quote:
Originally posted by KwPantera:
... I'm reading an older post of yours that indicates that many earlier serial numbers were actually considered 1973 cars ...
Ford officially considered cars from 4269 to 4839 as 1972-1/2 models; cars from 4840 to 5899 were 1973 models; 5900 to 7380 were 1974 models. This is as per Ford documentation, documentation that many owners have in their collection.
Of course July 1 1972 was the beginning of model year 1973 as far as Ford & Lincoln/Mercury dealerships were concerned. Some Lincoln dealers did in fact document the 1972-1/2 models as 1973 models when they registered them. That was what I was trying to get across in that earlier post.
The 1973 Pantera model year was only 6 months long, January 1 1973 through June 30 1973. The Pantera 1974 model year began July 1 1973, and was thus brought into alignment with corporate Ford's model year. This alignment only lasted one model year, and was in fact extended 2 extra months! The 1974 model year was 14 months long! Ford manufactured 1974 Panteras through August 1974, even though it had been building 1975 Fords, Lincolns & Mercurys since July 1 1974.
The history gets stranger than that when you get into it. Ford (operating as Ghia Operations) built the 1973 and 1974 Panteras shipped to the US ... not DeTomaso!
Fascinating ... indeed.
