This page will list evidence and documentation regarding the trim rings on both the AAR and the T/A. I'll leave it up to you to decide what you feel is correct.

Every AAR broadcast sheet I've ever seen lists '43' in the Wheel Cover box. This box is also used to code the Trim Rings. T/As with Rallye Wheels are also coded with a '43'. Those with the steel wheels and hub caps are coded with a '25'. These numbers refer to the last 2 digits of the part number. See the section below on Galen Govier's "white books" to see how the part numbers and their descriptions match up.

In Galen's April/May 1995 Mopar Muscle By The Numbers column he makes the following statement.

In late August of 2001, Galen had this to say when asked about the trim rings. "The Rallye Wheels used a brushed trim ring and the dog dish hub caps used a bright trim ring."

In Galen's Production Option Code Book (5^th ed.) he describes the Trans Am package as containing the following: 15x7 Rallye Wheels w/Polished Trim Rings (Std on AAR), 15x7 Stamped Steel Wheels w/Hub Caps & Brushed Trim Rings (Std on T/A). In Galen's Part & Casting Numbers Book (9^th ed.) he lists three available trim rings for 15x7 E-Body wheels.

Trim Rings - Polished
Trim Rings - Brushed
Hub Cap & Trim Ring w/Black Wheel

The part number for the last entry is actually for the hub cap as well as the stamped steel wheel itself. Depending on the application it is coded as either 25, 40, or 50. When dealing with the T/A it is always coded as '25'. And as I alluded to in the Broadcast Sheet section above I have never seen an AAR or a T/A coded with a '22' in the Wheel Cover box.

In Galen's January 2005 By The Numbers column in Mopar Collector's Guide (called The Great Trim Ring Controversy by the way) he has issued an apology and a correction regarding the trim rings. The Rallye Wheels should have the Polished Trim Rings as that is what they are coded for. He states, "All 1970 E-Bodies with 15" wheels and trim rings will have the part number '3461043' polished trim rings.

On the window sticker the listing for W21: Wheels-Rallye Type does not mention the trim rings. The standard equipment listing for the T/A shows this description. E60x15 front and G60x15 rear tires with raised white letters, 15x7 steel wheels with hub caps and chrome trim rings. It doesn't mention whether they are polished or brushed, though when I think of "chrome" I think polished. AAR window stickers just list Rallye Road Wheels as part of the standard equipment. No mention of the trim rings.

IMPORTANT INFO: Jeff Bangert of www.transamcuda.com has interviewed a line worker who says that all AARs got the brushed trim rings, he was unsure about T/As,  while another says that they used whichever box of trim rings was closest. So in reality it appears that the trim rings a car received was based more on availability and convenience for the assembly line workers than what is called for.