VIN # 1 Superbird coming together

[dadsbee]

Thanks, interesting that even as the first car.. .with a B30 SPD like everyone else, that they put a 12/69 door decal on it !

 

[kiwigtx]

I understand that there are some original sales brochures with my car in them. Evidently it was a show car. I know they’re expensive, but I would like to get my hands on them. I wouldn’t even mind if they were re-pops. Can anyone help me with this?

You should start a Wanted To Buy "Other stuff" advertisement - Other Stuff For Sale / Wanted

This discussion thread is not the place to buy, sell, or trade for parts.

 

[kiwigtx]

Thanks, interesting that even as the first car.. .with a B30 SPD like everyone else, that they put a 12/69 door decal on it !

Perhaps as a mule, it was not expected to leave the factory until after many had already been dispatched - as some sort of comparison to check production cars with.

 

[Pumpdoc]

You should start a Wanted To Buy "Other stuff" advertisement - Other Stuff For Sale / Wanted

This discussion thread is not the place to buy, sell, or trade for parts.

Got it

 

[gtx6970]

My understanding is it might be 1st one built. but was not 1st one shipped?????

 

[gtx6970]

Kissing cousins maybe


J97004 , also SBD B30

 

[dadsbee]

also SBD B30

As I've noted numerous times, EVERY Superbird got an SPD of B30.

 

[gtx6970]

As I've noted numerous times, EVERY Superbird got an SPD of B30.

Yep

 

[Redbird]

I don't find it unusual that there is no "Gate" number on the fender tag for this car. After all it is a Pilot car. Someone in assembly line planning probably brought up 1. how and when the back window plug would be put in, 2. how mixing the Dodge front components would fit on a Plymouth car, 3. when things like the wing trunk under side braces would be put in and if these would be assembled on the rear quarter panels before the body was slammed together in a "Gate." One of the purposes of a Pilot car is to assess and expedite assembly of the cars to follow.

Someone was probably doing some pre-planning since there is a B30 #.

It would be interesting to see if the next 4 Pilot cars had a Gate #, then if car #6 had a Gate #?

Which "Gate(s)" the cars would be assembled on probably was probably being determined by the first few Pilot cars.

It would also be interesting to see the "Sequence #" or lack of, is on the first 6 cars: 5 Pilot plus first regular assembly cars.

 

[kiwigtx]

I don't find it unusual that there is no "Gate" number on the fender tag for this car. After all it is a Pilot car. Someone in assembly line planning probably brought up 1. how and when the back window plug would be put in, 2. how mixing the Dodge front components would fit on a Plymouth car, 3. when things like the wing trunk under side braces would be put in and if these would be assembled on the rear quarter panels before the body was slammed together in a "Gate." One of the purposes of a Pilot car is to assess and expedite assembly of the cars to follow.

Someone was probably doing some pre-planning since there is a B30 #.

It would be interesting to see if the next 4 Pilot cars had a Gate #, then if car #6 had a Gate #?

Which "Gate(s)" the cars would be assembled on probably was probably being determined by the first few Pilot cars.

It would also be interesting to see the "Sequence #" or lack of, is on the first 6 cars: 5 Pilot plus first regular assembly cars.

First red circle shows order of cars by supposed actual build guide - timewise.

Second circle shows actual shipped date.

You can see that the #6 car was 6 days later than the #7 car. So that suggests a bit of re-jigging of the process.
First car actually shipped appears to be the #3 car.
At least that's the info I have.

 

[Redbird]

View attachment 1632493
First red circle shows order of cars by supposed actual build guide - timewise.

Second circle shows actual shipped date.

You can see that the #6 car was 6 days later than the #7 car. So that suggests a bit of re-jigging of the process.
First car actually shipped appears to be the #3 car.
At least that's the info I have.

kiwigtx,

I believe what you should be looking at is is the “Product planning technical services fleet engineering “ document put out by Plymouth in 1969. On line it has been reorganized many times by many people. Which is all good for some purposes.

However, the original document organizes cars by the order that they were received at Clairpointe. There are 1920 cars on that list. Without belaboring; some cars are missing, doubled, and whatever on that list. But that list is the basis of all other lists
done in the last dozen years.

The 1920 List is organized as they were received by Clairpointe, not as they went down the assembly line at Lynch Road. We’ll doughtfully never know what order the cars were built at Lynch Road. Car #3, RM23VOA149846 with a J# of 97004 could have gone down the Lynch Road line before Car # 1 with a J# of 97009. But car#1 was received at Clairpointe first. Car # 1 was likely the test fit car for all that followed. From the documentation that was put out in 1969 there was likely a Body in White car too. So that could have been the test fit car and the 1st Superbird.

A white exterior color car probably made sense as the first car since the mix of enamel and lacquer paints would be less noticeable to mismatch for press photos.

 

[Redbird]

kiwigtx,

I believe what you should be looking at is is the “Product planning technical services fleet engineering “ document put out by Plymouth in 1969. On line it has been reorganized many times by many people. Which is all good for some purposes.

