[DeTomaso] Number of USA GTS cars produced is 150.

detomasoregistry at gmail.com detomasoregistry at gmail.com
Sat Dec 5 19:40:56 EST 2009


While the number of USA GTS cars produced was often cited as 98 in books and articles, I
have long believed

the number was higher, and I believe the actual number is 150.

 

What I am talking about are the Panteras built with the "cosmetic" GTS package, intended
for the USA market

and designated with the VIN pattern of THGTxx0xxxx, compared to the non-USA-GTS pattern of
THPNxx0xxxx.

 

I am not referring to the Euro-GTS, a rather popular model through out the rest of the
world.

 

There were a number of 1974 model year GTS cars that were re-titled as 1973 model year
cars in California, as 

a 1974 model would have different smog, and safety standards (and some other details).
Perhaps the number 

GTS cars destined for California was 98.  I really don't know where this number
originated, but I believe it is wrong.

 

One way to identify a USA GTS is that the Body Service Number (BSN) begins with 30001
versus 50001.

It would be a reasonable presumption that the numbers were assigned sequentially, with no
numbers skipped.

 

(The BSN order is not necessarily equal the VIN order, example below.)

 

Thus, if there was a car with a BSN of say, 30149, that there are (at least) 149 USA-GTS
identified cars.

 

The highest USA-GTS car in the DeTomaso Registry with a verified BSN is car #7223, with a
BSN of 30135.  

Car 7233 has a BSN of 30130.

This rather cleanly refutes the too often repeated claim that there are "only 98 USA GTS"
cars.

 

Again I'll state that I believe there were 150 US-GTS cars produced.

 

I call on Mike Drew to please comment and correct me if I am wrong (like just where the
number 98 came from, or

why California cars got re-titled as earlier model-year cars)

 

.and how many USA-GTS cars Mike believes were produced.

 

Also, if anyone has facts that support or conflict with my statement, I'd love to review
it!

 

Chuck Melton

 

The Registry Guy

 

 

 

 

 

 




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