Dodge challenger " tribute " ?

[aussie]

I did a search but can't find anything on it.
What is meant by " tribute " and the letters TA?

Seen this on a couple cars and have got no idea what it means.

[Ghoste]

TA stands for Trans Am and when the original Challenger came out Dodge released a special run of Challenger TA's and Cuda AAR's to homologate them for Trans Am racing.  The current Challenger of course does not have a TA model so there are some done up to look like TA's and are sometimes referred to as tributes.
Much much more commonly however, people will use the term "tribute" nowadays for clones.  Dealers especially like tribute or "recreation" because it has fewer negative connotations to the buying public at large than the term clone.
A clone tribute recreation is when someone takes a plain jane Challenger such as a 318 car and adds the fiberglass hood with scoop, rear spoiler and side stripes of a TA.  The more ambitious cloners will add the suspension and drivetrain changes as well.

[projectanimal]

I believe it's a tribute to the Trans Am racing which was started in 1966.  Some very cool cars which still race in vintage shows!  

[projectanimal]

Better detail Ghoste.... We must have written at the same time! 

[GOTWING]

tribute is taking a non performance model of something and cloning it to look like a performance model of something else. so a 318 plain challenger could be restored to look like a T/A Challenger ( trans-am ) but will have a lower value to make it more affordable to own and drive.

[aussie]

 I notice they mostly have painted bumpers, not sure if i like that idea.
Ok, i'm more familiar with terms such as " replica " or " mock up " for fakes or " knock offs ".

[Ghoste]

Those are all the same.  Color keyed bumpers were a Challenger option back in 1970 but I'm not sure you could get them on a TA.  One of the E-body folks will chime in though I'm sure with a proper answer.

[maxwellwedge]

Challenger rubber bumpers (Elastomeric) are very rare and seldom seen......Not even sure about them on a 70.... got to look that up. 71's for sure. Much more common on a 70 and 71 'Cuda but still fairly rare.

[Cooter]

"Tributes/Clones/Fakes/etc" are far better many times than their "HP" versions from the factory. Many are built WAY above the level that the originals were.

Even the Best "HP" version back in 1969, can't hold a candle to even the lest popular "Tribute" today with a smaller Hemi [5.7-6.1]in it.

T/A and AAR Cuda/Challengers were For Trans Am racing. I believe they were only available in 1970.

[ACUDANUT]

TA stands for= Try Again. 

[wingcar]

While the color keyed or Elastomeric bumper option was offered on the 1970 Challenger (and 1971 models as well) I can find no proof that they were ever offered on the TA.  And, I have never seen any TAs with these bumpers installed.  I have seen a couple of the Cuda AARs with the Elastomeric bumpers, but I couldn't say if they were actually factory or owner installed.  And, as others have already mentioned, the Elastomeric bumper was rare with few Challengers or Cuda's leaving the factory with them.   It does however seem as if they were more numerous on the Cudas than on Challengers.

Both the TA and AAR were a one year only run......(Chrysler pulled out of Trans Am after only one year with the E-bodies)
By the way, the reason for the Challenger being a TA Challenger and not a "Trans Am Challenger" was because Chrysler would have had to pay the SCCA $1.00 per car for the use of the name Trans-Am.  GM paid the SCCA a lot of dollars, since their Firebird Trans-Ams were good sellers........................

(But...Remember when it comes to Mopars...never say never, as there are documented cases of cars out there with options that were not offered or available.  But until I see some solid proof, TAs and AARs with Elastomeric bumpers fall into the same category as the never built 1971 Challenger TA).