However, the original document organizes cars by the order that they were received at Clairpointe. There are 1920 cars on that list. Without belaboring; some cars are missing, doubled, and whatever on that list. But that list is the basis of all other lists
done in the last dozen years.

The 1920 List is organized as they were received by Clairpointe, not as they went down the assembly line at Lynch Road. We’ll doughtfully never know what order the cars were built at Lynch Road. Car #3, RM23VOA149846 with a J# of 97004 could have gone down the Lynch Road line before Car # 1 with a J# of 97009. But car#1 was received at Clairpointe first.

A white exterior color car probably made sense as the first car since the mix of enamel and lacquer paints would be less noticeable to mismatch for press photos.

View attachment 1632576

First page of the 1920 List

 

[kiwigtx]

kiwigtx,

I believe what you should be looking at is is the “Product planning technical services fleet engineering “ document put out by Plymouth in 1969. On line it has been reorganized many times by many people. Which is all good for some purposes.

However, the original document organizes cars by the order that they were received at Clairpointe. There are 1920 cars on that list. Without belaboring; some cars are missing, doubled, and whatever on that list. But that list is the basis of all other lists
done in the last dozen years.

The 1920 List is organized as they were received by Clairpointe, not as they went down the assembly line at Lynch Road. We’ll doughtfully never know what order the cars were built at Lynch Road. Car #3, RM23VOA149846 with a J# of 97004 could have gone down the Lynch Road line before Car # 1 with a J# of 97009. But car#1 was received at Clairpointe first. Car # 1 was likely the test fit car for all that followed. From the documentation that was put out in 1969 there was likely a Body in White car too. So that could have been the test fit car and the 1st Superbird.

A white exterior color car probably made sense as the first car since the mix of enamel and lacquer paints would be less noticeable to mismatch for press photos.

View attachment 1632576

Thank you.....that is all great information. I was just showing what I had seen in the hopes it might help.

It is probably fair to say that what you show above is true, but really, does it matter that much in the end.

What we do know is that the car in this thread purportedly to be Number 1 - is in fact more-than-likely the very first built and used as a test mule for the cars that followed.

 

[gtx6970]

149856
3rd one off the build line, 1st one shipped


Doing some digging a few years back. Talking to a gent that was involved with the NY / NJ Motor pool lot back then. He felt its very possible this car is / was the east coast public relations car.

 

[Redbird]

About a dozen years ago there were 2 pictures of Lucius Slade, contest winner, being given keys to a Vit-C Superbird at the 1970 (Nov. 1969) Detroit Auto Show. They were ceremonial pictures from the Detroit Free Press, sold without rights to republish. They showed details of the car. The sign above the car said “Win one like this.” I believe the Superbird at the Detroit, Chicago, and NY shows was probably the same car.

The March 1970 issue of “Stock Car Racing” had a Superbird, appearing to be Tor-Red , taken at Cape Cod on the cover. That was probably a very early or Pilot car given the dates.

The January 1970 Motor Trend cover of a pasted together picture of Dan Gurney on a Vit-C Superbird was probably a Pilot or early Superbird.

A number of years ago someone on the East Coast claimed to have the NY Auto Show Superbird. Given the dates it seems unlikely that the Detroit Superbird was shuttled back and forth to NY before the NY Auto Show for early press use.

It seems likely that perhaps the Auto show Superbird, if it was just one car, could have been unloaded on the East Coast after the NY show. The detail pictures would probably help document this. By April 1970 a new Superbird was 1/2 way to being stale goods for being a 1970 model, time to unload.

 

[Redbird]

If the Detroit, Chicago, and NY Auto Show Superbird were in fact the same car, it would be nice if the Broadcast sheet had the “Show Car Finish” box checked. Rather than the “Mess this one up like the others” documentation.

 

[71Charger]

Is there info on how many superbirds were shipped to racers?

And who got them?

 

[kiwigtx]

Someone was probably doing some pre-planning since there is a B30 #.

B30 must have been decided upon as the cut-off date for entry into the race homologation so the cars could be used on the track.

 

[gtx6970]

If the Detroit, Chicago, and NY Auto Show Superbird were in fact the same car, it would be nice if the Broadcast sheet had the “Show Car Finish” box checked. Rather than the “Mess this one up like the others” documentation.

I'll have to ask if the owner has the sheet/

Best I remember Marvin Hughes bought this car out of Texas , which is where it received an over the counter AC conversion ( still on the car and still works btw ) He was in Florida. A friend of mine bought it from Marvin.
He kept it less than a year and sold it to the current owner in approx 1984 I think

Best I can remember Marvin relayed that the car came out of NY and owner relocated to Texas is how it ended up there.

One year at Carlisle in a discussion with a friend of mien whom lives in NJ, knew someone whom worked the motor pool.

Thats when it was relayed this car just ' MIGHT ' be that car. Six barrel console auto

 

[70gtx440dana]

Pretty sure car #1 stayed at Clairpointe until all 1920 units were completed. Seem to recall it was used as the reference model for the production of the remaining cars.