GTV-6 Gran/Grand Prix variants, Maratonas, dates-

[JHertzman@xxxxxxx]

After wandering in the photo-galleries Jaap Bouma kindly referred me to I
withdraw my suggestion that the GTV-6 Gran/Grand Prix variant might be related
to the "Maratona" edition sold in the USA. The Maratona apparently is unique,
quite without parallel, for which both Maratona owners and the rest of us may
be thankful.

Jaap Bouma suggested that I might compare the on-line photos of GTV-6
Gran/Grand Prix/Serpent kits with the 1981 Grand Prix illustrated in both the
David Owen and Fabrizzio Ferrari books. Done; there is no connection at all.
There is nothing about the 1981 Grand Prix other than paint and striping which
appears to differ from the standard second series.

He also says "Remains the question when the last GTV6 rolled off the
production line." And the related question of 1987 GTV-6s. And the confusion
about build dates and nominal model years. We in the United States have for
many years had a plastic plate pop-riveted to the driver's door post which
included the build-date. My Berlina, titled as a 1969, has a build-date of
9/68. My Milano, titled as a 1987, had a build-date of 11/86. My wife's 164,
titled as a 1991, has a build-date of 6/90. There are discrepancies between
Fusi and d'Amico-Tabicchi on serial numbers which seem to follow from one
using build-years and the other using model years. Italy, and perhaps the rest
of Europe, evidently does not give the same importance to dates, if the sale
there of 1981 Alfetta Americas, which were cars built in 1978 for sale in the
US as 1979 Sport Sedans and returned when unsold, is any indication. The VIN
number may offer a clue; the tenth digit is supposed to designate the model
year; E= 1984, F= 1985, G=1986, H= 1987, J= 1988 and so on until (presumably)
Z= 1904 when motor-vehicles will be disinvented. If the same system prevails
in the rest of the world it should be easy to find out how common "H" GTV-6s
are.

Enough!

Cheers, 

John H.
Raleigh N.C.

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