If you are fortunate enough to have any original factory documents with your car you are in the minority. If a car has even one of these documents it raises the desirability and even the value of the car. Only a very small percentage of 1966–1970 Plymouth and Dodge B-Bodies are lucky enough to have some of these documents and even fewer have all of these important papers.
The broadcast sheet, Certicard, window sticker, dealer invoice, owner’s manual, warranty manual, and original receipts are all forms of documentation for these classic cars. Their importance cannot be underestimated when establishing the pedigree and history of your car.
This original fender tag is from a Butterscotch 1969½ 440 6-barrel Plymouth Road Runner. (To the right is the factory tuning decal.)
Always inquire about the original paperwork before purchasing your dream machine. When your car left the dealership the original owner probably had a packet of original paperwork. How many of these documents survived over the years varies. This chapter helps you understand and decode these documents.
The broadcast sheet, or build sheet, can be the most important document for your car. The data listed on these sheets is very similar. Every part used to manufacture the car is on the broadcast sheet. The fender tag has some of the options listed depending on the plant that built your car, but without the original broadcast sheet many options cannot be proven to be original.
Assembly line workers used these sheets to determine which parts to install on a specific car. Build sheets changed from year to year and have minor and even major differences in appearance. Make sure you are referencing the correct codes for your car’s specific year. The codes could indicate different parts in different years.
This particular example of a Chrysler broadcast sheet is from a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T equipped with a RB 440, assembled at the main Dodge facility in Hamtramck, Michigan. Locating a broadcast sheet can be a major windfall to unearthing the pedigree of an otherwise unknown or unidentified project car.
Every option is listed on this sheet. The codes under each option tells everything about the car and needs to be examined. You can find lists of these codes in the widely known “White Books” produced by Galen Govier, which can be purchased at a variety of places, including eBay and Mopar shows. Even the earliest assembly lines used a build sheet to assemble each car. They were not left in the cars until somewhere around the late 1950s or early 1960s. The line workers placed these sheets in the car in various locations. The first place to look for your broadcast sheet is under the backseat tucked into the springs. In Mopars they can also be found in the springs of any front or rear seat back or seat bottom, under the carpet, in the headliner, taped to the top of the glove box, and sometimes taped to the top of the heater core.
Many cars left the factory without a broadcast sheet and others might have left with a build sheet from another car. Some cars even have more than one broadcast sheet. Numerous other explanations can be made as to why your car doesn’t have a broadcast sheet. Someone may have found it and discarded it years ago when no one really cared about these sheets. A previous owner may have removed the sheet for safe keeping and then lost it. Mice love to eat these sheets and owners have often found a nest made of a pile of little numbers on pieces of paper.
All is not lost, however, if you do not have the original broadcast sheet for your car. You may be tempted to have one made from someone who reproduces these sheets. We strongly recommend you do not do this because no matter how good it may look, it is still only a copy. Fake broadcast sheets, Certicards, and fender tags lead to doubt and suspicion, and devalue your car.
Another important part of your car’s documentation is whether or not it has the original Certicard. These cards were issued on the Plymouth and Dodge B-Bodies only during the years 1965–1968. The Certicard, or as other manufacturers called it, a warrantee card, had the VIN, select option codes, the owner’s specific information, and date of delivery of the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer used this card to help identify the car when it came in for service. They were easily lost and very few cars actually have their original card.
The Certicard came in different forms over these short four years. It evolved from being a plastic card in the glove box, to an aluminum card stored in the engine compartment in a black plastic holder, to a pocket in the back of the owner’s manual for 1968 models. In 1969 this information was hand written in the owner’s manual by the dealer.
As you can imagine a loose card that was mounted in the hot engine compartment in a plastic holder and finally in the glove in the owner’s manual didn’t last very long. You are very fortunate if this card comes with your car.
These re-creations of original Chrysler window stickers can be made using your vehicle’s original information. A reasonable facsimile is easily fabricated using Chrysler archives and the data provided by your B-Body’s VIN and Certicard.
Window Sticker or Dealer Invoice
In 1959 a window sticker was required by law to be prominently displayed in the car’s window for the customer to see. This sticker included information about the dealership and prices of the base model equipment and options. It also included the very important Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Even today when a potential customer walks into a new-car showroom, the first thing they look for is the window sticker.
Information Sources
The Marti Report, a document that Marti Auto Works produced for collectible cars, provides almost all the details for a Ford, Mercury, or Lincoln car. General Motors owners also find information about the details of their cars from various groups, including the manufacturer.
If your Mopar is 1967 or older, you can request the build record from Chrysler at Chrysler Historical Collection, 12501 Chrysler Frwy., CIMS 41-011-21, Detroit, MI 48288 (Fax 313-252-2928), chryslerheritage.com.
Unfortunately all these records were lost for 1968–1970 Plymouths and Dodge B-Bodies.
If you are interested in learning more about decoding your broadcast sheet, several websites go into greater detail about this important document: mopar1.us/build.html, moparland.tripod.com/id63.html, mymopar.com, mmcdetroit.com.
Your vehicle’s VIN tag should also coincide with your broadcast sheet, and several other locations throughout your Chrysler. Shown is the VIN from a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner convertible 383 car.
The window sticker is often lost. Even if the original owner received the window sticker with the car, often it was lost or discarded as the car changed owners. You can have a window sticker created for your car, but again, it can be spotted as a reproduction.
If you are