Petty Blue 999 - questions and thoughts on initial distribution

[rainbow4jd]

I am in the automotive industry and usually it takes 50 vehicles for a "special order paint" run to be produced.   Coincidentally, the Petty Blue Birds are about 50 in count (as best we can tell).

That got me thinking....

1) Was the 999 always an option for the Bird (from its launch) and if so, why couldn't they order any other special color (like black) rather than just C37D?  Or, was it a late addition to the program, triggered by other events?

2) Were these "triggered" by the re-signing of Petty to Plymouth for 1970.  i.e. Chrysler District offices get sent a memo "Petty is signing so we want Corporate Blue car for promo purposes, each District office has to sell 5 of these - go get the orders"?

3) Did an individual dealer OR Chrysler Sales District or Region decide to do their own run of 50?  You could test this IF all the 999 cars were sold in one particular geographic area, i.e. all in the mid-west or all in the south.

4) Were these "fence units" - meaning did the Sales Districts get an assignment of "Here is a pre-built car - we've already specced it - go find a home for it".   

I any event, I'm just wondering if there was any method to the madness of these 999 cars.

[pettybird]

haven't you asked this like 3 times already?

[WINGIN IT]

haven't you asked this like 3 times already?

And have you answered it 3 times already?   

My answer to all of that:   NO   

[pettybird]

haven't you asked this like 3 times already?

And have you answered it 3 times already?   

My answer to all of that:   NO   

Thread necromancy:


http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,38347.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,71402.0.html

[pettybird]

I am in the automotive industry and usually it takes 50 vehicles for a "special order paint" run to be produced.   Coincidentally, the Petty Blue Birds are about 50 in count (as best we can tell).

They weren't build in a bunch, so this isn't really an accurate way to look at it.  Besides, there are plenty of examples of cars being painted a specific color that weren't in a batch.  There's a 69 Charger R/T local to me painted '67 Fury brown.  I doubt there are 49 more of those running around.

That got me thinking....

1) Was the 999 always an option for the Bird (from its launch) and if so, why couldn't they order any other special color (like black) rather than just C37D?  Or, was it a late addition to the program, triggered by other events?

internal memos (found in the other threads) dated early/prior to production shows that it was one of the 7 colors.  memo posted in that thread shows dealers HOW to order the color prior to the construction of my car (no other relation)

2) Were these "triggered" by the re-signing of Petty to Plymouth for 1970.  i.e. Chrysler District offices get sent a memo "Petty is signing so we want Corporate Blue car for promo purposes, each District office has to sell 5 of these - go get the orders"?

no memo has come to light, though it could exist in theory.

3) Did an individual dealer OR Chrysler Sales District or Region decide to do their own run of 50?  You could test this IF all the 999 cars were sold in one particular geographic area, i.e. all in the mid-west or all in the south.

No.  the sales literature (posted in the other threads) shows that this was a corporate level decision.  Slso, since at least some number of the cars were sales bank units, that's a dead theory.  The Steve Fox 6pk/4 speed survivor car is an original CA emissions car.


4) Were these "fence units" - meaning did the Sales Districts get an assignment of "Here is a pre-built car - we've already specced it - go find a home for it".    

I don't know of an ORDERED 999 car, though I don't know of many of them--they're rare and you'd need the bcast sheet to know.  

I any event, I'm just wondering if there was any method to the madness of these 999 cars.


Brennan's 'registry' link is the most comprehensive research I've seen about the color.

[WINGIN IT]

So , Pettybird, for the most part , your answers are NO, just as I suspected ...

[pettybird]

So , Pettybird, for the most part , your answers are NO, just as I suspected ...

I'm just a big jerk like that.

[rainbow4jd]

First, if I asked the question - I forgot.  I have Oldtimerz.

Second, I saw on one of the threads you linked where there was a reference to a November memo.  In reading the memo - it seems to suggest that the "Brochure" was out in the market place talking about "Corporation Blue" but no one knew how to order it.    The memo:  provided the clarification.

This suggests it was an intended color from the beginning, and my guess is INITIAL information about the Superbirds probably got to the dealers about September 15th (as usually new model year cars started production in late September or early October).  Even though the Superbirds were built a bit later, there would probably have NOT been any reason to withhold the publication of the ordering instructions.  Based on my experience, the "missing" ordering information would probably been requested from the local factory vehicle rep, who then would have sent the request up the channel, saying (in effect)... "Can the dealers order this?   They don't have any instructions".    Thereafter, the memo would have been circulated as shown.

Thanks for the clarifying reply.

[Alaskan_TA]

Bigger. Lets go bigger.

Were any 'Birds Y14 (deposit put down at time of order) cars?

Or were they all Y16 (sales bank) cars?

As far as 999 cars go, anyone could order one by itself if they wanted to in any paint color commercially available at the time.

[pettybird]

Bigger. Lets go bigger.

Were any 'Birds Y14 (deposit put down at time of order) cars?

Or were they all Y16 (sales bank) cars?

As far as 999 cars go, anyone could order one by itself if they wanted to in any paint color commercially available at the time.

There are ordered cars.  The Smith Stokes car comes to mind. 

[pettybird]

First, if I asked the question - I forgot.  I have Oldtimerz.

Second, I saw on one of the threads you linked where there was a reference to a November memo.  In reading the memo - it seems to suggest that the "Brochure" was out in the market place talking about "Corporation Blue" but no one knew how to order it.    The memo:  provided the clarification.

This suggests it was an intended color from the beginning, and my guess is INITIAL information about the Superbirds probably got to the dealers about September 15th (as usually new model year cars started production in late September or early October).  Even though the Superbirds were built a bit later, there would probably have NOT been any reason to withhold the publication of the ordering instructions.  Based on my experience, the "missing" ordering information would probably been requested from the local factory vehicle rep, who then would have sent the request up the channel, saying (in effect)... "Can the dealers order this?   They don't have any instructions".    Thereafter, the memo would have been circulated as shown.

Thanks for the clarifying reply.

I had the dumb brochure in my hands this morning before I left for work (cleaning up a bit) and it didn't dawn on me to check to see if there's a date on it.  Does anyone have one handy, or know when it was printed?  When did the prototypes start running around (i.e., the white car in the brochure?)

[Aero426]

There is no date on the brochure.   An original mailing envelope with a postmark would be helpful.

[maxwellwedge]

First, if I asked the question - I forgot.  I have Oldtimerz.

(as usually new model year cars started production in late September or early October).

August was the start of new model year production during those years. First day or 2 were mostly pilots, show cars etc. then the normal production.

[pettybird]

There is no date on the brochure.   An original mailing envelope with a postmark would be helpful.

Are the press photos dated?