We need to remember that most of these cars that we think are so unique were NOT special ordered by customers!!!!
They were ordered by someone in the dealership for saleability. They knew what would sell. I would be curious how many cars (including this sites Chevrolet's) were actually ordered by the person who bought the car. I would say it was rather rare. Some were ordered to race but most were not special ordered by the customer. Now, we think, 'boy, someone ordered this car with strange options' when that someone probably was the sales manager for the dealership.
Very few walked in and ordered the car as I did mine. It was not the first car I special ordered. Never got the first one as the dealer did not want the warrenty work with a 4 speed. The car I finally got had an auto and he rebuilt it 5 times the first year. And that is just the beginning of the problems I could chronicle about the car.