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Ok,
I am sorry that I seem defensive, as I am not. I am extremely frustrated with being initidated with responses that are obvious. After reading all the responses let's digress and stop with the insulting exchange.

I first will apologize to the group for my sharp responses!

So we can establish a baseline I will give u a summary of my background and knowledge level. As I stated in previous messages, I have owned 3-Panteras, to which I have performed most of the work myself. I am not only a Pantera enthusiast, but love the styling of Old English cars...... I have personally performed ground up restorations on three Austin Healy 3000s, one MGA, and have fixed and sold more than 50 other classics. I have other restoration projects under way as we speak. So I am capable of welding, and completely disssemblying and re-assembling cars. I typically leave rebuilding engines and trannys to the experts, but have done both in the past.

That being said, I know my way around a car, and vehicle ID plates. I already know this Pantera has an unusual plate over the footwell, and is missing the plate on the rear inside fender well. The ID plates on the dash and in the door look authentic, with the one on the door having engraved letters on the ID plate. It is not an aftermarket printed plate.

The bumpers have shocks and are not bolted on, which I understand would make it a US car. The wheels on the car are believe to be incorrect as we all know they are very early single slot Campys. However, I will reserve my opinion on whether they are factory as this car may be a left over pieced-together car assembled in Italy after Ford pulled the plug.

After reading the informative messages (thank you) we know a few things......
1- That this Pantera may be a pieced together car by the factory and imported to the
US?
2-That this Pantera may have been an "after Ford" import that was part of a recall as
this car does in fact have a flat plate tack welded in place over the footwell.
3-That the car was a personally ordered car that was imported in between the last
Ford and the European models produced with the 9000 series.
4-Are we Not suee if this body is a Vignale or a Maggiora? It sounds like since this
car has the rounded fenders it is a Vignale?

If there is something I have missed, please add constructive comments. Again, I apologize for my short, sharp responses. I was frustrated in the process. Please know I appreciate the insightfulness of the group. We will find out the history of this car. Does anyone know the process for researching a VIN in PA? Prior to my ownership, the car was last known to be titled there.

Thank you, Brian
The car is definitely an L model body, manufactured at the Vignale plant, and appears to be a car originally intended for sale in North America. Its not likely the single slot Campys are original to the car, but stranger things have happened. The body service number and trans number would indicate the car originally had a chassis number of about 6300. I like the color by the way, Panteras look sharp in orange.

I've always been under the impression only the factory renumbered the chassis. That would mean the car has been to Italy sometime in the past. Or perhaps as you mentioned, the car was renumbered before it was sold new ... and then exported to the US as a custom order. That seems like the most likely case.

Knowing the original VIN may put you on the path of a previous owner ... or it may simply prove this was a left-over coach in which final assembly took place in the "Post Ford Era".

I don't know how hard it would be to remove the foot well plate with the VIN stamped into it, but you know the original number will be below that plate. I wonder if it would be possible to read the original VIN from inside the car, looking up at top of the foot well from inside with an inspection light & a mirror?

Santiago De Tomaso may be your only source for unravelling the cars history.
George,
We are on the same page.....it is my understanding that the car sat in a storage container for some time in Pennsylvania. So, if anyone knows how to get the history of the car from PA DMV, I'll start by chasing the car in Pennsylvania.

I think, I could drill the welds out and retack the plate back on, as I have a great little Mig welder...... If you all think I will find a number under it and that I won't damage anything in the footwell.
Pennsylvania has a "Right To Know Law", which covers informational requests of govt. agencies. You should find out what is available and request it, although likely it would not include former owner's personal info.

You might consult with your state's DMV or state police about knowingly removing a VIN tag, as it is generally illegal. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/511

(Or not. Sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness than permission.)
Removing the new VIN plate to expose the original foot box stamping might be the only definitive way to know the prior VIN#, but many of the parts also have the last 3 digits of the VIN stamped on them for the factory to keep track of which fitted parts went where. The underside of the headlight buckets is one place a three digit number can usually be found.

Julian

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