First two firebirds going to auction

[HustleRussell]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/classic-cars/the-first-two-pontiac-firebirds-ever-built-are-for-sale/ar-BBwy14Y?li=BBisPVf&ocid=spartandhp

[Kelley W King]

Gas Monkey cars

[69Z28-RS]

Gas Monkey cars

THAT certainly lowers their value.....

[Kelley W King]

Going through some magazines during Matthews torrents, I saw what is called the first Camaro. A gold 67 vin #1. Other articles dispute (#1)  and say there were 48 or 49 prototypes. Have any of these been found? One article says they had no vin tag and were crushed.

[Sauron327]

Going through some magazines during Matthews torrents, I saw what is called the first Camaro. A gold 67 vin #1. Other articles dispute (#1)  and say there were 48 or 49 prototypes. Have any of these been found? One article says they had no vin tag and were crushed.

A prototype and a car with a VIN are two different things.

[bcmiller]

Correct.  A prototype would not get a VIN. 

[69Z28-RS]

Counter Point:   Sometimes, *(I can't say always)*, manufacturers build their first few cars WITH serial numbers for use in *destructive testing*, such as air bag testing, so a SN001 is never sold to the public...

PS.  If the cars are not destroyed in the testing, then because of their use in the testing they are typically destroyed after the testing.

[Mark]

They weren't prototypes, they were pilot cars The body tubs were assembles in the No. 21 Detroit Pilot assembly line and sent over to Norwood (and a couple to LA) to be final assembled, just like if Fisher built the tub at Norwood and Chevrolet finished them.  Some were used for shows, some were used for engineering testing, some were used to prepare the tooling at the plants for the normal model year run.   Some, 4 at least, still exist with low VINs, and most have low body tag numbers (like less than 50).  The one odd surviving one is the one carrying the VIN100001, it has a body number of 920 for some unknown reason.  Best guess is that since it was a show car, and outfitted with a 120V lighting package it had to go back to Norwood and get reconfigured for sale, and it got its original cowl tag replaced at that time to indicate it complied with the Federal codes.  But that's a whole nother topic.

[bcmiller]

Just to be clear.  A prototype is not a production vehicle. Pilot cars are different, not prototypes.

[Bigblockbird]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/classic-cars/the-first-two-pontiac-firebirds-ever-built-are-for-sale/ar-BBwy14Y?li=BBisPVf&ocid=spartandhp

Interesting thing is they are now going back through Barrett-Jackson again right now in Scottsdale.

[bcmiller]

Some vehicles get into the auction market, and stay there.  Sold again and again.  Like a hot potato. 

[cook_dw]

I wouldn't want to be the last one to left holding those taters..

[Kelley W King]

Saw them sell at a no reserve auction. I think they sold as a pair for 225k. Per the Fast and Loud show I think he paid 625K. He did not look happy at the sale. Richard Rawlings had to hug him.