[DeTomaso] VINs

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/16/07 10 55 0, msm at portata.com writes:


> While stripping and repainting my hood, I found the number "512" stamped on
> the hood and on both of its hinges.  My VIN is "1512".  Are those stamped
> numbers supposed to be the VIN or is that just a three-digit coincident?
> The numbers look like they were done at the factory vs. something done after
> the fact.
> 
>>>Yup, that's factory.
> 
> I have also found "1512" hand written on various other bits such as the kick
> panels.  I assume that this was done during a restoration to avoid mixing up
> the bits from other Pantera being restored at the same place.
> 
>>>Nope, that was done when the cars were manufactured.   They stopped doing 
it with the later cars.   Mangustas also have the VIN stamped all over the 
place.

This was done because the early cars were hand-fitted everywhere before they 
were painted.   Things like the 'gills' behind the windows on each side, all 
the door trim, etc. and so forth were all tweaked and filed and whatnot by 
hand, then removed so the car could be painted.   They had to have a way to 
reunite the parts with the cars afterwards.

I think later on, the pieces/parts became standardized enough that it wasn't 
so necessary?

We'll ask Don in Vegas--he'll tell us the whole story!

Mike





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