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1970 E-body Radio option code R21

ylocuda

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Hi all, just joined and have had this question/clarification for years. My 1970 Cuda 383 4sp with factory air was a special order car (Y39). Not sure how many 4spds with air were made (another question). Anyway it has radio option code R21 which is am/fm solid state radio. Nothing really clearly shows what radio this really is for 1970 and websites only call out thumbwheel for am/fm 1970 cars but the R35 option (which I think is not solid state?). I did (finally) see a another 70 Cuda for sale that has the R21 option that shows a radio installed that as an am/fm with the two knobs on the LH side which per websites is only slated for 71-74. Is it possible mine being special order or maybe late model it did come with am/fm but with knobs on LH side? See fender tag photo. Lots of options.Thanks for any help!!

IMG_1616.jpeg
 

pschlosser

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I may have seen the two-knob AM/FM in b-bodies during the 1970s. But when it comes to e-bodies, I only seem to recall ever seeing the thumb-wheel AM/FM version installed.
 

NxCoupe

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Hi all, just joined and have had this question/clarification for years. My 1970 Cuda 383 4sp with factory air was a special order car (Y39). Not sure how many 4spds with air were made (another question). Anyway it has radio option code R21 which is am/fm solid state radio. Nothing really clearly shows what radio this really is for 1970 and websites only call out thumbwheel for am/fm 1970 cars but the R35 option (which I think is not solid state?). I did (finally) see a another 70 Cuda for sale that has the R21 option that shows a radio installed that as an am/fm with the two knobs on the LH side which per websites is only slated for 71-74. Is it possible mine being special order or maybe late model it did come with am/fm but with knobs on LH side? See fender tag photo. Lots of options.Thanks for any help!!

View attachment 139897
It's an early production model, December 1969, late production would have been may, june or july of 70. It would have a thumbwheel am/fm radio.
 

MoparCarGuy

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Do you have the car’s Broadcast Sheet?
The fender tag has codes that are not found on original fender tags.
R11, R22, and R35 are the typical radio option codes for 1970.
 

lainetx9

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Cool!...."V4X".......Black Body Side Stripe (Strobe Tape) ...very rare..... Enjoy! PS: I have only seen the "LA Built" cars on their fender tag that states the "V1X" vinyl top twice (upper and lower) on the fender tag on LA built cars only (with the LA small font as well, but large font was available too)...hummmm.....interesting observation on your tag.
 

70 4715

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The tag is fake, there are many codes that are incorrect, nonexistent to an E Body, ones that MUST be there, but are not, etc.
 

MoparCarGuy

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The Broadcast Sheet would clear up all of the issues but Los Angeles cars are notorious for not having a sheet.
 

DeltaV

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For comparison is my 1970 Charger that was ordered with the R21 radio.

R21: Solid State Radio - AM/FM 5.5 Watt 1,934 built 7.1% (source: 1970 Dodge Charger Registry)

Pardon the dust:
IMG_20230223_190249129.jpg


My fender tag (St. Louis plant):
IMG_20181117_163027 (16).jpg



Shots of my Broadcast Sheet:

Screenshot_20250601_074749_Drive~2.jpg



Screenshot_20250601_074915_Drive~2.jpg


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1970 Dodge Charger Registry

Sold Car Sales Bank 1-: This code indicates whether the car was built for a customer order, or was part of a sales bank pre-determined order by the company that was shipped to dealers for sales on their dealer lots. To clarify, a customer order means a customer sat down with a dealer and completed an order form outlining exactly what options the customer wanted his/her car to be build with. A sales bank car is one that was delivered to the dealer and a customer would buy the car off the lot, in that scenario someone within Chrysler decided what options to build the car with, likely based on marketing data, and the customer had no hand in that process. The applicable codes here would be:

Y12 - Dealer Export Sale (dealer order for export)

Y14 - Sold Car Order (customer order)

Y16 - Sales Bank Order


Special Order 39: This code (option code Y39) identifies if the car was designated as a special order. This would be typically for show cars, road tests and the like where the car was designated for extra care in the assembly process to ensure the highest vehicle quality and fit and finish. A value of 9 in the box means this was a Special Order car and would be extremely rare.
 
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