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I recently purchased a 1971 pushbutton Pantera #1252. I found the VIN number on the pedal foot box is THPNLK01252 but the VIN plate on the dash just read DTx01252x. Do trying to get this registered at the DMV was a real headache. I called several experts from PIM, Hall pantera, Wilkinson pantera and they all said the VIN on the dash should match the VIN on the pedal box. I recently talked to the previous owner who was very knowledgable about early panteras and provided two other pushbutton panteras with #1116 and #1256 who have the shortened variety of the VIN number. I just thought I might post this so you can see how the very early panteras have dash plate VIN that are different than the one in the trunk.

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I am kind of surprised that the authorities even consider the dashboard or B pillar VIN tags as anything more than supplementary information since they are simply riveted on. A deceitful person could drill out the rivets and reattach any tag that suited their purposes.

The B pillar tag is frequently removed then reattached for painting, mine was. I found the dash tag was just riveted to the dash itself when I removed mine to work on the heater. More than one person has legitimately decided to recover or replace a sun/time cracked dash.

The only unique identification that is a permanent mark on the monocoque body is the footwell stamping, no? Now a crooked person could change that too, but not nearly so easily and, if the authorities were really interested that modification could be detected.
I hope that your dash VIN plate matches your title otherwise you may be in for a problem when titling the car in Hawaii. I went through that problem with the Mangusta. I don't think that they will accept the two different numbers on the car. If need be, I'd not mention the different number in the trunk and let them title under the dash number. I just had an auto theft Detective contact me regarding an odd VIN number that supposedly had some other digits prior to the usual THPN . . .
quote:
They let it slide but flunked me for not having window washer fluid in the resevoir...

My gawd, and folks complain about laws here in California?

Reminds me of years ago being stopped here in CA for a roadside inspection while driving my flat-nose Econoline van. The officer had me do lights, horn etc. Then he asked for me to set my parking brake. So I grabbed the lever handle and pulled it up, ratchet clicking sounds were made and he said "fine".

Off I went.

There was no cable connected to that brake handle. Big Grin

Larry
quote:
Originally posted by CT Pantera:
I almost had a hard time registering my pushbutton because the DMV said the dash vin looked "home made"....LOL

They let it slide but flunked me for not having window washer fluid in the resevoir...

My car, 1272, has the long vin in both locations....


Gotta admit, the early dash tags do look home made and don't match the long serials that are also on the car. If I didn't know, I'd be suspicious too. I had similar serial number problems with the Mangusta in Hawaii too.
quote:
Originally posted by Quickitty:
My 73 and my friends 74 are missing the B piller vin tag, is this normal?


Those vin tags are thin plastic and easily damaged. If you car was repainted it is likely that it was removed and not reinstalled. That was the case for my blue car. Unfortunately the repro plates available are not a great match.

Mark
Espen
Yea I forgot the M, THPNMB02483.
//Yngve

quote:
Originally posted by dvil:
quote:
Originally posted by Yngve#2483:
My car has VIN number stamped at the frame under the end of the ZF
THPNB02483

Yngve, there is one more letter there, isn't it?
My early Pantera has a short VINtag on the front left of front compartment. Just behind the headlamps bar.
Not sure on your 'pre-production prototypes'- pushbuttons, but starting sometime in '71, both original headlight buckets were stamped with the car's serial number digits but not the letters. Can't see this stamping unless the bucket is removed since it's on the bottom surface, and some stampings are almost filled up with factory paint, but it's one way of checking for serious crash damage; replacement buckets were not stamped.
quote:
But what I have found is that the last three digits of the VIN are stamped on almost every panel of the car. Is this normal?


Yes! On the early cars many parts are stamped with the last 3 digits. I think I found "267" in about 15-20 Places on my car. The headlight buckets were stamped with the last 3 or 4 digits all through production I'm pretty sure.
This was a practice De Tomaso (and I'm sure many others) used to keep track of hand-fitted parts with the hand-built cars as they were fitted before paintwork was done. My Mangusta has window trim stamped, various panels. Even the front hood latch tabs (two on the Goose) are stamped on the back-side.

Mark
quote:
Originally posted by Bosswrench:
Not sure on your 'pre-production prototypes'- pushbuttons, but starting sometime in '71, both original headlight buckets were stamped with the car's serial number digits but not the letters. Can't see this stamping unless the bucket is removed since it's on the bottom surface, and some stampings are almost filled up with factory paint, but it's one way of checking for serious crash damage; replacement buckets were not stamped.


FWIW: When I restored 6868 the Headlamp buckets were stamped, '68'

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