Author Topic: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink  (Read 11502 times)

TonyHuntimerRaceHome

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Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« on: March 22, 2009, 11:21:23 PM »
Hey guys,

What was the process for special order paint?

I've read this article:
http://www.camaros.org/assemblyprocess.shtml

But, it doesn't cover how special order paint was processed.  My friend has a Playboy Pink 68 Camaro that was definitely painted at the factory.  How were these special order cars processed, since the shells were painted separately from the front sheetmetal.  Were special order paint cars painted using the same process as the other 19 standard colors?  Special order paint didn't make the car a COPO right?

Were special order paint cars ---painted at certain times of the month?  Were they all saved up over a few weeks and painted together?  Were they all special order paint cars painted in batches...like a bunch of Playboy Pink Camaros were painted with special order paint cars, and then they would switch back to standard colors so the line wouldn't get messed up?

The side story to the color.
Supposedly...Playboy ordered 50, but only took delivery of about 35.  The left over pink 68 Camaros were auctioned or distributed to dealerships.  One was sent to Courtesy Chevrolet in San Jose, CA.  It sat on the lot until July of 1969, when my friends' Grandparents purchased it.  Other than the color, this is a very basic 327/PG car with hubcaps and std interior.  And, yes I know that the Playmate of the year in 1968 (Angela Dorian) received a Playboy Pink 1968 AMX.  Who knows why she didn't get a Camaro if they ordered pink Camaros? 

Tony Huntimer

TonyHuntimerRaceHome

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2009, 01:29:06 AM »
Has anyone else heard about this Playboy Pink paint?  Or do we need to talk to Hef to find out?

Tony Huntimer

KurtS

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2009, 01:43:56 AM »
I've only heard about this one car. It's an interesting story, but ...... no other Camaros have shown up. There's also some pink Firebirds too.

It would be done as a Fleet and Special Order (F&SO). It would be scheduled just like any other car - all parts had to be there to be on the schedule, including the special paint.
Wait a day or so and there will be info in the assembly article that addresses this. :)
Kurt S
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plasiter

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2009, 07:43:01 PM »
I spoke with Bob Wingate who used to be a high-performance salesman at Clippinger Chevrolet in California.  He was the guy who actually ordered and sold my Special Order Paint 67Z (Hugger Orange).  As I recall, Bob said he used to order these cars using the COPO process.  He said a special order paint job cost something like an extra $12 way back in the day.  At any rate, I seem to recall that these cars could be ordered in relatively small lots with unique paint colors - principally for use by a particular company for their fleet vehicles.  When I talked to Bob he said my car was definitely a COPO car, but not in the sense that we think of COPO production cars today. (engine and performance pacakges vs. color)  Interestingly enough, a couple of years ago Jon Mello found a Los Angeles production 67 SS396 for sale on on ebay that was originally painted the same color as my car.  The paint code on the cowl trim tag for that car was O-O like mine, and the "unique" color lot code was L-243D (or something like that), while that same code on my car was L-243C - so that car was litereally the NEXT car painted after mine in 1967.  I should have bought that car for the wife.....  Its probably the case that Bob Wingate ordered up a few "high performance" Hugger Orange cars in 67.  (Z, L78, etc...)  He told me he used to order these uniqe high performance cars, and park them in the front corner of the lot to attract attention (and customers...).  As he told the story, people would come in to the dealership trying to make a deal saying, " I saw one of these cars at X dealership in the same color," as part of their negotiating strategy.  Of course, Bob knew that was absolutly not the case since few salepeople knew how to get cars "painted special" through the COPO process.  Enevitably, the customers would be back - and pay the price Bob wanted for these very unique cars.
1967 Z/28 - Factory Special Order Flambeau Red Paint (Close to Hugger Orange) in 1967!

TonyHuntimerRaceHome

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2009, 10:12:41 PM »
I've only heard about this one car. It's an interesting story, but ...... no other Camaros have shown up. There's also some pink Firebirds too.

I checked on the Firebirds, and they actually offerred pink as a special order color according to a Firebird historical data website.

I did run across one other guy on the internet who says he owns a 68 RS 396 Camaro that he believes is a Playboy Pink Camaro too.  He included his address back in 2007, but it's no longer valid.  It would be interesting to find other 68's with the same paint and see how close their VIN's are.  If thes 50 Playboy Pink Camaros really did exist, I'm sure most of them have been repainted and people are not aware they even own a pink Camaro.

TonyHuntimerRaceHome

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2009, 10:56:40 PM »
In your professional opinion, is there any possible way to find out how many special order painted cars there were in 1968?  Is there any way to find out how many pink Camaros were produced in 1968?  Do records like these exist ANYWHERE?

Thanks,
Tony Huntimer

Mark

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2009, 12:09:10 AM »
Not unless you can find all the production records for the 68 model year.
Mark C.
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

KurtS

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2009, 02:30:42 AM »
How many special paint cars? That's here: http://www.camaros.org/exterior.shtml#ColorPercentages


Plasiter,
I've heard of several dealers refer to the special order paint as a COPO. That may be what they think and refer to it as.
But within GM / Chevrolet Corporate, it was not a COPO, it was a F&SO. A special order color with no engineering concurrence required. A COPO required engineering to design/modify/approve and the costs associated with that were shown via a COPO # on the window sticker.
The special paint and cost would show up as a 1001 billing code on the window sticker.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2009, 02:48:03 AM by KurtS »
Kurt S
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plasiter

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2009, 04:44:06 PM »
Kurt - thanks for the info on FSO vs. COPO - I learn something new every day.  And - thanks for the link to the color production estimate data by year.  Very interesting.  The bottom line:  I'm just happy to have a special order paint car.  Paul
1967 Z/28 - Factory Special Order Flambeau Red Paint (Close to Hugger Orange) in 1967!

bcmiller

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Re: Special Order Paint -Playboy Pink
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2016, 08:40:15 PM »
There were some new posts in this thread, but they were not related to Playboy Pink, so I split them out into a new topic.

The new topic is Clippinger 0-0 paint 1967 Camaro
Bryon / 1968 Camaro SS 396 coupe - now old school 468 big block
1967 Camaro RS/SS 396 coupe L35/M40 - 4 generation family project
Looking for 68 Camaro with body # NOR 181016

 

anything