999 Superbirds

[nascarxx29]

From what I remember they did run in a patricular vin sequence.Gotta double check my notes to be certain on that .Also could Corp / Petty 37 D be ordered through the #4923 Inquiry??

[pettybird]

Dave, check out the memo I posted.  No mention of order 4923?

and no, the vin's are all over the place.

[nascarxx29]

Off the top of my head.But not exactly certain without checking The 999 cars vins ranged from 157-177 . 23 24 cars maybe who knows for sure.But there is cars that are recorded as Petty blue birds one example .I know of that are probably still club recorded as petty blue.The story I heard on this car from the original purchasing owner Its was a white car sat unsold .At Gegnas chrysler plymouth  .And as a tribute to Richard Petty winning races it got converted to petty blue.Other notable actual 999 cars from my area Barry Kanick Joe Medwick .There was another petty blue one from Fl backed up wing to wing with a Y2 yellow Gary Forbus daytona in 87 Car Review Billy Schwindell Miami Fl

[Mopar John]

 I am glad someone is working this topic and the return of this thread also!! I don't think the 999 corporate blue production is anywhere near the common 50 number that is often used! There are so many birds that are 999 corporate blue but originally another color that most of us don't realize really how rare they are! I would like to see a summary of known data by vin and J number along with engine and trans. When we were down in Talladega Tim and Pam Welborn had a special original 999 corporate blue car that someone must have jotted down the vin and J number. Then there is petty birds car and the one built right next to it. A while back some did a similar list on the Indy 71 Challenger convertibles and laid a lot of rumors to rest. I hope someone with more starting data than me can do this!
Thanks! Mopar John

[Alaskan_TA]

J VON 101

J was used to note special order cars for the 1970 model year, a few examples are Superbirds, 300 Hursts & 999 special order paint cars.

The 'regular' special order Superbirds used VONs starting with J97---. Since the 999 / C37D cars were special order cars WITH a special order paint color, the VONS started with J99---.

Since the VONs of these cars were higher, the 999 cars would have been scheduled using that number, so they will hit in small groups after the J97 cars.

[gtx6970]

A buddy of mine used to own this one ( now owned by Tim Welborn ) and it was a 999 paint code car ,and it's still original paint .  He probably still has some paperwork from the car

[nascarxx29]

999 car?? 5th row from the bottom

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Event-Gallery-Chryslers-at-Carlisle-2010.html

[rainbow4jd]

J VON 101

J was used to note special order cars for the 1970 model year, a few examples are Superbirds, 300 Hursts & 999 special order paint cars.

The 'regular' special order Superbirds used VONs starting with J97---. Since the 999 / C37D cars were special order cars WITH a special order paint color, the VONS started with J99---.

Since the VONs of these cars were higher, the 999 cars would have been scheduled using that number, so they will hit in small groups after the J97 cars.

See that's what is weird - because the VIN number (on Brennan's site) suggests that the Petty Birds were scattered throughout production - but anecdotally (from when I belonged to DSAC thirty years ago) - I was led to believe they pulled the Petty Birds ALL AT ONCE from existing build "pool"
stock and were all shipped to Creative Industries in late December.

I have seen Corporation Blue 1970 Road Runners.  Is it conceivable they pulled existing pool stock of sitting Corporation Blue Road Runners for conversion to Superbirds?

[learical1]

I have seen Corporation Blue 1970 Road Runners.  Is it conceivable they pulled existing pool stock of sitting Corporation Blue Road Runners for conversion to Superbirds?

I find this unlikely, as 440 4bbl motors weren't available in regular production Road Runners.  383's, 440 6bbl's and Hemi's were the Road Runner engines.  The 440 4bbl was a GTX motor, but also standard in the SuperBird.  That means that all U code SuperBirds had to be planned as SuperBirds from the start.

[Arnie Cunningham]

Greetings All,

There is a lot of confusion surrounding these cars.  Some of the incorrect data dates back decades.  The most obvious example is the "aluminum nosecone" idea that continues to surface to this day even though it is not true.

The Daytonas were sent to Creative Industries.
The Superbirds were not sent to Creative Industries.  They went to Clairpointe for nosecones and wings.

The Daytona rear window area was modified by Creative Industries.  (correct me if I am wrong)
The Superbird rear window area was not so much modified after the car was built as it was built into the car when it was framed up on the assembly line.  (correct?)

