This car is for sale a few hendred miles from me. How can it be a Pre L in 73? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other-Makes-Detomaso-Pan...mZ260000075406QQrdZ1
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Bill,
the first "L" model, equipped with the 5 mph bumpers & low compression motor with EGR, is officially 4269. The car on ebay is chassis 4201. This car was probably built the same week the production of L models began! The owner says it was built in August '72, which tells me Ford was running behind schedule when they began producing "L" models. Technically the owner of the car on e-bay is 100% correct, any Pantera assembled after July 1, 1972 is a 1973 model. This is just another wrinkle in the production history of the Pantera. There was probably 300 Pre-L Panteras assembled during the first month of the 1973 model year.
I have a new "bit" of info for the production history story I wrote a while back. Good eye my friend.
hope your weekend is going well, George
the first "L" model, equipped with the 5 mph bumpers & low compression motor with EGR, is officially 4269. The car on ebay is chassis 4201. This car was probably built the same week the production of L models began! The owner says it was built in August '72, which tells me Ford was running behind schedule when they began producing "L" models. Technically the owner of the car on e-bay is 100% correct, any Pantera assembled after July 1, 1972 is a 1973 model. This is just another wrinkle in the production history of the Pantera. There was probably 300 Pre-L Panteras assembled during the first month of the 1973 model year.
I have a new "bit" of info for the production history story I wrote a while back. Good eye my friend.
hope your weekend is going well, George
George, do you know what the average monthly production was? My car is 4460 and it has a September date code on it.
Doug, mine is 4903 and an November date code.
Wow, we're almost related DT!
Well that may be Doug, but it also tells you they were building about 250 cars a month in that time frame. Maybe more. 
I owned this particular car from 1992-2000. It is definately a 1972 pre L car (vin...4201) I restored it myself in the southern California area. A nice family in North Carolina bought it from me. Feel free to ask questions.
Steve
lrfste2@netscape.net
Steve
lrfste2@netscape.net