Ive recently bought a 78 cordoba with some odd options... now i have run the vin and is is of the special pricing category. it is a t top car. black interior exterior and vinyl top. it came with the p code 240 hp high performance 400 4v. it has electric locks but no buttons and crank windows. over the last 6 months ive searched and searched and i cannot find another 78 cordoba with the same options. anyone out there can help me figure out how special my baby is i will be very happy!
Just how rare is this old girl?
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You can't track by option combinations (Chrysler didn't keep figures that way) but:
1978 Cordoba 108,054 total
3,782 had t-tops
432 had the P code 400-4
My 1979 Cordoba was also ordered very uniquely. But back then most everything was a separate option, except for a few basic option groups, so there were all kinds of combinations.
1978 Cordoba 108,054 total
3,782 had t-tops
432 had the P code 400-4
My 1979 Cordoba was also ordered very uniquely. But back then most everything was a separate option, except for a few basic option groups, so there were all kinds of combinations.
only 432 had that p code 400? wow is that of the t top cars or just in general? And is there anyway to find the production number aside from the last 6 or 7 digits of the vin?
There is no way to know how many of the 432 P code cars had t-tops or how many of the 3782 T-top cars had the P code engine.
Chrysler kept production totals for each option, but there are no records for combinations of options.
Chrysler kept production totals for each option, but there are no records for combinations of options.
well the rarity of the p code engine says enough really. i mean only 0.4% had that option. which mathematically speaking that means if there is an equal ratio of p code engines for every non t top car and every t top car than maybe only 150 or so had that combination. unless my math is wrong. add that to the fact that ive yet to find another triple black 78 unless you know something i dont lol. you have been incredibly helpful sir. do you happen to know what gear came with the p code engines or is that just the ole 2.45?
I don't know for sure on the P code, but I know with my 1979 (which has the L code 360-4 engine also used in cop cars) the gear ratio is 3.2.
The 1978 Cordoba sales brochure says the 400-4 HD also came with the 3.2 so that implies it should have the 3.2 and probably in a 9.25" axle (12 bolt cover) rather than the more common 8.25 axle (10 bolt cover). I would suspect your 1978 (like my 1979) will also have the power steering and transmission fluid coolers on it.
And I agree, triple black Cordobas weren't that common but they really look sharp. I've seen a few (of all years of Cordobas) but not many.
The 1978 Cordoba sales brochure says the 400-4 HD also came with the 3.2 so that implies it should have the 3.2 and probably in a 9.25" axle (12 bolt cover) rather than the more common 8.25 axle (10 bolt cover). I would suspect your 1978 (like my 1979) will also have the power steering and transmission fluid coolers on it.
And I agree, triple black Cordobas weren't that common but they really look sharp. I've seen a few (of all years of Cordobas) but not many.
that sounds pretty accurate to me. and yes it does have the tranny cooler and ps cooler. yea this is going to be atleast a 5 year restoration shes got as fair bit of cancer in the quarters and the interior needs redone but she still runs like new.
High performance 400? I thought the last year of such an option was 1976 with the 400-4V P Code dual exhaust non catalyst engine----and the same code 400 Calif spec but with single exhaust and catalyst. Is yours single or dual exhausts?wraith587 said:Ive recently bought a 78 cordoba with some odd options... now i have run the vin and is is of the special pricing category. it is a t top car. black interior exterior and vinyl top. it came with the p code 240 hp high performance 400 4v. it has electric locks but no buttons and crank windows. over the last 6 months ive searched and searched and i cannot find another 78 cordoba with the same options. anyone out there can help me figure out how special my baby is i will be very happy!
The P code 400-4 lasted through 1978 (at least on federal emission cars).
Probably had to have cats by 1978, I believe (but am not sure) it should have a true dual exhaust setup with a cat on each exhaust bank.
I'd bet it was basically the 1978 400 cop engine (which was likely far outsold in cop cars by the 440) but in a Cordoba much like my 1979 is the 360 cop engine in a Cordoba. The HD trailer prep package was required to get the the P code 400 or the L code 360 in a Cordoba (other than the 79 300s).
Probably had to have cats by 1978, I believe (but am not sure) it should have a true dual exhaust setup with a cat on each exhaust bank.
I'd bet it was basically the 1978 400 cop engine (which was likely far outsold in cop cars by the 440) but in a Cordoba much like my 1979 is the 360 cop engine in a Cordoba. The HD trailer prep package was required to get the the P code 400 or the L code 360 in a Cordoba (other than the 79 300s).
It might have been a factory tow package car, is there a rear antisway bar? If not, then it's likely a towing car.
The '79 Cordoba i had was optioned strangely. Manual windows, manual door locks, 318 2bbl engine, but two-tone interior with leather seats.
