1966 Barracuda Formula S on Bring A Trailer NOT MINE

I suspect they didn't start on the 1st of August. My '66 SO date is the day before this one (8/17/65) and has a 499 VIN. That's 1,675 numbers before this one in only one day. They didn't always get built in exact VIN or SO number sequence, but, that still seems like a big gap for one day. If that gap is consistent, Mine must have been built the 2nd day of production. I've looked at '66 Barracuda VIN's for over 40 years now and haven't found an earlier one than mine. Still lookin though! :lol:
What plant made yours? The Hamtramck/dodge Main started the Ser. no at 500,001 for A body Valiant/Dart models, for some reason, or so the published sources say (For example, "Each Plant consecutively numbers all vehicles beginning at 100001, regardless of car make or model, except Hamtramck built Valiant and Dart models which begin at 500001." at https://www.geocities.ws/MotorCity/Speedway/9048/vin.html ). Although the Barracuda was made at several other plants that did not use the 500,001 as first one (st. louis for example and LA). A 1966 vin with 499,*** is another MoPar mystery if it was a BP29D62XXXXXX.... almost like they were just making cars and not worrying about a bunch of us trying to make sense of it 60 years later.

I wonder if the SO Number format also differs, as all my Dodge Main produced ones i have owned or have seen in mags and on line have Axx for date of manufacture with a letter for the month whereas the ones I have seen with the 3 digit, all number, mfg date on the fender tag are not Dodge main manufacture....Food for thought. My sample is small as I have only owned a couple 66's and seen maybe 40 others over the years in person or in junk yards and have never seen a non Dodge Main manufacture one in the wild here in the KC area with a fender tag. Saw ONE NY car in a junkyard back in the 80's in Lawrence, KS but it had no fender tag (that was the only NY Flasher car I have seen in IRL).

Anyone have a source that says WHY Hamtramck started at 500,001 for dart and valiant models?