[DeTomaso] serial number

[Larry Finch]

Well Chris,

Your original Cleveland motor number had nothing to do with the VIN,  
or with any Ford-applied block number.

The five digit # stamped on the original block was initiated and  
applied by De Tomaso.  In addition to the engine bay plate with that  
engine #, it also appears stamped into the aluminum plate that  
surrounds your front pedal-box VIN.

Now that you have trashed the original block, instead of rebuilding it  
and keeping it with the car (A much better option to my way of  
thinking since you did retain a Cleveland block) any engine  plate on  
your car is pretty much worthless history.

3846 will now forever be a Pantera without its original block; which  
in Pantera land is not such a big deal.

I'd probably just let the original references to 2813 remain with the  
car.  Making new plates is kind of fraudulent and you'd have to create  
a fictional block number to do so.

Larry