray on them on a T/A. All of these cars were original and untouched.

 

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This section here is something that Wes Cree had brought to my attention and he had proof to back up what he had found. It has always been the understanding that the Road Lamp bulbs were G.E. and said FOG at the bottom and that has been what all the people in know had always said (including me). But one day Wes had come across a box of bulbs he had and upon further inspection had found out that many of the bulbs in the box were original and date coded from various times and were all Westinghouse bulbs, He also noted that many had the tape markings on the back just as they had from the factory. Wes had also kept track of this over the years from the many original untouched low milage cars he had owned, He also remembered that over the years he had owned many NOS sets of factory Road Lamp assemblies and they had G.E. bulbs in them with FOG on the bottom and had come from the dealership. About a month ago he purchased a set of road lamps from a friend of ours and he had taken them off of a 70 Cuda. These road lamps were never opened and were factory originals as they had never been off the car until Wes purchased them. The pix you see here are pix of a few of the bulbs Wes had showing the tape marks and date codes. And you will also see the set as we took them apart. If anyone has any input into this I would like to hear and see what you have to offer to try and shed some light onto this subject. look at these pix carefully and send me some feedback on this.