Was there a pilot

[panhead]

Was there a pilot Daytona built and when was the first and last Daytona built?
Just curious, looking at the time line.

Thanks
Curt.

[nascarxx29]

There was the 287970 Dale Reeker car built out of sequence to the other known daytonas .If I recall correctly build dates were early as 4-27 -6-12  And there also a white mule car with tape outlined headlights openings


FIRST DODGE DAYTONA BUILT.XX29L9B287790


A rare opportunity to purchase the very first Daytona built. Car has been in family collection since the 70's. 1969 Dodge Daytona SE matching #'s 440 4 speed with build sheet and previous owner history. This car was the very first one built with lowest vin # ,by far. The only car not shipped to a dealership after leaving Creative Industries, it was sent back to Dale Reeker ,engineer at Chrysler. Car is #501 on #501 list from Creative Industries. Car is beleived to be what was called a test mule or pre-production pilot car. Car is originally f6 bright metallic green but was changed to red aprox 1975 and later took 1st place at national meet in 1976. Since then car has been kept in private collection and this is the first time it is being offered for sale since the 70's.

[nascarxx29]

I recall this post regarding a second daytona .There was also speculation of 2 pilot charger 500-s
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,54690.0.html

[Redbird]

According to a C/P memo written 10/21/69 that is available on the aerowarriors.com  web site there were 5 pilot Superbirds plus 1 BIW.

[maxwellwedge]

Was there a pilot Daytona built and when was the first and last Daytona built?
Just curious, looking at the time line.

Thanks
Curt.

An easier question is when were the 1'st and last ones shipped - according to the shipping list.

1st - June 27, 1969 - This is 414619 - aka Doc-Tona.....the car show promo car....almost 6 weeks before the rest started shipping
Last - Sept 8, 1969 - This is 287970 - aka The Dale Reeker car.....the prototype/mule....which was built 1st - shipped last

[panhead]

I recall this post regarding a second daytona .There was also speculation of 2 pilot charger 500-s
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,54690.0.html

That made for a good read thanks for posting.

Curt

[remta1]

don't want to high jack the thread but what was the first superbird design called ( the 69 body mocked up in the pictures on other topics on this site ) any info on that? .Was it called a pilot car as well , anyone got any further history on it ?

[odcics2]

That's a clay mock up.
Pilot cars came down "the line".  They were running cars.
FYI -  Mule cars were built at Highland Park Engineering, usually in Road Test Garage.  Cobbled up stuff, usually running but not always.

[BS27R1B]

That looks like a steel body to me with a full interior. How would a clay model support an interior?
I will have to ask my buddy that was a metal model builder at Chrysler in the late 60s and early 70s.

[held1823]

only the aero pieces are clay, not the entire vehicle.

note the support post underneath the nose in the photo. i'm curious what kind of weight was hanging off of there.

[Ghoste]

There is a support post under the wing as well and the backlight doesn't seem to be too transparent.  I'm thinking the fenders and hood are steel though.

[74bluecharger440]

only one side of the wing is done correct

[Ghoste]

And the rear wheels appear chocked which would be kind of silly unless it was a roller.

[nascarxx29]

http://wwnboa.org/claybird.htm

[odcics2]

And the rear wheels appear chocked which would be kind of silly unless it was a roller.

Rolled in a car and added the nose, plug and wing...    I agree - the fenders look steel.

[hemi68charger]

only one side of the wing is done correct

Looks like a Superbird wing on one side and a Daytona wing on the other............ I can see the horizontal surface

[Redbird]

There were about 6 pictures of the Superbird clay mock-up in the Winged Warrior newsletter in 2005-6. Perhaps someone has more too. They were noted to have been from July 7-9 1969. As Troy mentioned, one side appears to have a Daytona vertical wing support. There is another picture that is reversed that shows in detail the clay mock-up of the wing and plug.

The Root Beer colored 1970 GTX pilot car was in Redcliff and Vail Colorado in April 1969. There is a lot of documentation of it, TV commercial, Plymouth Filmstrip, Canadian Plymouth Postcard, and Plymouth Traveler magazine. In those items the GTX pilot car is missing a few items, chrome trim and woodgrain steering wheel trim collar for example. But the body is basically complete. So by April 1969, Plymouth must have had access to at least a few 1970 Satellite front fenders and hoods. If Plymouth had access to very early fenders and hoods, one would guess Dodge had access to early fenders and hoods too. Hence the steel parts on the clay mock-up.

From the clay on the Superbird nose in several pictures, I'd guess it was a Daytona nose clayed over. Especially since there were 2 other Daytona nose cones next to the clay mock-up Superbird.

I used to see a number of mule cars on the freeway by my house, especially at night. One time I saw 5 mule cars in a caravan on the freeway, all white with false bodywork on them. Today more of that is probably done on a simulator.

[remta1]

some great info here , just wanting to clarify what I "technically " call my car as my superbird body is a 69 shell based on early design mockups and photos so im thinking mule 

[nascarxx29]

Newsletter clay picts     http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,54499.msg604890/topicseen.html#msg604890

[Homerr]

Any significance to the '72733' written on the windshield or the '2818' on the rear view mirror?