One of One Rare Car

I know Ray, and have no doubts about his integrity or the authenticity of the Signet, but I do question the method in which the car is claimed to have been brought to Seattle.

First, the 737...designated aircraft # PA099...didn't fly until mid-1966, so why would he buy a '65 when the '67 models were already being built?

Second, the chance of getting a hop to Detroit aboard a test aircraft would be pretty slim. Things were much looser in that era, but every minute of those test flights are tightly scheduled and you don't just swing by another city to drop off a couple of people bumming a ride.

Finally, I knew many of the people involved in the 737 program, and I never heard of any executive named Bill Stephens...but then I don't recall what I had for dinner last night either, so I might be wrong on that point. However, I'm not wrong on the 737 info.

FWIW, I sold Chryslers and Plymouths in 1964, and you could special order equipment that was not a standard option. It was no more difficult than the dealer working with the regional rep for availability, schedule and pricing, and anyone could do it. You didn't have to be a corporate executive to pull strings. You only had to pay extra and usually wait forever. As an example, I ordered a '64 New Yorker with a floor mount 3-speed manual transmission for a wealthy old farmer who didn't trust automatic transmissions. I'm guessing that was probably a one-of-one that would have gotten enthusiasts into an argument.