KEITHS REPLY ABOUT SHOW CAR QUESTIONS:
Let's lay it out this way (chronologically in order of level of refinement):
Mule vehicle: this is a previously completed vehicle that is modified by cutting/pasting/cobbling the new content. Typical usage is for engineering development/concept development.
Integration vehicle: can be either a modified existing vehicle or ground up build. Parts will be production design intent (mostly) off either prototype or production tooling. Can be either stall (stationary) build or line built. Typical usages are for engineering development or validation/durability testing. In the old days these might be called "Prototype" vehicles.
Manufacturing Validation Build - Nonsaleable: these are built in the assembly plant. Parts are production tooled (hopefully) but not saleable status yet. Purpose of the build is to validation the manufacturing process, highlight build problems that need to be fixed before mainstream production. Vehicles are fairly refined but have a "nonsaleable" (ie experimental) VIN and cannot be sold or titled. Typical usages are for Engineering and early Marketing uses. In the old days we might have called these "pilot" vehicles.
Manufacturing Validation Build - Saleable: built in the assembly plant. Parts are production tooled, fully saleable status, suppliers have proven they can meet production line rates. Purpose of the build is the next level of refinement in the validation process, continue to surface build problems that need to be addressed, and gain confidence in the ability of the process to meet line rate. Typical usages are for Engineering, Captured Test Fleets, and more formal Marketing events. We would call these "pilot" vehicles, too.
Lastly there is the Start of Regular Production: these are the real deal. Regular high volume vehicles released to the public.
I say all this in order to categorize your car: I would consider it a Pilot vehicle (ie, an early saleable build). You are correct that probably nobody knows what the show usages are/were. They can be as informal as parking the car in the lobby, used for press events, marketing rides, etc all the way up to the actual vehicle on display on a turntable at the Motorama or New York auto show. We probably would never know unless a photo or some other documentation surfaces that would show such a thing (as an aside, Brad Connelly owns the Buick GSX prototype car - VIN 001 - and has photos of his car on display).
Peter Toth - my first thought, too, was if this was a relative of employee and collector Dimitrie Toth. Dimitrie owned George Delorean's '63 SD Tempest coupe at one time. He was a friend and coworker of Dad's and actually offered the coupe to us when he sold it (...we couldn't afford it then, either). He is still around so I might be able to get in touch with him and see what he knows/thinks.
As I have stated (somewhere) previously my expertise and personal experience starts to taper off about 1968. I would suggest you start a separate thread with this detail. I'll send an advanced copy to John V at his home email so that he can get a head start looking at this info. His expertise and passion centers around the 1964 model but a lot of the codes and info translate well into the later years. We'll see what he says.
I am going to meet my Mom for lunch today in Auburn Hills; perhaps I could drive by this location in Pontiac on my way back and see what it looks like -
K
Second PM FROM KEITH
On the cowl tag, is there a build date code (ie, "09A"). Is there an "X" after the build date?
K
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