The post about VINs and years and all got me thinking about the real history of these cars.  History, in the collective sense, is a view from a perspective, a mix of what appears to have happened (or what you are told happened), and small pieces of hard information; data that modifies this general history as what actually happened is discovered. I guess you could say you start out viewing it as a forest, but recognize that it is ultimately the story of many individual trees. Why make this analogy?  A register of VINs is a forest, an individual car you have had a relationship with is a tree.  I own a 1959 Giulietta Sprint, and could leave it at that, but today I won’t. I’ll think of its history as a series of moments rather than a serial entry in a range on a data sheet.
I own Giulietta Sprint 10105 20379, with engine 1315*010669.  It started out as ore in some third world country, ore that came together following an engineered manufacturing plan, as refined metal in 1958 most likely. It was stamped and cast then touched by many skilled hands in the Bertone factory as individual parts were fitted, paint and polish applied. It was inspected, tested, and ultimately put on a ship bound for the USA as part of some money making scheme.
It’s like a half remembered dream. Â This is pre-Rufus by a good 7 years. Â A lot of my personal history in one picture.
