Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

[Mike T.]

Does anyone know what the rough percentages might have been in the 60's for (a) cars specifically ordered by individuals versus (b) dealer ordered cars just to have on the lot?

And, of those cars I refer to as 'lot cars', did the dealers have much say as to what was sent their way or did the factory dictate what they'd receive?

Thanks,

[Michael J.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

That's a very good question. I doubt you could ever know the answer, but after I got my dealer delivery data for my '67, I contacted the dealer (still there in the same place) and they put me in contact with one of the retired owner/salesmen. It is a small, Rocky Mountain dealer, and I asked about mine since the tank sticker had "PLS RUSH" printed on it below all the options list. He said almost all the Corvettes they ever sold were ordered cars, since they were so small and didn't order lot Corvettes like they did other Chevys. But other bigger dealers in bigger towns, I would assume ordered lots of lot cars, as they figured they could sell them fast.

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

Does anyone know what the rough percentages might have been in the 60's for (a) cars specifically ordered by individuals versus (b) dealer ordered cars just to have on the lot?

And, of those cars I refer to as 'lot cars', did the dealers have much say as to what was sent their way or did the factory dictate what they'd receive?

Thanks,

I believe that almost all cars were ordered by the dealer wither they were for stock or customer ordered. All of the small town dealers where I live had only 3 or 4 new cars which were real demo & show room cars. Most people ordered the color/options they wanted. There were no cookie cutter cars in the day. Small dealers didn't order HP cars or corvettes because they cost more & only a few were sold. The big dealers would order more stock cars to sell and would always have bait & switch cars & even Corvettes so they could advertise the cheapest cars in town & then get you to buy a higher priced one because who wanted a 68 Corvette conv. 3-speed & no radio.

KEN

[William C.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

My first corvette was a '58 dealer ordered for the floor, one top, no radio, 3-speed FI car. It was the cheapest FI car you could order. I knew the original owner and he confirmed the specs, so dealers did order them for the showroom, sometimes in unique configurations! (And Regal Turquoise to boot)

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

My first corvette was a '58 dealer ordered for the floor, one top, no radio, 3-speed FI car. It was the cheapest FI car you could order. I knew the original owner and he confirmed the specs, so dealers did order them for the showroom, sometimes in unique configurations! (And Regal Turquoise to boot)

I agree. Almost every Corvette & HP cars were unique becaues they were orderd cars not what the makers send now. My 70 LT-1 was a dealer ordered also. Some small dealers did order these cars but not many. It could be also that it was a custermer order & the buyer backed out & the dealer was stuck with it but I am sure he had the deposet in his pocket. LOL
KEN

[Michael J.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

Actually, the small town Montana dealer who ordered my car (a SHP '67 L71) did it for the son of the dealership owner for his 18th birthday. Imagine getting a '67 L71 coupe at 18? That's why the tank sticker said "PLS RUSH".

[Mike E.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

I have found, in my 37 years of chasing/documenting 62's, that there are a disproportionate number of the early cars that are base-motor few-option cars. I surmise that for those dealers large enough to order showroom cars, that they preferred the low-cost cars as a way of having inventory without adding to the overhead any more than necessary. And, in 62, with the new 327 motor, a base-engine car was a bargain compared to the 61's optional engine cars that were higher-cost.

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

Actually, the small town Montana dealer who ordered my car (a SHP '67 L71) did it for the son of the dealership owner for his 18th birthday. Imagine getting a '67 L71 coupe at 18? That's why the tank sticker said "PLS RUSH".

I have a simmiler story. I had a 69 Chevelle that I bought that the dealers son ordered before the 69 order forms came out. The 68'S SS with a 4-speed came with bucket seat so he didn't order them. The car came in with a bench seat on the floor 4-speed 396/375 HP. I really do miss the fact that you cant order what you want only what they have like the Ford model T any color as long as it was black.
KEN

[Clem Z.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

my first new car a 53 210 chevy and my first new corvette a 59 with base engine were the only 2 cars i bought off of the dealers floor. color was the big thing to me and my dealer would hold my order for a week or so because he knew i would change the color.

[Rich G.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

The original owner of my 68 wrote that he went to the dealer on Memorial day weekend 1968 to order a car. They told him they were not taking orders for 68's but they had a list of cars coming in. He picked a BB coupe which got deliverd on July 31. It is a 427/435 with PS/PB and 4:11 gears. Seems like an odd combination for a dealer to order for stock. I assume it was a special order that didn't get purchased by the person who specified it.

The dealer was/is a mid sized store on Long Island.

Rich

[Terry M.]

Re: Percentage of Customer Ordered Corvettes vs 'Lot Cars'?

My first Corvette -- a 1969 390 hp with side pipes and stereo radio (go figure) was a customer order that was delayed due to the 1969 work stoppages and the customer went elsewhere -- according to the dealer who reeled me in.

The 1970 I have now was ordered by the same dealer. I think he intended it for me because I hounded him for a year for the LT1 engine -- and he reeled me in to it also.

I have meet the second owner of a 1969 purchased from the same dealer -- 400 hp convertible. Le Mans Blue. My 1970 is Mulsanne Blue. As close to the same color as you could get. I think that dealer had a thing for that bright blue color.