Back in the '60s it was often possible to order special combinations from car manufacturers that weren't even listed in the order books. The most famous of these programs was Chevy's "COPO". I can't remember what the acronym stood for, but basically if you wanted something that was entirely possible to build but not catalogued, you went to your dealer and asked very nicely. He'd then put in a request to Chevy, and they'd reply if they would build it, and how much it would cost. From what I hear they weren't cheap, so dealers usually did their best to convince customers to stick to stock options. One example of COPO is documented non-Corvette cars built after '57 with the famous Rochester fuel injection. This was introduced in '57 to great fanfare as Chevy rated the TOL 283 small block at 283 hp, or one hp per cubic inch, which was unheard of then for a non-exotic engine. You could order the "fuelie" in virtually any Chevy that year. In '58 they brought out the first 348 big block V8, which was never offered in the Corvette. However, since the TOL 348 and its offspring the 409 made more power than the fuelie, fuel injection was dropped except in the 'Vette. A very few customers wanted the small block fuelie in a sedan, though, and Chevy obliged them. These cars are now worth a lot of money, needless to say.
Another peculiar example of a very custom order came to light a couple of year ago. It was a one-family-from-new '66 Plymouth Satellite four door sedan with the 426 hemi engine. This was the first year for the famous street hemi, and Chrysler didn't even bother to list an idle speed for the car during a cold-weather start, as the engine was intended only for high performance. In fact Chrysler didn't want to sell hemis for anything other than drag racing or NASCAR, but had to offer it to the public to be allowed to race it. As a result it was a very expensive option and limited to Satellite and Dodge Coronet two door and convertible cars. The documented story behind the four door Satellite is that the original owner was an experienced racer of some sort who liked Chryslers. He bought the car for his own daily use, and needed a four door as he had elderly parents who frequently rode with him! Initially the dealer and Chrysler said they wouldn't build it, but then he told them that rather than buy the two door he'd go order a big-block Chevelle, so they agreed to build it for him.
