Why do people persist with these "Area 51" car stories??

I've touched on this before but after a few conversations I had last week,I think it's worth re-visiting. I don't know why but people continue to perpetuate myths about cars that don't exist. It just drives me up the wall, because even if I show irrefutable proof that their wrong,these idiots insist that these cars exist. Ugh!!  Anyhow here's the list of the ones that just won't die. # 1. 1964 Olds 442 Sedan / Station Wagon. Surprised by the incredible sales success of the Pontiac GTO-Olds engineers scrambled to put together a performance package for the Cutlass. The name 442 stood for 4bbl carb,4-speed transmission and dual exhaust. However all the 330 inch 442 was going to see of a 389 engined GTO was the taillights. Anyhow in 1964 Olds sales literature and the GM order book the 442 package was listed as available on any Cutlass / F85 model-including 4-door sedans and wagons. The key word is "available". This happened a lot in the '60's. Just because something was on the option list doesn't automatically mean that some or any cars were ever built with that option. According to Oldsmobile reps all 442s were 2 dr models. I have never seen a 4 door / wagon with 442 equipment, I have never seen a window sticker or build sheet for one,and no magazine or GM representative has ever verified one. # 2. Tri-Power 1967 GTO. The 3-2bbl option had been a Pontiac Performance Staple since 1959. In late 1966 GM brass said that all multi-carb options had to be cancelled. Zora-Arkus Duntov and Chevrolet defied the order keeping their 3-2bbl option on the Corvette until 1969. The other divisions toed the line. Also In 1967 Pontiac completely revamped their engines. Displacements were increased from 389 to 400 inches, and from 421 to 428 inches. The cylinder heads were completely re-designed with bigger intake and exhaust ports and had large 2.11 / 1.77 inch valves and breathed much better than the "bathtub", 1.96 / 1.66 small valve '59-66 heads. The intake manifold was improved and the new 750 cfm Rochester Quadrajet carburator replaced the old 500 cfm Carter AFB. The new engine had actually had MORE power than the ones it replaced. However, enthusiasts and the buff magazines cried bloody murder when the Tri-power option was cancelled. The '65-66 setup was available through dealership parts departments and it would bolt onto the new engine. Some dealers like Royal Pontiac would have their service departments install it if you paid extra. So technically someone who says their father or older brother bought a '67 GTO brand-new off the lot with Tri-Power on it may not be lying; however their was NEVER a factory built version. # 3. 1972 440 / Six-Pack Charger / Road Runner. The 440 Six-Pack option was listed in very early 1972 sales literature with 9:1 compression and 330 hp. Much tamer than the 10.3:1 and 385 hp of the '71 model. However they had trouble passing '72 emissions standards and the option was scrapped, leaving the 280 hp 440 4bbl as the top engine option. Rumors persist that 10 or 12 '72 Six-Pack models "slipped out" , but I have never seen one, I have never seen a window sticker or build sheet for one, and I have never read of any magazine or Chrysler representative ever verifying one. To this day Edelbrock sells the manifold, Holley sells the carbs and Mopar Performance sells the air cleaner and throttle linkage, so it wouldn't be hard to put the setup on a 4bbl car. If someone can produce a window sticker or build sheet or fender tag proving me wrong I'll take this one off the list. But until then I stand by the fact that there was never a factory built model. # 4. 1971 LS6 Chevelle. In 1970 the mighty 450 hp LS6 454 was slated to be optional in the Camaro SS and the Nova SS as well as the Chevelle. Since the 396 was already an option on those cars it would have a bolt-in. Further, Zora-Arkus Duntov-chief Corvette engineer, fully expected the much more radical LS7 to make production as the 'Vette's "King Kong" engine, so he didn't offer the LS6. The brass decided at the last minute to cut down on "model proliferation"-whatever that means-and ultimately the LS6 was only available in the Chevelle line. You could get a 1970 Corvette with a 454; but it was the LS5 hydraulic-cammed 360 hp "station wagon" version. This left the 370hp LT-1 350 small-block as the 'Vette's top performance option. In 1971 for some perverse reason, the roles were reversed. The LS6 was listed as optional in the Chevelle in early sales literature with 9:1 compression and a 425 hp rating. However, the option was cancelled and no '71 LS6 SS Chevelles were ever built. You could get the LS6 in a Corvette and over 1100 of those were sold. Further muddying the waters-the LS6 was sold as a crate engine through dealership parts departments until 1991. So again, some clown could have a '71 SS Chevelle with an LS6 in it that he says he bought in 1972. But there was never, ever a factory built version. # 5. 1971-72 GTO Station Wagon. You could get the "Endura" ( read GTO ) front end and scooped hood on any LeMans model, including wagons. You could order Rally II or "Honeycomb" wheels on a wagon if you wanted. You could also get the 400 4bbl and 455 4bbl V8s. However the 455 was the garden-variety 250 hp version. The vaunted 455HO ( which had RAIV heads and intake and exhaust manifolds paired with the "068" cam ) was only optional in the GTO,Trans-Am and Formula Firebirds and the Tempest T-37 / LeMans GT. It was NEVER available in wagons. So if some clown is claiming to have a GTO wagon-he's full of shit. It's a LeMans Sport. Period. # 6. 1973 Super Duty Pontiacs. In early 1973 sales literature the SD-455 was listed as available in the LeMans, the GTO,the Gran Prix,and the Grand Am as well as Trans-Am and Formula Firebirds. Cars magazine even goofed and named the '73 GTO "Car of the Year". In reality the SD-455 had trouble passing emissions with the hot RAIV cam. It was swapped for the much milder RAIII cam, and the hp was down-rated from 310 to 290. They also had trouble with the connecting rod supplier and with EGR valve function. Only the tireless efforts of Herb Adams and the buff magazines raving about it kept it from being cancelled altogether. Finally in April 1973 the engine was EPA certified in the Firebird line only. 295 were built, 252 in Trans-Ams and another 43 in Formulas. Another 943 were put in 1974 Trans-Ams. Parts were so scarce that if you wanted to buy any SD-455 replacement parts-rods, oil pumps, heads, whatever-you had to produce a title or car registration with the vin number on it!!  So any asshole claiming to have a Grand Am or Gran Prix or anything other than a T/A or Formula with an SD-455 is just that-a lying asshole. They simply don't exist. I hope this clears these myths up, but I doubt it. There's always some idiot willing to believe wild stories. Mastermind