Reply to "Australian Pantera Photo Gallery & Registry"

The VIN or chassis number is the best way of keeping track of our cars. We tend to use only the last four numbers, but in fact the whole thing is important. Have a look at the VIN decoder posted on Chuck Melton's web site:

http://www.geocities.com/provamo72/VINDecoder.html

See also the winter 2003 edition of PI Magazine for a detailed article, also written by Chuck Melton, on VIN and other information plates on the Pantera.

Kjell Jansson explained the chassis numbering system for late model cars to me as follows:

The 10-th position in the code should tell the production year. ZDT874000HA009507 is ( H )
E = 1984
F = 1985
G = 1986
H = 1987
J = 1988
K = 1989
L = 1990
M = 1991
Cars made after July 1st are named the next year model.

The year of registration/model year can be, and often is, different from the year of manufacture.

Elsewhere in the PI BB, George Pence has written an explanation of Pantera VIN numbers that I found very interesting and helpful:

The VIN code, aka the chassis number, doesn't provide the detailed info [one might expect]. It tells you its a Pantera, made by DeTomaso in Modena, Vignale's build date of the coach (NOT the final assembly date of the vehicle), and the sequential build number for the coach (NOT the sequence for the final assembly). That's all the info contained in the VIN number.

The body service number, fastened to the foot box in the front trunk, tells you the cars final sequential assembly order. The earliest Panteras do not have that tag, Ford adopted its use in 1972. The build date in the door jamb is the cars final assembly date, and can be one month older than the date built into the VIN number. That's why you need all 3 numbers to construct a production history. The VIN number is next to worthless. Options, paint color, information like that, is not incorporated into any of the numbers.

- Peter