Yes. Peter, It was ordered in house, ... --I did not try to pass it off as
standard production run. -That is why I deliberately included the destination
info. The fact that the publicity department ordered one in that combination,
indicates to me that they thought the desirability of the color combination
was worth the trouble of building one. However, it was then also sold to the
general public, afterward.
If it was good enough for DMHC to sell it, it's good enough for me, and should
be for anyone else. -That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Boy, I thought I was a hardass when it came to originality.
David W. Jones
'62 Mk II BT7 tricarb
Cumberland, RI USA
----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Svilans
To: healeys@autox.team.net
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 5:31 PM
Subject: Red/ Black 6cyl Cars
Students of the marque enjoy finding exceptions to the run of the mill
production stuff, more than just about anything else.
This Heritage Certificate black interior was ordered IN HOUSE by BMC's own
publicity department.
As this department's job was to sell cars, they could order anything they
wanted. Maybe the photographer thought black seats would set off the
model's
red dress better than red seats would, who knows.
Doesn't mean this is a license to now do anything the restorer wants,
because
hey, publicity could have ordered anything.
Somewhere in the historical timeline, in 1956-7, a group of factory people
in
suits and white lab coats got together, squinted at the samples, discussed
the
current American interior schemes, and deliberately decided "No, we will
not
carry on the black interiors from the 100 for the red cars for the new 6
cylinder model", and stuck to this decision for nearly five years and
thousands of cars produced.
Lets encourage restorers to stick to the club's mandate and preserve the
marque as it actually looked when produced.
Peter
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