[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Mike Noun

I agree, except that some Pontiacs that were sent through PMD engineering made it to a dealership and were sold, and is stated as such on the invoice. Of course these aren't prototypes, BUT some prototypes and engineering cars WERE saved from the crusher. People need to understand the difference is between a prototype, a test car, and an engineering car. It's not always clear, and sometimes an engineering car becomes a test car, and sometimes an engineering car becomes a prototype.

I'm pretty sure we're on the same page, but by way of a sidebar, here are the definitions that I live by:

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

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, or very early regular production vehicles.

Lastly there is the Start of Regular Production: these are the real deal. Regular high volume vehicles released to the public.

Note that, for pre-production vehicles, there is a distinction between the "vehicle owner" (ie, Engineering, Marketing, Durability, Validation, Design Studio) and the "vehicle type" (Proto, Pilot).

Having had the benefit of further though, I would say we need to add one more category: super low volume regular production vehicles. I would suggest that the Swiss Cheese cars and the Super Duty Tempest/Lemans would actually fall into this category, especially since the builds occurred in the middle of the model year.

I'll close by saying this: some of the parts in my collection are experimental parts from Pontiac engineering, delivered to Dick Jesse (many under the auspices of being "scrap" ). Dad liberated them from Dick's desk at Royal ...with Dick's permission, of course.

Ok - sorry bout that.

K