In need of a Mopar history lesson

[moparmandan]

One of these days I'm going to have to buy the history books. I have wondered before. And another thread got me thinking about it again. How exactly were the Scamps and Demons put together? Where the chassis shipped between factories and finished, or were they completed at there beginning assembly line and hung with the other companies sheet metal?

 

[Alaskan_TA]

What other companies sheet metal?

The assembly lines ran from start to finish.

 

[moper]

Each model and make had an assembly line.

 

[moparmandan]

This is from Wikipedia so take it for what it's worth.

"Beginning in 1971, a badge-engineered version of the 111 in (2,800 mm) wheelbase Dodge Dart Swinger called the Valiant Scamp was offered. This used the Dart Swinger 2-door hardtop body shell with Valiant front sheet metal and dual taillamps carried over from the 1970 Dodge Dart."

I guess my question is, was Plymouth producing two-door Valiant bodies in their plants, or did they just use Dart bodies ship in from Dodge?

 

[moparmandan]

Each model and make had an assembly line.

Interesting. Why the mis-matched sheet metal (rear wheel opening flares) on the back of the Scamp and also the Demon I wonder?

 

[68 CUDA FORMULA S]

Just because one was a Dodge and the other was a Plymouth does not mean they were built at different assembly plants, both were Chrysler products. When I worked at Warren truck we built Dodge Ram Chargers and Plymouth Trail Dusters on the same lines along with all the Dodge Trucks. Before I retired in 2007 we were building the Dodge Ram 1500's, the Dodge Dakota's, and the Mitsubishi Raiders all on the same line. Yes the Mitsubishi Raiders had some different sheet metal but if you give them a good look they are only glorified Dodge Dakota's with the exact same drive trains.

 

[Alaskan_TA]

Each model and make had an assembly line.

Lets take 1970 Hamtramck cars as one example.

Not many Dodge Darts but lots of Valiants including Dusters & lots of Plymouth & Dodge E-bodies too.

Two assembly lines, models all mixed up on the lines in actual production.

1970 LA plant, lots of Plymouth & Dodge B & E bodies for most of the year, all mixed up on one line. Then sometime in May of '70 all Es were built in Hamtramck & LA started to build As instead, but again mixed in with Bs.

 

[moparmandan]

Just because one was a Dodge and the other was a Plymouth does not mean they were built at different assembly plants, both were Chrysler products. When I worked at Warren truck we built Dodge Ram Chargers and Plymouth Trail Dusters on the same lines along with all the Dodge Trucks. Before I retired in 2007 we were building the Dodge Ram 1500's, the Dodge Dakota's, and the Mitsubishi Raiders all on the same line. Yes the Mitsubishi Raiders had some different sheet metal but if you give them a good look they are only glorified Dodge Dakota's with the exact same drive trains.

Gotcha.

Lets take 1970 Hamtramck cars as one example.

Not many Dodge Darts but lots of Valiants including Dusters & lots of Plymouth & Dodge E-bodies too.

Two assembly lines, models all mixed up on the lines in actual production.

1970 LA plant, lots of Plymouth & Dodge B & E bodies for most of the year, all mixed up on one line. Then sometime in May of '70 all Es were built in Hamtramck & LA started to build As instead, but again mixed in with Bs.

Makes sense, now. Thanks guys!

 

[HemiSSDart]

Just saw a 71 340 Demon for sale that was built at the LA plant. When did this start and how many were built there?

 

[Alaskan_TA]

1971 model year was the last gasp for LA, A & B-bodies only from the start of the model year until the end.

Production totals by plant for any model in particular were not kept that I have ever seen.

 

[moper]

Cool. That's not how I understood it so thanks for the info.
I don't think I've ever seen a single assembly line picture with more than one body type being assembled indicated. Which led me to surmise they either had separate lines at the facilities, or separate facilities for each line. I know later vehicles like the Neons were all one line, and literally were only Plymouth or dodge badged. I find it hard to believe they had parts bins and assemblies for all these different cars on the same line, at the same time.

 

[Alaskan_TA]

Photo of a '68 Charger on the line at St. Louis with two four door sedans right behind it at http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/misc/StLouis.jpg

 

[Bill Crowell]

I don't know if it happened with the Valiant Scamp, but many times over the years Ma Mopar would start building a new model using different combinations of sheet metal than they had previously used because they had too many of certain types of the previous year's sheet metal parts left over at the beginning of a new model year.

 

[Mopar-Mitch]

The only Demon factory photo I've ever seen is this one, I'd love to see more if there's any.