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Story of my first A12

bluefury

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I'm including my TRUE story here although I have posted most of it long ago. Maybe some of the newer members will enjoy it.




My summer, fall and winter of 1968 and into the spring of 1969 was spent keeping my head below the sandbags in South Viet Nam. I was able to convince my brother to send a car magazine now and then and dreamed about the Hemi GTX that was destined to be mine upon return to the world, (that means home to a GI). Well, I survived all the bad moons and returned home to Lincoln Park, (a downriver sub of Detroit) in March of 1969 where I was glad to be reunited with my trusty 1966 triple black Plymouth Satellite 383 4speed. My brother was in charge of it during my absence and had let his girl friend drive it who then rear ended another car. It was fixed when I got home except the front bumper, which was gone. Oh, well.

After a couple days of "hi... how are ya's" I headed to Downriver Chrysler/Plymouth in nearby Southgate Michigan. My dad had bought several Chryslers and Imperials there and I had always kept my eye on the car lot as many interesting machines would turn up on the lot.

I was excited at the thought of ordering the Hemi GTX and got hooked up with
ed Rushlow, a salesman who was more than happy to talk about it. I was working my way down the option list and the GTX was taking shape on the order pad. We were discussing tire size options when he located a memo in his in box on his desk. It was a one page sheet, new product bulletin and it outlined the A12 option on the Road Runner. He showed it to me and the list of equipment was impressive! Basicly a hemi car but with a 440 and three two bbl carbs. AND a NASCAR style lift off fiberglass hood with a scoop....... Whats THAT all about...? He didn't know either.

Just for curiosity we spec'ed one out and he quoted me a price. It came in around $1500.00 less then the Hemi GTX we had on paper!!! HUMMMmmmmmmmm..... now I had something to think about. A 440 with three 2BBLs in a Road Runner sounded like one bad *** car to me.

Asside from being my primary car I had visions of some racing at Detroit dragway and some street racing on Telegraph rd. and Woodward ave. (Although I think it was illegal to do that). I was familure with the high maintance the Hemi engine required to stay running well and so the multi carb 440 was sounding pretty good.

I left the order in limbo, told the salesman I had to think about it, and left. There was another Chrysler/Plymouth dealer, (Buckingham CP), not far away so I thought...... compare pricing.... I walked in, found a salesman, which is not that hard to do, and asked for a price quote on a Road Runner with a 440 3 2BBL engine. He looked at me like I was a Chevy guy and said..."you can't get a 440 in a Road Runner" It's a 383 or Hemi. He had not heard about the A12 package.

I was convinced, that got me fired up and I returned to the first dealership, found Ed and said, "sign me up"!

I ordered a 69 Road Runner coupe with the A12, automatic, all tinted glass in T5 bronze fire metallic with black interior.

There was a new fm radio station in Detroit at the time that played only rock music.... WABX..... the "Air Aces". I got to thinking and called the salesman later that evening and added a am/fm radio.

Then it began.... the wait. This was to be my first new car, ever! And I had no idea what I had ordered. There were no A12's at the dealership, no one I knew had seen, or even heard of one. The salesman didn't even have a picture. Nothing was ever said about the cars being built on only two dates and my car was scheduled for 4/26.... this was early March! It was agonizing...!

I did receive a call from the salesman at the second dealership I visited, (He had taken my contact info), sometime in late March. He had one on the showroom floor. I headed straight over there and WOW!!!!! It was awesome. My first incounter. It was a Ralley Green hardtop with a 4 speed and black vinyl top. It looked menicing with the black hood and huge scoop, redlines and no hub caps. He offered it to me and it was tempting but I decided to wait for the one I had ordered.

I got the call sometime in early May..... my Runner was here! I will never forget walking into the service area and seeing it just as it had been unloaded off the truck. It was to be prepped and I could get it the next day.

I got off work and went by the house. My dad and brother went with me to the dealership and as soon as we turned into the drive.... there it was, parked directly in front of the entrance to the showroom. BUT wait...... It has a set of Dodge dog dish hubcaps on it.... whats up with that....? Apparently the prep guys didn't know about the hubcap delete thing. They thought the factory had forgotten to put the caps in the car and so got a set of Dodge caps from the parts dept and put them on. I may have taken delivery of the only A12 to come with hub caps.... LOL.

The saga continues from there with many great and memoral times crusing the streets, Woodward ave, drive-ins, girls. It was a magic time and I wished I had been more aware of that then. It was a machine in a time that will never be duplicated.

Enjoy your A12's guys.... If ya have em...smoke em...!

69 A12 new.JPG




 
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Great story. And thank you for your Service.. A great American you are. And an awesome A-12.
 
Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service to this great country! What a great story.

