Challenger or Commander ?

[8E45E]

This is strange. I have recently seen a 64 2 door post Commander, Astra white, six automatic, radio, with the same type of seat vinyl as in that factory photo. I think it was a bench seat in brown vinyl. Its a fixer-upper, not currently running. It looked oddly fancy for a 2 door post Commander, so maybe this is why. I'm pretty sure it is a Hamilton built car too.

I think many who have seen them or own them may not realize what they have. I was unaware of what it was when I first saw Len's Commander Special.

Craig

[Bill Pressler]

I guess I always thought the Commander Special was only built for the Canadian market, but from what StudeRich says, apparently U.S. dealers got them too. I wonder what the trim tag showed...like "J8" for a Daytona Hardtop, etc.

[studegary]

I guess I always thought the Commander Special was only built for the Canadian market, but from what StudeRich says, apparently U.S. dealers got them too. I wonder what the trim tag showed...like "J8" for a Daytona Hardtop, etc.

They are listed as a separate body style in the second series of 1964s, but they had the same body codes as the non-Special models - S-F4 and V-F4.

[clonelark]

Took this night shot of my car and the interior is NOS from Sasco, Guess they had a lot of Brown interior back when this car was redone.
An all South Bend car.

[stude dude]

Unfortunatly, despite all of their advantages, the Commander Special was only $100 cheaper than a similarly equiped Daytona Hardtop!

Also, I think you will find that the door and rear quarter trim panels will be slightly different from the hardtop version. The vinyl "skins" will be the same but the backing boards would need to be different for a F-body compaired to a hardtop.

[8E45E]

Unfortunatly, despite all of their advantages, the Commander Special was only $100 cheaper than a similarly equiped Daytona Hardtop!

For whatever reason, a six was not available in the Daytona hardtop while it was made available in the convertible starting on January 1st of the year. Was that $100 price difference for the V8? If so, the six would have been more than $100 cheaper.

Craig

[stude dude]

For whatever reason, a six was not available in the Daytona hardtop while it was made available in the convertible starting on January 1st of the year. Was that $100 price difference for the V8? If so, the six would have been more than $100 cheaper.

Craig

According to the "Revised Order Guide & Prices" bulletin from Janurary 10, 1964,

"a new model, the 2-DOOR COMMANDER SPECIAL! Here is a must for immedate order -- This dressed up Commander priced between a 2-door and a hard-top fills a real need. Sports-oriented, attractively priced, beautifully trimmed, it's sure to be a winner." It goes on to explain the added equipment - "twin headlights, individual reclining seats, carpeting and Daytona interior trim".

A Commander Special V8 listed for $1891 (total dealer cost). A Daytona Hardtop V8 was $1991.

[Jim B PEI]

I'm off next week to pick up one of these here 2 door Commander Specials, the Astra White six automatic I mentioned earlier. From the same source, cross fingers, I'll be trying to get an unrusted Wagonaire slider with good intact bits and even, cross toes and eyes as well, the front headliner section (looks unrotted, unstained, unwarped and usable!!) for a Wagonaire. Pictures of this 64 CS project in due course.

Here is an Ebay auction for a 64V-F4 Commander Special http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MakeTrack=true

[8E45E]

Here is an Ebay auction for a 64V-F4 Commander Special http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MakeTrack=true

Congratulations for saving that one!! We want to see some pics when you get it home!

However, the one on Ebay is not a Commander Special. It is a South Bend-built Commander with '63 seats installed in it.

Craig

[2R5]

Craig , I think a friend of mine may have one of these Commander Specials but I'm not sure yet . It has the dual headlites , and also has the chrome around the window posts which I thought maybe ment "special"
I haven't seen the car in person yet but he did tell me it was a Cdn car having the white steering wheel . He couldn't really discribe the interior so I'm not sure . Is there any other thing that would give it away ?

[Jim B PEI]

Well, if it had that brown vinyl interior (BRV--see above) and a carpet instead of a rubber mat, and especially if it had a few options (like disk brakes in a six ) ...and serial# would have to start 64VC or 64SC

[8E45E]

Craig , I think a friend of mine may have one of these Commander Specials but I'm not sure yet . It has the dual headlites , and also has the chrome around the window posts which I thought maybe ment "special"
I haven't seen the car in person yet but he did tell me it was a Cdn car having the white steering wheel . He couldn't really discribe the interior so I'm not sure . Is there any other thing that would give it away ?

If its indeed a '64, someone would have had to add that stainless window trim. That didn't appear until 1965 on the Daytona model, and there were no 'F' body models that had the stainless window trim in 1964. The seats and carpeting, and being a Hamilton car that have the 'second series' serial numbers without the '64V' or '64S' prefix would be proof, but the most sure way would be to obtain the production order and confirm the interior trim numbers match wih the numbers as shown in the Color & Upholstery' book.

Craig

[2R5]

Thanks Craig , I thought the trim on the windows was wrong .....he told me it also has the roofline chrome and the V shaped chrome by the back window ( like my 66 ) I figured this is a later car or someone has put this chrome stuff on the car . I will talk to him and maybe get the vin # so we can check it out further.
Thanks again

[StudeRich]

If it is a 2 door Sedan with stainless door & 1/4 window frames, all it could be is a '65-'66 Daytona Sport Sedan (Chevy powered) or a '63 Lark Custom 2 dr.

[2R5]

Well we know its not a 65 or 66 ...after all these years you don't know what someone put on a car . All we really know is its a 64 and Cdn built , my original question is if its a "special" but I think its leaning towards that it most likely isn't .