Topic: Sapphire Blue

[J_Speegle]

Is there a surviving Ford document that describes how they assigned special orders?

First reference I believe mentions it (would have to double check to make sure was one of the Shop Tip issues. If not, or in addition, some of the minutes of the annual service meetings should have something

I’m aware of 5 High Country Specials, all with different DSO’s. Some of these are convertibles and some are hardtops. Some have Black interiors, and one has Ivy Gold. And of course, there are the three different colors of Columbine Blue, Aspen Gold, and Timberline Green. If we begin to see a repeat in DSO’s as more cars surface, can we say with certainty it’s because they were part of the same dealer order? Or perhaps it’s because the color, body-style, and option combinations are beginning to repeat?

If they followed the same pattern as other groups of multiple cars it was they would put together and order or cars and body styles equipped the same way but could include different colors within that same group. Believe that Calif Specials orders were filled that way and we have the Shelby forms showing that for those cars.

Believe I have a list or spread sheet somewhere were I was throwing the special order car info with DSO's

 

.............A piece of evidence supporting the later is the following ad from the April 7th 1966 Oakland Tribune. Perhaps the west coast dealers were simply more proactive in soliciting sales of special colors - as the Easter ad, and later the Rainbow of Colors promotions seem to indicate.

Not sure if the West/Calif dealers or region was more creative, more ads survive or just more research has been done in that region but thanks for posting the 66 Oakland ad. Never heard of the place nor seen a car sold through that dealership that I recall

I've always been under the assumption that special order numbers were simply incremental for each DSO.  For instance, a 6 digit DSO like 220496 would be the 496th special order made to DSO 22.

That has been my (and others) understanding and the assignment was done when the order was receive so they were not always produced in numerical order

[Pete Bush]

I've always been under the assumption that special order numbers were simply incremental for each DSO.  For instance, a 6 digit DSO like 220496 would be the 496th special order made to DSO 22.

That has been my (and others) understanding and the assignment was done when the order was receive so they were not always produced in numerical order

That’s generally the case in my review too, but like all things Ford there are exceptions.

One notable exception is special order #510224. You’ll find it on the ’66 San Jose spreadsheet I provided earlier. Actually, you’ll find two cars with that special order number. The first was scheduled for building on 10F and appears to be a special paint car headed for Denver. The second is a High Country Special scheduled for building the same day (15G) as the rest of these special promotion cars. Two different cars, over a month apart in the scheduled build date – same special order number.

Below is a photo of the punchcard from Charles’ document collection. I’ve highlighted in yellow those areas where I believe the special order number would first be found. Seems strange, to say the least, that Ford would schedule two vehicles so differently from the same order number.

[J_Speegle]

That's generally the case in my review too, but like all things Ford there are exceptions.

One notable exception is special order #510224. You'll find it on the ’66 San Jose spreadsheet I provided earlier. Actually, you'll find two cars with that special order number. The first was scheduled for building on 10F and appears to be a special paint car headed for Denver. The second is a High Country Special scheduled for building the same day (15G) as the rest of these special promotion cars. Two different cars, over a month apart in the scheduled build date – same special order number.

Below is a photo of the punchcard from Charles's document collection. I've highlighted in yellow those areas where I believe the special order number would first be found. Seems strange, to say the least, that Ford would schedule two vehicles so differently from the same order number.

Believe you may be making the assumption that all of the info that was sent into the book was without error (could have recorded the numbers incorrectly) or another possibility is a reproduction door tag. But agree that it does not make sense that two cars could be built off of the same order without sharing at least the same basic equipment. I guessing someone wrote down the wrong number, it got entered in the data base incorrectly or someone making up a new door tag simply made up a DSO for the tag - common practice with the 65-66's since there are no records

[Pete Bush]

Or.....

Thurlo Newell wanted an advance vehicle for promotional purposes? Part of the same order, but sent a month earlier than the other 333.