I have a buddy who had some dealer options installed on his 68 chevelle. He has the buckets installed as well as some other sport options. Not sure about all the options. We were discussing if dealer installed options count towards the rarity of a car in the numbers game or does the original build sheet take precedance? What is the final say-dealer installed or factory installed?

If there is dealer paperwork to the effect of the options than that is a nice supplement to the factory installed options. Otherwise its just another B.S. story - a lot of guys would also love to say that all the SS options on their Chevelle were installed at the dealer, along with the big block swap too!

Really, going back in time the idea of buying a plain car off the lot and having the dealer install all the nice upgrade options wasn't much of a reality. Simply because it would have been much less expensive to find another car at another dealer already so optioned, then dealer trade for it or buy it at the other dealer. Alternatively the customer would just place a new car order if none were available with most of the desired options - people used to order cars a lot more in the past and wait for delivery.

Thomas

I undesrtand where you are comming from but my freinds car is the one he has had since new and he DID have the dealer install the options on it that he wanted. I never said it was an SS, just that he had some options put on at the dealer before he took delivary.

just to play the devil .......... on a 68 chevelle I'd say if you have paperwork saying the Dealer installed something -seats ,tack,rallys, whatever!! ....
you'd be way ahead .... becouse I've not been able to ever find a build sheet for a 68 chevelle !!! & to my knowledge no one else here has either !!

If there is dealer paperwork to the effect of the options than that is a nice supplement to the factory installed options. Otherwise its just another B.S. story - a lot of guys would also love to say that all the SS options on their Chevelle were installed at the dealer, along with the big block swap too!

Really, going back in time the idea of buying a plain car off the lot and having the dealer install all the nice upgrade options wasn't much of a reality. Simply because it would have been much less expensive to find another car at another dealer already so optioned, then dealer trade for it or buy it at the other dealer. Alternatively the customer would just place a new car order if none were available with most of the desired options - people used to order cars a lot more in the past and wait for delivery.

Thomas

I disagree with this statement. When I bought my 72 SS new I had several dealer installed options put on it. I had the wheels and tires changed and the radio changed by the dealer before I picked it up. This was a very common occurrence either due to the inability of the dealer to get the car the way you wanted it due to production levels or time frames or the dealers adding things to cars to make them more desirable. This was especially true during the general motors strikes in late 70 or early 71. My best friend in high school bought a new 71 Heavy Chevy off the lot. The dealer (Mint Chevy in Sayre PA) installed carpet in every Heavy he got before putting them out on the lot. It wasn't an option, he installed the carpet during dealer prep. The only way you could get it without carpet was to ask them to not put it in. He (Joe Mint) was also famous for installing after market mag wheels on all of the muscle cars and corvettes he got as well as stripes and side pipes on corvettes and two-tone paint and wheel up-grades on 1/2 ton pickups. When the Van craze was going strong my little brother bought a new 3/4 ton long wheel base van from that dealership that had dealer installed flares and an air dam, side pipes and port hole windows in the sides. I also remember the local dodge dealer removing the wings from a couple of Datonias that had sat on the lot forever. You also had a few other dealers that I'm aware of that did these kinds of things as well as engine upgrades. E.g., Motion, Shelby network dealers, Baldwin, etc.

It is a fact that this was common in many areas but it really doesn't matter. The "numbers guys" are so anal about their so called "originality" that anything factory or dealer installed with out a pedigree that matches the one they personally subscribe to, i.e., the one that matches the one they have for "their" car, will give you no end of grief. Myself, about the only thing I won't believe a manufacturer or dealer ever installed in one of these cars is a jet engine, and even then, who knows, Chrysler played with that idea maybe an engine or two got out COPO and are hiden away in a barn somewhere. ;)

I'm hoping that your original owner friend kept the paperwork for the upgrades, that would definitely be cool! I would count any dealership installed day one options in the rarity of the car because that was the way it was bought new.

Well, as far as I know dealers have been adding aftermarket mag style wheels and stereos ever since such items were available - those two items are still some of the more popular dealer upgrades. There is an interesting problem when it comes to items like seats for that era: the GM parts distribution system didn't really have entire seat assemblies, just the various parts individually. A dealership parts deptartment would have to get an assembled set of seats through the vehicle assembly plant, which could be done, but its not like just having the parts department order a certain part number.

Side pipes and van conversions...oohh, I can admit to having been a vanner. I was refering to factory options - not the aftermarket. Tell me about the dealers doing SS dash conversions, now that would be interesting, and I'm sure it was done - just not too often. When the customer is paying for the work, just about anything the customer will pay for will get done.

Thomas

becouse I've not been able to ever find a build sheet for a 68 chevelle !!! & to my knowledge no one else here has either !!

I have a Body Broadcast Copy for a 68 SS from Baltimore and a 68 Custom El Camino from Fremont.

thanks Dale :D I bet I know where you got the EL Camino build sheet ....
there are a couple of El Camino's out of Fremount with them that I've seen but I've not seen any thing other then broadcast's for Chevelle's .... I belive someday one may .. as we're all still looking !!! what I ment was if there is Dealer paperwork for any options it would in my mind be a very good thing ..
as most 68's can't validate their pedigree

I'm hoping that your original owner friend kept the paperwork for the upgrades, that would definitely be cool!

I think the word of the original owner would be just as good. After all, he's the one who ordered and bought the car, so he would know.

Yeah, get the original owner to write up something, get it certified, and have doc that he is the original owner. yikes...along the same lines:
Who washed off all the crayon/chalk marks all over the firewall, frame, and other places? GM assembly at the end or the dealer?
If the dealer removes during prep which would include washing and waxing then what is the big deal of having all the "markings" all over a concours car? I never saw one at a dealer with that crap all over it.
Herbie