Wondering how many

[therick]

I was wondering if anyone would know how many 383 4speed with air conditioning 71 road runners were made. Here's what I can make out on the fender tag. Thanks Rick
FENDER TAG
N41 N85 R11 V21 V8Y
F11 G31 G33 H51 L31 M21
GY8 U 26 B51 C16 C55
GY8 M6T7 GT3 B12
E65 D21 RM23

[bruce]

Can't really say for SURE how many because the records aren't available for those specific combinations. Best you can do is work the percentages--3,730 383 4-speed cars times the 24.6% of total production with A/C would yield 917 cars. However, that could on the high side since Chrysler had a standing procedure to NOT install A/C on 4-speed cars. Supposedly that was to limit warranty claims on the A/C compressors.

To further complicate things, percentage-wise there were more 383 Road Runners built than other engine combinations, so the likelyhood that a 383 car has air probably increases somewhat. And of course you couldn't even GET A/C on Hemis and 440+6 cars. Confused yet? There's no exact science where Ma Mopar's production is concerned.

There were 7,952 383 auto trans '71 Runners built and it would be more likely that a larger percentage of those cars had A/C than did 4-speed cars.

Safe to say it's a fairly rare combo. Ironically enough, my RR was originally a 383 4-speed and A/C car too.

[Eric]

Rare or not, that's a very cool color combination, gold with gold strobe stripe. The GT3 in the second line up should actually be GT8 (typical for T7 color interiors). Although you didn't list it, I'd guess this is a Winsor built car (seventh VIN digit is an R)?

[therick]

Thanks for the info guys. Also the seventh digit is an R. Rick

[Dave]

Actually, the A/C + 4spd limitation was on 340 cars, not the big blocks. By nature the 340s spin higher than the big blocks. The A/C compressor has a lower redline than the 340, and we all know how 340/4spd cars tended to be driven.

[bruce]

Hmmmm, interesting. I had always heard it was ALL 4-speed cars, but the 340 thing makes more sense.