Hey All,
Here is the latest data I have. I sorted it according to J number. I chose 43 as the total cars built. There is no evidence to support this number - it's just a guess on my part given Richard's race number was 43 and it would have been a good marketing strategy. (If 99500 is car number one, then car 43 would be 99542.)
The cars that I do not have a J number for are at the bottom of the list.
Brennan
brennen did we ever get anything more on the hemi? it just doesnt seem to fit the pattern working for an oem mfr for 35 years it doesnt fit with the logic of any kind of specialized runs
obviously plymouth felt strongly about the color which is the key driver of the run
thereafter, you would just run the mix of normal trims (interiors) in their respective volume percents
with the powertrain you want simplicity and cost controls 2 engines 2 trannys - 1 k member is the key driver here imo
is it possible? sure
is it probable? I'm skeptical
if it was just intended as a paint option i don't think they would have run a separate J code series
I don't believe there is any evidence for the following being 999 "Petty Blue"
adding some of your unknowns as probable - here's what I have, the J995xx in purple are "ASSUMED"
158635 is definitely Petty Blue with white bucket interior 4 speed. 4bbl car.
Missed the opportunity to purchase it probably 10-12 years ago.
Been searching for it ever since.
Last I knew it was in the SW are , AZ I think.
One of the Hemi cars was a repaint to Petty Blue. I honestly don't recall the source of the other Hemi car but it could be a repaint as well. Back in the 70s and 80s when someone answered the questionnaire about the details of their car they would often respond with the color it was currently painted rather than the actual paint code it came from the factory with. Very few people were that into details back then.
The only corroborating evidence I have for the existence of a Petty Blue Hemi car is a thread on another forum that vanished with a website update. Someone claimed to have ordered a Petty Blue Hemi car from a dealer. After a short period it looked like it wouldn't make the build window for Superbirds so he bought a different one already in the dealers stock. It's possible the order did actually go through and the car got built. This is all extreme speculation on my part - I make no claim as to its accuracy - just passing on what I heard.
And, there is always the possibility of a VIN stamping error or clerical error in recording the car.
On another subject, J99500 seems to be a stand alone first 999 car. But the next 9 or 10 look suspiciously identical - like they were all of one batch. Engine, trans, interior color all the same. Consecutive VINs and J numbers. Interesting. As you all can see this shows up a couple more times. And then the VINs and J numbers on others vary dramatically.
Quote from: Arnie Cunningham on March 15, 2018, 12:51:04 PM
One of the Hemi cars was a repaint to Petty Blue. I honestly don't recall the source of the other Hemi car but it could be a repaint as well. Back in the 70s and 80s when someone answered the questionnaire about the details of their car they would often respond with the color it was currently painted rather than the actual paint code it came from the factory with. Very few people were that into details back then.
The only corroborating evidence I have for the existence of a Petty Blue Hemi car is a thread on another forum that vanished with a website update. Someone claimed to have ordered a Petty Blue Hemi car from a dealer. After a short period it looked like it wouldn't make the build window for Superbirds so he bought a different one already in the dealers stock. It's possible the order did actually go through and the car got built. This is all extreme speculation on my part - I make no claim as to its accuracy - just passing on what I heard.
And, there is always the possibility of a VIN stamping error or clerical error in recording the car.
On another subject, J99500 seems to be a stand alone first 999 car. But the next 9 or 10 look suspiciously identical - like they were all of one batch. Engine, trans, interior color all the same. Consecutive VINs and J numbers. Interesting. As you all can see this shows up a couple more times. And then the VINs and J numbers on others vary dramatically.
FWIW.....Anecdotal only....there was a Hemi four speed Bird in my hometown. It was not an ordered car. I remember seeing it on the street once when I was 13/14 years old. I remember it as blue. One source claims it was Petty Blue. Others remember it as, likely, B5. Supposedly, the car wound up in Colorado.
Oldtimer
I think its a typo - because you've got my car 158628, J99501 is a V code car - Brennen correctly has it as a U code
thanks! in my notes I had that it might be a 4bbl car (& fixed it above)
can you share your top line of the fender tag? is the sequence number 164xxx?
I'll have to look. I used to have it memorized.
Quote from: WINGIN IT on March 15, 2018, 11:24:56 AM
158635 is definitely Petty Blue with white bucket interior 4 speed. 4bbl car.
Missed the opportunity to purchase it probably 10-12 years ago.
Been searching for it ever since.
Last I knew it was in the SW are , AZ I think.
Oddly enough a picture of this car just popped up on the net ;)
I thought I would bring this thread to the top since the owner of vin number RM23U0A175694 has been looking for information.
MJ