[DeTomaso] Aqua Green '71 Pantera For Sale in the Seattle Area
MikeLDrew at aol.com
MikeLDrew at aol.com
Sun Jun 27 00:49:38 EDT 2010
In a message dated 6/26/10 19 56 51, jb841 at cox.net writes:
> The Ford parts book also shows that warranty plates that were attached to
> the foot box started in 1972 "From Ser. 4269", which is the beginning of
> the
> L model.
>
>>>It says that, but it ain't true. Those dataplates were used from day
one. The book might be referring to the BSN, but even that statement isn't
accurate.
The Body Service Number started shortly before #4269. The lowest VIN in
the registry with a BSN is #4003, which has BSN 50037. Interestingly, but
not surprisingly, the lowest BSN in the registry is 50006, which appears on
VIN #4028. Remember, the VINS were stamped in the bodies sequentially in
Turin, then they were trucked to Modena, mixed all together, and then randomly
sent down the line where they received their BSNs. So while there is a
broad correlation (you typically won't find a very high VIN with a very low
BSN), when you get down to the nitty gritty, they seem to be plus or minus 50
numbers or so.
I just tonight realized that use of the aluminum engine number plate in the
front trunk petered out in 1973. None of the 1974 models in the registry
have the plate; neither do the later 1973 cars, but the earlier ones do.
Does anybody here have an original '74 (Chuck Engles?) with that aluminum
plate? I know Chuck owns #7171 and #7191 (that itself scares me, why do I
remember such things?) and I'm pretty certain his don't have the plate.
The Ford book is very confusing. On page 6 it shows the 'warranty plate'
which is mounted in the driver's side doorjamb, and claims they were only
put there in '71 and '72 but we all know they were there for the duration
(remember Asa Jay had his blow apart a few weeks ago?). Then on Page 7 it
shows what it purports to be the 'warranty plate' and says it's mounted in the
front trunk from #4269, but what it actually shows is the much larger front
trunk aluminum dataplate (with the bottom cut off) which seems to have been
used from the start until mid-'73?
>
> >Someone correct me if I am wrong, but this is also when the motor number
> was first displayed on a plate.
>
>>>Totally not true. My '72 Pre-L #3960 has motor number 02884 stamped on
the front tag. Stephane Bergeron's early Euro pushbutton has motor number
00897 similarly. All Panteras I've ever seen that had their original
front trunk dataplates had the engine number stamped on it.
That number is normally replicated on a second tag which is affixed inside
the engine compartment. Did that tag start from day one, or was it phased
in at some point? My car doesn't have one now; if it ever had one, it
disappeared somewhere along the way...not that it matters because my car is now
on at least its third engine block....
Mike
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