You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

I never understood why Olds had two different "442" badge locations on the front fenders: one for the Rallye Stripe option and one without. Why add the extra cost? This car has the stripe but it's not the correct fender. 442 below is correct

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

Rare two-tone paint 1970 Challenger R/T

[Lee Stewart]

When Ford showed it's new 1969 Boss 302 it had the optional rear sport slats. This option was available in all states. This car BTW is the final prototype.



But when Plymouth introduced their new 'Cuda and made rear window louvers as an option, it was not available on those cars sold in Pennsylvania. So what did Ford do that Plymouth didn't?

The law in PA says that if you have rear louvers/slats you must meet two requirements: first, you have to have left and right mirrors. OK - both Ford and Plymouth made them standard when you ordered the louvers/slats. But it was the second requirement that Plymouth couldn't satisfy: The mirrors had to have a specific number of square inches total, of viewing. When you compare the mirrors as in the photo below you see that Ford's mirrors are square while Plymouth's are oval and with not a large enough viewing area.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

I never understood why Olds had two different "442" badge locations on the front fenders: one for the Rallye Stripe option and one without. Why add the extra cost? This car has the stripe but it's not the correct fender. 442 below is correct .

My guess?

When the emblem was placed originally (without the stripe) the location was optimized visually for the area it occupied.

They probably started in that location when they added the stripe but realized it did not look right in relation to the "dogleg" portion of the fender (too far forward).

Styling moved the stripe rearward to center it in the area between the wheel opening and the door cut line, at the rocker, dragging the emblem with it.

If the holes were punched at the final assembly location then it's not like it doubled the number of fender part numbers required.

Pure speculation, of course, but many weird decisions can be based on "it's beautiful, and we love it".

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

When Ford showed it's new 1969 Boss 302 it had the optional rear sport slats. This option was available in all states. This car BTW is the final prototype.


But when Plymouth introduced their new 'Cuda and made rear window louvers as an option, it was not available on those cars sold in Pennsylvania. So what did Ford do that Plymouth didn't?

The law in PA says that if you have rear louvers/slats you must meet two requirements: first, you have to have left and right mirrors. OK - both Ford and Plymouth made them standard when you ordered the louvers/slats. But it was the second requirement that Plymouth couldn't satisfy: The mirrors had to have a specific number of square inches total, of viewing. When you compare the mirrors as in the photo below you see that Ford's mirrors are square while Plymouth's are oval and with not a large enough viewing area.

Well done, you!

As part of product engineering I can say that kind of stuff used to drive me crazy.

In addition to the styling studio comment above, another reason for what seems like weird decision making is "...your tax dollars at work", meaning some obscure state or federal motor vehicle requirement.

K

[Lee Stewart]

It was either Maryland or Virginia that did not allow the 1969 Charger Daytona to be registered due to the fact that it doesn't have a front bumper which was a state requirement.



What Plymouth did to satisfy that requirement on the 1970 Superbird, was to add a black rubber strip. This was considered a front bumper. The state in question accepted it.