[Sam Witz]

Hey, this is Sam, and I am the proud owner of a 1983 Dodge 400 Coupe with a manual transmission. I've come to learn that the manual transmission is very rare, to the point that I can find little evidence of it being made available (The Dodge 400 wikipedia page lists it as only being available in the three speed automatic). I dug up an article mentioning it being released to a few select dealerships in the manual as a test, although as we all know canned the 400 in 1983. The only other evidence exists in the only Dodge 400 commercial, which features my almost exact vehicle driving on the beach, with a manual trans.

What I REALLY want to find are the production numbers for Dodge 400's with a manual transmission. Do any of you know how I'd go about finding that? It seems the Chrysler website allows for a request of build record, but not much else. I'd really like to know how many of these were produced in the first place, as I haven't been able to find existence of another one. Thanks!

 

[valiant67]

The 1983 Dodge 400 sales brochure lists the manual transmission as standard for 2.2 motor in Federal and California emissions trim.

Good luck finding any information on production numbers. Not much is available for many 80s cars.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Welcome to Allpar. 1983 was the first year of the domestic A-465 5-speed transaxle and the improved cable-shifting. Before that was the A-460 4-speed manual transaxle.
The stick-shift take-rate was low compared to automatics in the higher-end K-E cars like 400/600, LeBaron, Caravelle (FWD), etc. I would estimate about 98%+ were automatics. Most dealers ordered automatics only and a stick-shift car would be a special order or an oddity.
Sticks were more plentiful in the lower-end (base) Omni/Horizon, Aries/Reliant, etc.
Stick-shift minivans are rare.

 

[marty mopar]

1983 part book:

4269 287 1 M,Z w/1.6 Liter Engine, w/2.69 Overall Ratio
4295 733 1 M,Z w/1.7 Liter Engine, w/2.69 Overall Ratio
4295 497 1 M,Z w/1.7 Liter Engine, w/3.13 Overall Ratio
4269 288 1 M,Z w/2.2 Liter Engine, w/2.69 Overall Ratio

4269 288 P,D,C,V w/2.2 Liter Engine, w/2.69 Overall Ratio. ( this is your transmission )

1982 part book:

4269 167 1 M,Z w/1.7 Liter Engine, w/2.69 Overall Ratio
4269 165 1 M,Z w/2.2 Liter Engine, w/2.69 Overall Ratio
4269 165 P,D,C,V w/2.2 Liter Engine, w/2.69 Overall Ratio. (one possibility)
4269 168 1 M,Z w/2.2 Liter Engine, w/3.13 Overall Ratio
4269 168 P,D,C,V w/2.2 Liter Engine, w/3.13 Overall Ratio. (the other possibility)

 

[urr]

I had a 400 coupe charcoal w/silver half vinyl roof and light gray interior.Really liked that car.I wish it had been a manual tranny though.