The idea that the Corporate blue Superbirds were completed cars modified after assembly is probably a combination of the stories that describe the building process of all aero cars.  One way to test the idea would be to ask if there is anyone out there who has restored a 999 Corporate Blue Superbird.  If Corporate Blue was found under the carpet, under the package tray and generally throughout the car, we can conclude that the paint originally applied to the cars was Corporate Blue when they were just a metal shell.

The shipping dates of the various Corporate Blue cars lead me to believe that they were not all built and/or painted at the same time.

The conversion of standard Road Runners idea probably stems from the idea that the Daytonas were built out of 500 completed chargers pulled from the line and sent out to Creative Industries.  I think that idea has been dismissed by other threads on this site - most (or all?) of the Daytonas have XX VINs giving the impression that there was an intention to build the cars before their assembly.

Over time all the information tends to blur into one story.  I know this to be true of myself when trying to recall memories of youth.  That is the best part of sites like this one.  With enough minds and data, we can get a pretty good idea of what actually took place.

Keep asking questions.  That is where clarity comes from.
Brennan

[Alaskan_TA]

Does anyone with the Superbird VIN list have the J numbers for each car as well? If so, I would love to see it. I have studied the VONs & their relationships on the 1970 Hamtramck cars for years.

[pettybird]

the rear window plugs were installed prior to all paint.  the plugs were welded in, Plastisol (sp?) was applied as the filler, then the car was painted.  baking the plasitsol 'set' the filler.  

I have blue paint everywhere, but NOT underneath that filler, and not in the cracks between the plug and the roof.  cars in color were simply not pulled off any line and made into superbirds.  they were born so before any coating went on.  both of my cars, the 999 and the B5 were the same way.  I've put new tops on both and neither had paint under the filler coat.  The Corporation Blue car has more paint in inconsequential areas than the B5 car, though, and if the ship list is correct they may have sprayed the car until the gun ran dry.  

I've never seen a Corporation Blue 70 road runner.  what paperwork do you have for this?  I'm not doubting but I've gone to a LOT of car shows for a LOT of years, and if there was an 'existing pool' of 999 cars I would have seen at least one.  kinda like the Bengal Chargers--I've seen a few and they made what, 50 of them?

Not to be mean, but your anecdotal evidence is just what you say it is--30 year old hearsay.  a lot of that stuff has been debunked over the past decades.  time to start coming to meets again!

[BPTRacing]

Not sure if this one is a "real" 999 car - still checking. last 3 digits of the serial are 202 (all I can remember off the top of my head).  Its in a shop I occasionally get called to as temporary help with restoration mechanical work.

(third pic is the "working" end of the shop.)

[Arnie Cunningham]

That car should be easy to remember if anyone has seen it - painted metal top, yellow park lenses, oversized front chin spoiler, event stickers, etc.  Does anyone recall this car?

[nascarxx29]

Does anyone recall this Petty blue 6 barrel bird.Harold Sullivan traded for the silver bullet car
http://www.moparmagazine.com/2009/july_august/opening_the_vault_doors.html?searched=superbird&highlight=ajaxSearch_highlight+ajaxSearch_highlight1
Harold traded a 1970 Petty Blue Six Barrel Superbird for the Bullet around 1997. The Silver Bullet was in storage for 16 years after the owner, who got it as an 18th birthday present from his father, damaged the motor and parked it. The car has its original fiberglass fenders and doors. Addison helped Sullivan during the latter stages of the car's restoration.

[rainbow4jd]

Not to be mean, but your anecdotal evidence is just what you say it is--30 year old hearsay.  a lot of that stuff has been debunked over the past decades.  time to start coming to meets again!

You are right about that.

My neighbor in an apartment in Lexington Ky (circa 1980ish) had a 70 Corporation Blue Road Runner (although it is possible it was a GTX) but it had the long stripe running down the side that ended with the Road Runner decal.   He led me to believe it was this color from when he bought it (as the original owner).  I think it was a 383 car.

[rainbow4jd]

Updating this post for a couple of reasons - 1) to say thanks to Pettybird and everyone else for their wealth of knowledge and Rick in Australia has been struggling to find out more about his 999 bird and this has a lot of good information in it.

[GOTWING]