I too am curious what became of the car. Do you have any information on it you can share? We over at the A12 Forum are always looking for new VIN.

D
 
Thanks Great story but what happened to the A12 did you sell it?






Yes. I drove it for 2 1/2 years, put 27K miles on it. Things were different back then. Gas, insurance and maintenance were high. I suffered a bout with PTSD and had a tough time adjusting to everyday life and society in general. It's hard to imagine now but vet's returning from Viet Nam in that day and time were not welcomed with open arms, we were called baby killers, amoung other things, and made to feel like outsiders. It took me 8 years to feel comfortable, 6 years living in a log cabin in the rocky mountains, pretty much in solitude, before I readjusted to society. It was 10 years before someone said "Thank you for your service", and I didn't know how to react to that.
Not complaining, it was the times. I have no regrets. At least I stayed away from drugs and alcohol, some were not so lucky.
I did eventually own two other A12's. A Super Bee and another Road Runner.
 
Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service to this great country! What a great story.

I too am curious what became of the car. Do you have any information on it you can share? We over at the A12 Forum are always looking for new VIN.

D






I keep an eye on the A12 registry. My A12 hasen't shown up there. I sold it to a dealer and don't know where it went from there. I still have the window sticker and key ID card and the salesman's business card.
 
Thanks for a great story and your service, blue!
 
Darrell from the A12 site asked me to post a scan of the original window sticker for the A12..................

window sticker 2.JPG
 
And this numbers matching Road Runner. Bucket seat, console 4 speed with 46K on the clock. I kept it for 10 years. Showed it at the 6 pack reunion at Carlisle in 92.

Alpine white 6BBL.JPG
 
Yes. I drove it for 2 1/2 years, put 27K miles on it. Things were different back then. Gas, insurance and maintenance were high. I suffered a bout with PTSD and had a tough time adjusting to everyday life and society in general. It's hard to imagine now but vet's returning from Viet Nam in that day and time were not welcomed with open arms, we were called baby killers, amoung other things, and made to feel like outsiders. It took me 8 years to feel comfortable, 6 years living in a log cabin in the rocky mountains, pretty much in solitude, before I readjusted to society. It was 10 years before someone said "Thank you for your service", and I didn't know how to react to that.
Not complaining, it was the times. I have no regrets. At least I stayed away from drugs and alcohol, some were not so lucky.
I did eventually own two other A12's. A Super Bee and another Road Runner.
No matter what people think. Most of the guys who served during this time are true bad asses. It takes a huge set of oysters to go into the situations you guys had to endure. Hats off to you and I know they say WW2 is the greatest generation however, anyone who has served this country and fought deserves respect. Once again Thank you.
 
Great A12 and first new car story.
I have become absolutely enamoured with the 440+6bbl...
The A12 blazed the trail for the V-Code, and the A12 was the true definition of Street Fighter, lean, mean, and ready to rumble by design. 4.10 ring and pinion gearset STANDARD
Oh YEAH!:bananadance:
When I installed the Passon Performance a855 5 speed w/.68 5th gear OD, I replaced the 3.54 Track Pack gears with the 4.10, but OMG!! if I only had 4th gear! Let's just say you have got to be dedicated HARD CORE to have a 4.10 and a 1:1 final drive ratio.
 
Great A12 and first new car story.
I have become absolutely enamoured with the 440+6bbl...
The A12 blazed the trail for the V-Code, and the A12 was the true definition of Street Fighter, lean, mean, and ready to rumble by design. 4.10 ring and pinion gearset STANDARD
Oh YEAH!:bananadance:
When I installed the Passon Performance a855 5 speed w/.68 5th gear OD, I replaced the 3.54 Track Pack gears with the 4.10, but OMG!! if I only had 4th gear! Let's just say you have got to be dedicated HARD CORE to have a 4.10 and a 1:1 final drive ratio.

I had one in High School... What a pain for a High School kid... Car was in constant need of "maintenance"... The 410 gears made it worthless to drive anywhere out of town, besides the HORRIBLE gas mileage, even when gas was 30 cents a gallon...
These cars were driven as everyday cars for some of us.. I was 17-18 when I had mine...
 
I was 17-18 when I had mine...
I was 16-17 and a senior in High School, class of 79. The kids at school with the new Z-28s and Trans Ams just had to try the "old" 71 Charger R/T 440 4bbl...
Now I know if I would have had an A12, I really would have brought them pain!
 
Great story. Thank you for your service! I have an A12 clone, but it was done on an original black 383 car that my grandfather purchased new. He special ordered it, as did my father (Dad's was dark blue). I run 4.30 gears in it now. Highways are off limits, but it sure is fun around town. I have 28.5" tall tires on the rear which helps.
Chicken vs Rob Walters.jpg
 
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