A gearhead friend of mine is shopping for a new Challenger. He is undecided whether to get one now, or wait to save up some more money and get a 2018 model next year.
As we discussed his dilemma we drew some parallel comparisons to what happened going into the 1972 model year. As we know, in 1971 every conceivable option was available and then going into 1972 suddenly the axe came down and the option list was chopped down to nothing. Why? I kind of get the change in engine lineup due to emissions and insurance - even though the big-block continued on in the B-body for a few more years. But what we couldn't come up with was why were some of the cool options like Shaker hoods, Go-Wings, Rim-Blow steering wheels, window louvers, etc not continued into the 1972 model year? We know they still had this stuff because I remember reading an article of when the company verged on bankruptcy in 1978, they were selling pallets of NOS sheet metal, to include pallets of Shaker hoods, for pennies on the pound for scrap! I imagine it had a lot to do with the E-bodies relatively lack-luster sales and corporate probably decided to not invest in it anymore and just ride it out to the end. But who really knows how they came to the decisions about the lineup that they did?
Therein lies the question and in turn raises a hypothetical one. Obviously sometime in 1971 prior to the 1972 model year coming out, corporate made the decision to whittle the options for the 1972's down to practically nothing. How soon prior to the beginning of the 1972 model year do you think they made that corporate decision announcement public? Without the internet information didn't flow like it does now, but they had to make the announcement at some point to the dealers, automotive press and the public. I imagine it would have had to have been while the 1971's were still in production, although near the end of the model year for them. I also wonder, if you were a total gearhead who read every single muscle car related magazine back in the day, if by the time it was announced, published, and you read it, if you would have had enough time to rush on down to the dealership and drop a last minute order for a 1971 model loaded with all the goodies that you had been dreaming about? Hypothetical I know, but still worth pondering about. Anyone know of any dated corporate announcements or bulletins where they make public the changes for the 1972's? Curious, that's all. Thanks.
Topic: Corporate decisions for 1972 - when did they know and when did they announce it? (Read 1005 times)
