Octania

6/28/2014 Looking for information on a 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass with the 442 package. The trim tag states this is a "Pilot" car with a Vin Number ending 001. It has the 455ci Olds motor and a turbo 400 transmission. The coupe is white with black stripes on a black interior. It was found in California a few years ago. We have not restored the car as we want to find out its history and how it looked. Thank you -Frank ls6gtota@gmail.com 603-635-8008 Pelham NH AD#70861

from 442.com

Body #001 eh

interesting!

Koda

I'd love to see that trim tag.

rocketraider

I would too, especially given the source of original post.

Not saying it can't be, but the factory generally didn't release cars like that for general sale. Would almost have to have been an employee sale, and a well-connected employee then.

Allan R

Does the VIN or body number equal 001? All the 72 Olds production plants assembly lines (VIN codes) for A body started at 100001. So is the VIN that number or is it body 001, and the cowl tag stamped with 'Pilot'? Also would be really nice to know what the time build code is on the cowl tag.

kjr442

This sounds like a cool car to have.

Koda

I'd be surprised if it were stamped 'pilot.' Although I'll give the nod to either Dave B or Dave H for their knowledge, pilot is not actually the car, but rather the production department that handles the trials. The car is more accurately called a white body, since most were white (you can see stuff a lot better in the shadows) or usually a trial body.

Trial bodies did not get vins, and were not sold to the general public, and were, as a practice, scrapped. This was done for liability purposes. Some of the very last "trial cars" may have been sale-able vehicles and have VINs and be made normally, just subjected to extra quality checks. If this were such, then that might make sense, but I don't think the trim tag would be anything other than normal.

If the trim tag does indeed say pilot, I think it had a VIN added.

kjr442

Why would there be a " pilot " for 72 ? Its the same as a 71. I thought the 73 body was supposed to come out in 72, but was delayed for a year.

don71

I don't see a white body being sold to the general public either. I've heard these described as "bodies in white" as well, but turned into race cars and not titled somehow before they were scrapped.

Now its just a coincidence, if this is a Hollywood car and from California could of it been related to some kind of film production?

Why else would you call it a pilot? New shows often had a pilot episode.

Sounds like deception to me, needs proof.

Diego

There's a few Mopar pilot cars hanging around, so I would think it's possible. Granted, it's likely Chrysler's quality control wasn't as good as GM's, but if a consumer could buy a FWD 1968 4-4-2 from a dealership, I would think an Olds pilot car would be no sweat.