The '78 Magnum XE I had came with the E58 360 4bbl high performance engine. It was a towing package car for California delivery, which lost the big block earlier than at the federal level, so they put the cop motor in instead. It also had heavy duty cooling on everything and 15x6 wheels instead of 15x7, theoretically stronger. It had power door locks, velour seats, and was quite a runner. Unfortunately I took it apart before I understood how to restore cars and it didn't handle that well enough. Oh well.
The '79 Cordoba i had was optioned strangely. Manual windows, manual door locks, 318 2bbl engine, but two-tone interior with leather seats.
The '78 Magnum XE I had came with the E58 360 4bbl high performance engine. It was a towing package car for California delivery, which lost the big block earlier than at the federal level, so they put the cop motor in instead. It also had heavy duty cooling on everything and 15x6 wheels instead of 15x7, theoretically stronger. It had power door locks, velour seats, and was quite a runner. Unfortunately I took it apart before I understood how to restore cars and it didn't handle that well enough. Oh well.
The only way to get the P code 400 in a 1978 Cordoba was to order the A36 HD trailer prep package. The 1979 the towing package included the 15x7 wheels. Same HD trailer pack requirement applied to the L code 360. The only way around the trailer prep requirement was to get the GT package on the Magnum or the 300 package (1979 only) on the Cordoba.
yea i beleive it is the trailer package there is no swaybar in the rear but i will be ordering one soon not that she needs it 185k and she handles like new which is odd considering most of the bushings and mounts are rotting away. i finally brought her home from her hiding spot on a farm a while back. sat 8 years and still ran like a top.... well for having sat for 8 years anyway timing was a smidge retarded and they put a bloody quadrajunk on it.... ugh glad i still have a thermoquad. altho i am hunting for a metal body for it because i am afraid that if i start to disassemble it for rebuild the phenolic body with fall apart as they tend to do when they sit for 20 some odd years. i am giving her a tune up from hell which is still in the works. im treating it like a used engine swap taking care of all the importants. which brings me to my next question.... ok so i put the orange ignition box on her and swapped it to electronic ignition and im putting in e3 plugs i also bought a double roller timing set to save me that issue in advance i went ahead and spent the extra 20 bucks for the cam advance set..... finally getting to the question here.... what if any advance should i use on the cam i have a range of 0 to 8 degrees of advance or retardation on the cam am i nuts to try? should i just leave it stock or is ther some power to be had at a specific timing advance?
The Cordoba would have had a rear sway bar standard in 1978. However the trailer tow prep cars got heavier leaf springs and no sway bar (I guess there was a reason for that, I don't know enough about towing dynamcis to say why they did that).
I've had a dozen or so of these Cordobas and the 1979 I have with the trailer prep group is the only one that came without a rear sway bar.
You won't find a metal body for the Thermoquad - the plastic body will be fine. And the E3 plugs are probably a waste of money, odds are they will foul early in a carbureted engine. The biggest impediment to performance is going to be the low compression ratio.
I've had a dozen or so of these Cordobas and the 1979 I have with the trailer prep group is the only one that came without a rear sway bar.
You won't find a metal body for the Thermoquad - the plastic body will be fine. And the E3 plugs are probably a waste of money, odds are they will foul early in a carbureted engine. The biggest impediment to performance is going to be the low compression ratio.
The trailer package leafsprings are heavier, which helps with flat handling and also helps reduce the sway.
I REALLY want my car to handle flat, I've got solid front subframe isolators installed, police package torsion bars and front antisway bar, towing package leaf springs, and police package front leafspring hangers, plus a stock rear antisway bar (cop bar was actually narrower). Once I finally get that car back on the road it shouldn't lean really at all...
I REALLY want my car to handle flat, I've got solid front subframe isolators installed, police package torsion bars and front antisway bar, towing package leaf springs, and police package front leafspring hangers, plus a stock rear antisway bar (cop bar was actually narrower). Once I finally get that car back on the road it shouldn't lean really at all...
actually my research and experience with e3 plugs says otherwise they are capable of blowing holes thru piston on newer high compression no tolerance engines and these things were originally designed for lawnmowers! from what i can tell they do their best work with low compression engines and do actually give you the 3 -7 mpg depending on your setup. but thats me just defending a product i like not everyone has had the luck i have had with them...
on a more serious note though i have a double roller timing set with a cam advance gear that will allow advanced or retarder timing of 2-8 degrees from what i have found that other people have done (mind you i am running stock cam at the moment and that was a qualifying factor in my research) is a 4 degree advance on the factory cam will give a significant jump in low end power and a little better idle. anyone have anythoughts?
on a more serious note though i have a double roller timing set with a cam advance gear that will allow advanced or retarder timing of 2-8 degrees from what i have found that other people have done (mind you i am running stock cam at the moment and that was a qualifying factor in my research) is a 4 degree advance on the factory cam will give a significant jump in low end power and a little better idle. anyone have anythoughts?
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