We at The ClassicCars.com Journal are currently at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Fall Auction to bring you killer content, along with our usual AutoHunter and ClassicCars.com articles. So, in this moment, how about some random automotive trivia? You can amaze your friends, or post it on social media and see if someone amazingly gets mad—yes, that’s the unfortunate by-product of discussing the cars online, it seems.
Hubcaps and Wheel Covers
I used to use these two interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing.
It’s pretty simple if you think about it: a wheel cover covers the whole wheel, while a hubcap may only cover the hub. “Poverty caps” are hubcaps, but full-wheel discs (as pictured above) are wheel covers.
Both may or may not have trim rings, which are the chrome (or similar) clips that mount at the cusp between the wheel and the tire. Though using a mag wheel, the GTO Judge famously came without trim rings, unlike regular GTOs.
Hugger Orange, Monaco Orange, Carnival Red, Carousel Red, and Rallye Red
For 1969, Chevrolet introduced a color for the Camaro called Hugger Orange. It’s become a signature color over the years, though it wasn’t available for many model years. However, for the Chevelle and Corvette, it was called Monaco Orange. Carousel Red, a 1969 Firebird color that became the signature color for the 1969 GTO Judge, is the exact same color, but it’s different than the similar Carnival Red that was introduced mid-year 1968.
For 1970, Oldsmobile introduced Rally Red as one of four extra-cost colors for its A-bodies. While it looks like the above colors, it’s actually a different paint formula.
You Had to Order a Bench Seat?
Aside of entering any arguments about the first muscle car, let’s agree the 1964 Pontiac GTO started a trend in the market. If you examine most of the performance cars that followed the GTO to market, they followed the same formula: top-of-the-line model with performance equipment. That meant most were based on high-spec models that came equipped with bucket seats standard.
If you wanted seating for three across, most of the time this needed to be specified as an option. In the performance market, this was true through 1967, upon which the Plymouth Road Runner came to roost for 1968—that model (and the copycats) clearly came with a bench standard.
Cousins, but not Kissin’
In 1970, the Ford Mustang was available with a 428 Cobra Jet. If you wanted the base CJ, the VIN would show a Q in the fifth character; if you wanted ram air, the VIN would show an R.
However, Mercury did things slightly different for 1970. A Cougar with the 428 Cobra Jet was a Q-code regardless whether it had ram air or not.
The same holds true for the 429 Cobra Jet. For a 1970 Torino or other mid-size Ford, if you wanted the base CJ, the VIN would show a C in the 5th character; if you wanted ram air, the VIN would show a J. However, for the 1970 Mercury Cyclone series, all 429 Cobra Jets were C-codes regardless whether they had ram air or not.
Interestingly, for 1971, the engine code system for the 429 Cobra Jet was the same for both Ford and Mercury. For most years, Ford and Mercury used the same system, but on occasion there there were anomalies, like for 1970.
Cousins, but not Kissin’ (Part II)
Mopar’s VIN system followed a pattern as follows:
- Character 1: Series
- Character 2: Price class (more about hierarchy than cost)
- Character 3: Number of doors
- Character 4: Body style
Let’s look at the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda: There were three models called Barracuda, Gran Coupe, and ‘Cuda:
- B is for Barracuda
- H is for High price class (Barracuda), S is for Special (‘Cuda), P is for Premium (Gran Coupe)
- 2 is for the number of doors
- 3 is for hardtop, 7 for convertible
However, Dodge did things slightly different with the Challenger:
- J is for Challenger
- H is for High price class (Challenger), S is for Special (Challenger R/T)
- 2 is for the number of doors
- 3 is for hardtop, 7 is for convertible, and 9 is for special hardtop (SE)
You can see how, despite offering a similar structure with a base pony car, performance pony car, and luxury pony car, Plymouth and Dodge handled its model structure differently—the distinction with the Barracuda Gran Coupe fell to its price class, while the Challenger SE and R/T SE fell to its body style (29).
The 29 body style was used to designate formal roofs like on the SE (notice it featured a smaller rear window than regular Challengers), but also special models like the Charger, as it featured a different roof from mainstream Coronets.
Source: www.classiccars.com