I've recently received a Marti report for one of my cars. Car was built in Metuchen with "retail order type" shipped to dealer Norman Motor Co in College park , MD.
Order Received: 12/05/66
Car Serialized: 12/06/66
Bucked: - - -
Scheduled for Build: 12/15/66
Actually Built: 12/20/66
Released: 12/20/66
Sold: 08/09/67
Was this 8 month time at the dealer lot sitting before sale? I find this curious unless the car was used by an employee?
Meanwhile, across the country in a small desert town of Barstow California (midpoint between Los Angeles & Lost Wages Nv.), another 67 Mustang (with many factory options) spent a similar amount of time unsold.
It is always possible that a dealership owner might loan a car to an employee, family member or otherwise use it as a demo...The world may never know! I do know dealerships had an option to ORDER cars as a demo but I have no knowledge of why a dealership might NOT check that box on an order form if that was the intended purpose.
My example was essentially ordered and sold out in the middle of the Mojave Desert...100 or more miles away from any large city (in the mid-1960's). I cannot see a small town sitting on such a RETAIL order for over 10 months...but it happened frequently (apparently).
(Built in Milpitas)
Order Type: Retail
DSO Item#. 0233
Dealer #. 71G416
Dee Motor Co Inc
1010 W Main St (RTE 66)
Barstow CA 92312
Order received:. 10/20/66
Car Serialized:. 10/21/66
Bucked (blank)
Scheduled Build: 11/01/66
Actual Build. 11/02/66
Released Date:. 11/02/66
Sold Date:. 10/07/67