Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

[Joseph W.]

[Mark F.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

Joe,

I guess I'm not following what you're asking ?

Unless it was a COPO, the Dealer Order form is what controlled production options after it was accepted by GM for scheduling...

Sorry if I'm missing the intent of your questions...

[Ray K.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

Joe,
Back in the day and to some extent it's the same today (except it's more complicated today with fuel economy, mass, safety, business case, profit, etc, playing a much larger role in these type of decisions) . . . .

All exterior & interior colors were typically determined by Marketing and the Design Center's color studio (in some cases senior management provided direction).
Options & Packages were determined by Marketing (based on estimated volumes, cost & MSRP).
For sold Corvette orders, the customer decided . . .
For "non-sold" dealer allocations, the dealer decided . . . .
Hope that helps.

Ray K (#43777)

[Joseph W.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

Sorry Mark,
I didn't do a very good job of writing the post up.

I think Ray explained it.
Each dealer would fill out a form of what they wanted on their lot or showroom and submit it to GM and the cars would get made and delivered to them.

That must be why some dealers were known to be a hi performance dealership. Someone at the dealership would order the cars with the desirable engines.

[Steven B.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

Joe,
Back in the day and to some extent it's the same today (except it's more complicated today with fuel economy, mass, safety, business case, profit, etc, playing a much larger role in these type of decisions) . . . .

All exterior & interior colors were typically determined by Marketing and the Design Center's color studio (in some cases senior management provided direction).
Options & Packages were determined by Marketing (based on estimated volumes, cost & MSRP).
For sold Corvette orders, the customer decided . . .
For "non-sold" dealer allocations, the dealer decided . . . .
Hope that helps.

Ray K (#43777)

What Ray said. For non-customer ordered cars, of which I have two I ordered, the dealer decided for lot or stock cars what the configuration would be. I knew two managers each at different dealerships who did that based on demographics and history and a little gut instinct. I was fortunate and sat with one as he configured and then gave to his guy to order. Interesting process.

[Michael J.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

I am convinced that is why there are so many cars with black interiors, as the dealers think that is the most popular and order most all their dealer inventory cars that way. I once heard a zone office override on interior/exterior combo choices was necessary as the car needed to be ordered and paid for by a customer so the dealer didn't get stuck with an odd combo he couldn't sell if the customer backed out.

[Tim G.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

I know Clippinger Chevrolet in West Covina California would order hi option, hi performance vehicles with 3.70 or numerically lower gears. They had a high dollar clientele and wanted high option, drivable cars on their lot. I had a '68 L89 from them with lots of options and PW and PB. Bob Wingate was their salesman, and he knew how to order and sell them.

[Michael J.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

My '63 Z06 tanker was purchased at Ernie Porter Chevrolet in Pasadena, but the owner took it to Clippinger to get the California 6 Taillight option installed since Bob was the master to that option in SoCal....

[Jack M.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

Joe- Perhaps this example of a 1968 Corvette Order Form, might help you envision the dealership ordering process:
1968 Corvette Order Form-01-800a.jpg
1968 Corvette Order Form-01-800b.jpg

[Joseph W.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

Joe- Perhaps this example of a 1968 Corvette Order Form, might help you envision the dealership ordering process:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]121452[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]121453[/ATTACH]

That is really neat!
thank you for sharing.
Interesting that the order form is from 1968, yet they have K66 TI for a 350.
No L88 either.

[Edward C.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

That is really neat!
thank you for sharing.
Interesting that the order form is from 1968, yet they have K66 TI for a 350.
No L88 either.

[Richard S.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

If it's anything like today the dealer ordered showroom models would be limited to black, white or red. Never any brown or green models ordered for inventory.

[Steven B.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

I am convinced that is why there are so many cars with black interiors, as the dealers think that is the most popular and order most all their dealer inventory cars that way. I once heard a zone office override on interior/exterior combo choices was necessary as the car needed to be ordered and paid for by a customer so the dealer didn't get stuck with an odd combo he couldn't sell if the customer backed out.

Yes! I know a fellow who ordered his conv with an interior/exterior color combo not recommended with a small deposit. It came in with the "more popular" interior color and he refused the car. Another friend ordered a '60, a '64, a '65 and finally a '69 each silver with red interior. He had to put extra down on the cars and the Zone required him to sign that he would accept them. All were cool cars, a 270 HP, two 375 HP's and a 435 HP.

[Bill M.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

I ordered a K 5 Blazer in 84 with no AC a standard transmission. And no rear seat. I wanted it for off road use. I had to put 1/2 of the 14,000$ purchase price down. The dealer said he would never be able to sell if I backed out. I miss that truck. It was rolled.

[Mark F.]

Re: Who or what determined options and color for a 1969 Corvette?

Nor was L-88 on the '67 Order form. I always thought that was just because so few were made...but then again, how could Chevy have made more if nobody could see it on the order form ?