999 paint code E bodies

[JH27N0B]

I'm curious if anyone has ever compiled any data on 999 paint code E bodies?
I've never personally seen one, but have seen a few discussed or listed for sale.
Among the ones I remember seeing listed over the years-
A silver Challenger R/T convertible.  I think it was a U code.  Though I seem to recall seeing a silver 383 convertible pictured in a book also.  Are there two 999 silver Challenger convertibles?
I've seen at least one later (72-74) cuda listed in eBay that was a 999 code and claimed purple was the special order color.
I've heard several pink cars were built in '71 but not sure if any were E bodies?
I recall Barry Washington mentioned seeing documentation that at least one T/A was built with a 999 paint code, but didn't have any information on the color it was painted.  I've seen a couple people's online posts over the years that there was a silver T/A running around the Bay Area in the late 70s, but no documentation on if that was the original color or where that car is today.
One that broke my heart, 10 or more years ago, there was a very original looking '71 Challenger 318 convertible listed on eBay that was a 999 code and painted powder blue.  I may have pictures of it saved somewhere.  One of the Mopar well known types was involved in its eventual purchase or knew the buyer, who was looking for a car to make into yet another hemi convertible clone, and dismissed some peoples concerns about butchering up such a unique car as "doesn't matter, it's just a 318 car". 
There had to be more, anyone own or know of them?

[njsteve]

There's 1973 Cuda 340 on ebay right now that has a 999 on the broadcast and says it was special ordered In Violet. Looks like a really cool car

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-Plymouth-Barracuda-SPECIAL-ORDER-CUDA/223996124194?hash=item3427359c22%3Ag%3ABysAAOSwnEFerJzu&LH_ItemCondition=3000

also discussed here

https://forum.e-bodies.org/e-body-stuff-found-on-ebay-craigslist-or-anywhere-else/20/1973-plymouth-cuda-violet-metallic-340-four-speed/16062/msg212342#new

[anlauto]

With this type of 999 paint code, you really need some good proof to document the original colour before any restoration work starts.
To the best of my knowledge with 999 paint coded cars the actual colour is not listed anywhere except maybe the original receipt from the dealership...

Once restored....this 999 purple 1973 Cuda could have originally been 999 UPS brown for all we know....

[JH27N0B]

I've never read any articles or seen any posts giving history of 999 paint codes and how they came to be.  I'm guessing if you could go back in a time machine with a briefcase full of cash intending to order the rarest Mopar muscle car to bring back today with you, you couldn't have just told the salesman I want my hemi Cuda convertible painted Petty Blue for example, and he would have made it happen.
One probably had to be ordering for a fleet, or for a dealer limited edition like Bengal Chargers, or been a VIP or someone with connections, or maybe marketing wanting something for a promotion or contest, to get a special color car built.
But maybe I'm wrong?
My recollection of that powder blue Challenger convertible was that the listing said it was built for a dealers wife.

[1 Wild R/T]

You absolutely could have had a 999 code paint on your special ordered Hemicuda convertible... I know of a few 999 code cars in my area... They weren't any kind of fleet or package/promo cars..

[worthywads]

Not e-body but I once looked at a 999 code 67 Dart convertible that was a nice Aqua with white interior.  I passed because it was more rusty that I was interested, but in hindsight it wasn't bad at all.  I ended up buying my Challenger convertible a few months later so no regrets passing on that one.

Northwest Iowa, have never seen it since.

[6bblgt]

 the purpose of the 999 "special order paint" program is to allow commercial/fleet customers the ability to have their cars/trucks painted in a corporate identity color

       /6 4-door Darts for OHIO BELL TELEPHONE Co. painted "Ohio Bell green" or police cars for NEVADA HIGHWAY PATROL painted "NEVADA BLUE" - the color would be consistent from year to year and from any manufacturer - the "special order paint" fee (which ranged from ~$50 to $100 per car) would be waived for orders of 50+ vehicles.  Many government departmental vehicles were also painted a "fleet" color: ARMY / Air Force / Border Patrol / Forestry Service / Department of Transportation / etc.

the first I know of any individual "special order paint" cars are some early '60s 300s - these were often available in black / white / red ONLY, yet there are a handful in "primer" or other special colors.
Max Wedge era race car owners also got in on the "special paint" program - some in primer, some in "corporate blue" (a Plymouth corporate identity color a.k.a. "Petty blue") '64 HEMI Plymouth pic attached & others

it appears a southern California dealer's association or zone manager figured out they could produce special cars by ordering "special order paint" cars in the 50+ units and spread them out between a number of dealerships and it wouldn't cost any additional monies.  the first car that I recall to fall into this category is a quantity of 1966 Barracudas painted "playmate pink" - GROOVY!!

by '68 there were regional "Omaha orange" (same fleet color used by Michigan's DOT) Road Runners / Chargers / Barracudas - followed by the "Bengal Chargers" in Cincinnati and there must have been some use in Detroit of cars painted "Hawaiian blue" the color of the Lion's logo (look at a '68 paint chart "Hawaiian blue" is listed there)
in '69 it got serious 4,000+ Road Runners (by my estimates) received "special order paint" in: "rally green" (a '68 Chevrolet color) "Bahama yellow" (a '67 Porsche color) "performance red" (a '68 Charger "spring special" color) & "Omaha orange" (a fleet color for a least a decade, think safety orange) - ALL AT NO-CHARGE! ordered in quantities of 50+

[1 Wild R/T]

in '69 it got serious 4,000+ Road Runners (by my estimates) received "special order paint" in: "rally green" (a '68 Chevrolet color)

One of the local 999 cars is a 69 roadrunner in Rally Green.... Another is a 70 Challenger also originally in Rally Green.... Unfortunately when it got restored the guys wife hated Rally Green so it got painted FJ6...

[6bblgt]

by 1970 somebody at Chrysler was paying attention & the "high-impact extra-cost paints" were born at $14 a car 

the need for "special order paint" cars slowed down a bit, but the individual ~$50 to $100 surcharge cars still exist - most that I've seen are painted a color not available as a STANDARD color on that model/that year

1970
EA4 Challengers / GTXs / Chargers (c-body ONLY color)
EA9 Challengers (Dodge c-body & Imperial ONLY color)
FM3 Fury III (a/b/e-body ONLY color)

this lead to pink / purple / orange cars in the years after the color was discontinued