I'll offer this, I spoke with several people in "Chrysler Archives" and Chrysler Historical back when they were getting ready to build the W. P. Chrysler Museum and was told stories from "they were thrown out", "they were water damaged and thrown out", the records were recorded on a format that the information cannot be retrieved because the retrieval equipment is obsolete and Chrysler will not spend the money to re-create this equipment" (I'll look for the thread on here where I explained this and how NASA had the same issue) and then I was told that some "general" information still exist like the amount of material like paint and vinyl is still around but nothing to tell anyone which cars were painted which color or how many had a vinyl roof or which color interior. Someone there at Chrysler told me he knew of someone in Michigan that has the "Tub File" with all of the '68-'70 car colors and could possibly tell how many cars were painted a certain color and I had the name but never was able to make a contact but I may be able to find that person's name. I know someone else that knows him and they may chime in if they read this....I hope.

Re: Factory Documentation
Reply #27 - 12/21/11 at 14:17:15 Quote

Quote from 6PK2GOBEE on 12/21/11 at 13:57:00:

Thank you to everyone who responded when the question was put out there on the whereabouts of the factory records. I sent a link to this forum to Brandt Rosenbusch manager of Historical services for the Chrysler group. As a result of his reading this forum he requested my phone number by Email and we spoke at length this past Monday AM. When he came on board at Chrysler Historical he, along with another employee that started there in '78, searched for the records but this search also wasn't 100%. He had heard the same rumors that they were destroyed in a fire, also a flood, but THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE RECORDS EVER HAVING BEEN DESTROYED.
He has asked this "guru" fellow if he has the records and he has said no. He has also stated that these records are the property of Chrysler and cannot be used by any individual for any purpose.
What he did tell me is the records were stored for a time in a basement location on site. They were also stored in trailers on site and he said this would have been a much less secure location that could have been accessable by anyone on the grounds. He did not know if the Canadian source of information in this forum got his records from that group of records or plant records from Windsor.
That said , I was told by him they are re-launching a thorough plant and company wide search for the records. This is being done in coordination with security at Chrysler. Also, he will be meeting with Security and the Legal department(s) after the 1st of the year to explore publishing a public appeal for the return of the records to the archives without fear of prosecution (Amnesty). He has said that he will be back in contact with me after he speaks to them.
THIS PART IS VERY IMPORTANT: Brandt has told me it would help his case for the public appeal very much if there were some proof that the records do exist. INFORMATION ON ONE CAR WOULD DO IT ! This is where I will appeal to everyone reading this forum to step up if you can and provide that link. If you have any information you can either Email it to me at: or directly to Brandt Rosenbusch at: Your confidentiality is guaranteed by me if you wish. I will forward all information directly to Brandt without your contact information if you desire that.
I believe that the records are out there somewhere and the case for their still being in existence is strong enough that a search is being renewed by Brandt Rosenbusch. Lets do everything possible to help him retrieve and preserve this important part of automotive history. He has told me that they are only to happy to share the records with any enthusiast that inquires and their track record certainly proves that ! SPREAD THE WORD AND LETS ALL HELP IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN ! In this way we can give back, to the company, and the hobby, that has given us so much.


Kevin OUTSTANDING work thank you!

And THANK YOU too Brandt for ALL of your and your team's efforts over the past years and decades trying to preserve the history of Chrysler vehicles. That's why there is such a loyal following because of efforts like this. Smiley Smiley


MikeR

and since Daimler
Cerberus
Fiat
& now Peugeot

what exists of "Chrysler Historical"? and/or their capabilities

The exact, car specific 68 and later IBM build cards were stored haphazardly in a rented warehouse in Hamtramck, near Dodge Main.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE IBM COMPUTER STORED INFORMATION (tapes)??

Who cares? Those old nine track IBM mag tapes could retain their data (or even be intact) for maybe 20 years if stored under ideal conditions. You might find some tapes, but there wont be any data on them.
Mark

Who cares? Those old nine track IBM mag tapes could retain their data (or even be intact) for maybe 20 years if stored under ideal conditions. You might find some tapes, but there wont be any data on them.
Mark

My bet is a lot of this info is on a tape somewhere - it’s just a matter of knowing who to ask and getting them to look for it.
But, only if the data was put on a disk or tape first, then used to print the IBM card.

Not sure where the data all started - i think back then the dealer sent his order to the Zone offices who then sent in those forms for vehicle orders.
If there was a central vehicle scheduling group who communicated to the plants via card, the data may be setting somewhere.