[DeTomaso] VIN Plate Double-stamp

[The DeTomaso Registry Guy]

A few weeks ago, I chased down a Pantera that I had not seen in my town
before.  I do not want to get into specifics on the VIN until I clear it
with the owner, but it was was double stamped on the first of the last 4
digits (the thousandths).  Because the number was very close to VIN #s of
the prior thousand, it seemed reasonable that the factory would have
printed a bunch of plates with the thousand digit pre-stamped.

It seems reasonable, but I wanted to check if anybody else has seen this or
heard that VIN plates were done that way.  It's kind of like finding a
double headed coin.

Rob

Rob,

Vin irregularities are actually pretty common for DeTomaso.  
If people use the Registry site map, and search for VIN topics like Unusual VINs, etc... 
you will find a number of irregular examples.  
I have not added examples of every variation.... just way too many!

>From studying VIN stamps (of thousands of DeTomaso cars) I have seen a wide variety of
variations, from transposed numbers, to upside down numbers, and including missing
digits, and more. My analysis indicates that the numbers (on the foot box) 
were hand-stamped individually.

One 'might' think that the 'star' DETOMASO 874 part would be a single stamping,
but I have found variations where the bottom (or top) of letters do not align as 
one might expect from a group stamp.

For cars post-1980 ... I chatted with a person that actually stamped DeTomaso foot box VINs!
He described using a heavy vise-like tool to stamp the foot box (already in a partially built car).

I believe that during the Ford-era production, foot box VIN stamps were made as part of the
initial assembly... Such as; build a foot box, stamp it... add it to the front bulkhead, 
attach that to the next section of the body... 

Some photos of the phases of production can be seen in the early 1972 tour for the news media.

So I do not always 'presume' foul play, when I see a VIN stamping that is out or the ordinary,
it just requires a closer inspection.

Interesting topic none-the-less.

Chuck