Rim blow steering wheel
- Thread starter wss340challenger
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rt63
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Gary's Steering Wheel Restoration in pa is where I had mine done,it cost around 1100.His work looks better than the original wheel.You can see a picture of mine in my photos.If you post a picture of yours I can tell you if it is worth restoring and about how much he should charge you.It is about 700 to 800 to buy a decent one that is already restored.I have the guys number who sells them if you need it.
wss340challenger
Well-Known Member
wow ..thats not cheap but its gotta be done
wss340challenger
Well-Known Member
numbers matching wss 340 ,yes i have the build sheet ,original wheel
rt63
Active Member
that is a rare car.can you post some more pics?Whar color is the engine
rt63
Active Member
The Western Sport Special
Unrestored 383 WSS belonging to Tony DiLernia, Maryland, USA..
I have had a lot of requests in the past for more information on the Western Sport Special Challengers so here is everything I know. I must thank Jennifer Menard for sending me most of the facts I needed to write this page as well as the detailed photos of the WSS decals.
The name 'Western Sport Special' first appeared on 1969 Dodge Darts. In 1970 it was a version of the base Challenger with a package of options at a discounted price. It was released mid-Dec.1969 to the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions and all were built at the LA plant.
The fender tag option code for the WSS is A91 and the package cost was just $199.50.
For that price you received a Western Sport Special decal on the rear fenders (see photos below), a vinyl roof, a woodgrain instrument panel applique, a remote control mirror, the rim blow steering wheel, sill mouldings, belt mouldings, front splash pan scoop, cowl moulding, rear taillight Astrotone applique, pedals dress-up kit, bumper guards w/rubber inserts and F78x14 inch white side wall tyres mounted on 14" Rallye wheels.
Decal on Jennifers car before restoration...
...and after restoration.
Interior of Tony's car showing the rim blow steering wheel and woodgrain instrument panel.
This option was only available on the base Challenger and no records are known to exist of any T/A, R/T OR 340 with this option. If you can prove different then PLEASE let me know.
UPDATE
I am told that one WSS car has been documented that also had the A66 340 performance package. I have not seen this car myself.
The WSS T/A problem will not go away. Several people have told me that they do exist. Most of these have read it someplace or other so it MUST be true eh?
Well here are the FACTS!!!
ALL T/A cars were built at the Hamtramck production plant. All WSS cars were built at the LA plant. THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BUILT TOGETHER! What would a T/A do with body belt mouldings and 14 inch white wall tyres anyway?
In the July 1992 Mopar Collectors Guide Galen Govier states that NO 340 engined or T/A WSS cars are known to exist and there are no factory records of them. However. When asked if the WSS T/A exists in the November 1992 Mopar Muscle magazine he states that he has seen ONE. A B5 (blue) car with a rear exit exhaust, wheel well mouldings, bumper guards w/rubber inserts and a WSS sticker on the rear spoiler (not the rear quarters). IT DID NOT HAVE THE A91 (WSS) OPTION CODE ON THE FENDER TAG.
Photos exist of this car when it appeared at a show years ago (where Galen saw it?) but the car has not been seen since. In my opinion it had either been modified by the owner (the car shows other non-stock items) or the dealer dressed it up a little to shift it off his lot.
Production figures for the WSS are:
•145 with the 225 inch slant six engine.
•1,066 with a 318 inch V8 engine.
•381 with the 383 big block.
•1 (maybe) with the 340 performance package
Unrestored 383 WSS belonging to Tony DiLernia, Maryland, USA..
I have had a lot of requests in the past for more information on the Western Sport Special Challengers so here is everything I know. I must thank Jennifer Menard for sending me most of the facts I needed to write this page as well as the detailed photos of the WSS decals.
The name 'Western Sport Special' first appeared on 1969 Dodge Darts. In 1970 it was a version of the base Challenger with a package of options at a discounted price. It was released mid-Dec.1969 to the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions and all were built at the LA plant.
The fender tag option code for the WSS is A91 and the package cost was just $199.50.
For that price you received a Western Sport Special decal on the rear fenders (see photos below), a vinyl roof, a woodgrain instrument panel applique, a remote control mirror, the rim blow steering wheel, sill mouldings, belt mouldings, front splash pan scoop, cowl moulding, rear taillight Astrotone applique, pedals dress-up kit, bumper guards w/rubber inserts and F78x14 inch white side wall tyres mounted on 14" Rallye wheels.
Decal on Jennifers car before restoration...
...and after restoration.
Interior of Tony's car showing the rim blow steering wheel and woodgrain instrument panel.
This option was only available on the base Challenger and no records are known to exist of any T/A, R/T OR 340 with this option. If you can prove different then PLEASE let me know.
UPDATE
I am told that one WSS car has been documented that also had the A66 340 performance package. I have not seen this car myself.
The WSS T/A problem will not go away. Several people have told me that they do exist. Most of these have read it someplace or other so it MUST be true eh?
Well here are the FACTS!!!
ALL T/A cars were built at the Hamtramck production plant. All WSS cars were built at the LA plant. THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BUILT TOGETHER! What would a T/A do with body belt mouldings and 14 inch white wall tyres anyway?
In the July 1992 Mopar Collectors Guide Galen Govier states that NO 340 engined or T/A WSS cars are known to exist and there are no factory records of them. However. When asked if the WSS T/A exists in the November 1992 Mopar Muscle magazine he states that he has seen ONE. A B5 (blue) car with a rear exit exhaust, wheel well mouldings, bumper guards w/rubber inserts and a WSS sticker on the rear spoiler (not the rear quarters). IT DID NOT HAVE THE A91 (WSS) OPTION CODE ON THE FENDER TAG.
Photos exist of this car when it appeared at a show years ago (where Galen saw it?) but the car has not been seen since. In my opinion it had either been modified by the owner (the car shows other non-stock items) or the dealer dressed it up a little to shift it off his lot.
Production figures for the WSS are:
•145 with the 225 inch slant six engine.
•1,066 with a 318 inch V8 engine.
•381 with the 383 big block.
•1 (maybe) with the 340 performance package
wss340challenger
Well-Known Member
the engine is orange ,yes i have seen that info-very cool , look in my other post in member restorations for info on my car and some pics
jeff968
Well-Known Member
I saw the EB5 Blue T/A dressed up as a WWS a number of times at the Mopars at Englishtown event during the eighties. I have photos of the car (not the fender tag) and sent them to another website (http://www.aarta.com/frame.html). It definately existed and had all the features you mentioned above including the belt molding but I would guess it might have been created by the dealer.
rt63
Active Member
I grew up about 10 minutes from Englishtown and now live about 40 minutes away.Jeff,this car appears to be the real deal.Even though Galen Govier stated these cars were never built.How would you put a value on this car in its current state and restored state?This has to be the rarest Challenger that I have ever heard of.It needs to be restored back to original specs.Can anyone put a price on this car?
David Tags did my standard 71 challenger wheel. Excellent job he did too. He said going into the restoration it would be approx 5 months but that's okay cause the workmanship was excellent and it was a heck of a lot cheaper than 1100.00. I believe people are charged those outrageous prices cause rimblowsteeringwheels have such cache.
challenger6pak
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Galen said they weren't built in 1992. A lot has changed since then. Far more information is out there. It is not just with the WSS cars. More hemi convertibles are known today than were known in 1992. Knowledge on our cars is constantly growing.
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