Dumb question for you '70 guys

[694spdRT]

I posted this on another Charger 500 thread too. I don't know if it helps or makes it worse. 

I can see why this can be so confusing to some as it differs from previous year Charger's. This is how I have come to understand it and maybe it will help a little on the confusion. In 1970 Dodge adopted a designation for the Charger similar to the Coronet lineup. Initially the base 68-69 Charger was built as an upscale model car comparable in features to the Coronet 500. In 1970 a few options were deleted on the Charger to keep the base price more attractive. In order to designate the new models for customers Dodge needed to have a seperate model for the upscale version of the Charger. This is where the 1970 Charger 500 began.   

The Coronet 440 model was traditionally one step below the Coronet 500 and carried the WH23 series. The new base model 1970 Charger was one step below the previous Charger model and adopted this with the XH29 designation.

The upscale Coronet 500 model was the WP23 series. The new Charger "500" was now the XP29 which previously was the upscale base model.

The performance Coronet R/T model was the WS23 series. The Charger R/T remained the same as previous years with the XS29 designation.

All of this should not be confused with the XX29 1969 Charger 500 that was designed with stock car racing in mind and really had nothing to do with the XP29 1970 Charger 500 model.

EDIT: Sorry, I was going from memory in the original post and the Coronet actually used "23" for the 2 door hardtop where the Charger used "29" for the sports hardtop version. The theory still applies with the "H" high, "P" premium, a "S" special models.

[JimShine]

Thats an interesting take. I thought of the base line Charger being more in line with the Coronet 440. With the 70 Coronet 500 you received the upgraded tailight panel (like you did on a Charger 500) and buckets were optional (even if Bench was standard). The Coronet 500 also came with woodgrain dash and door accents.