I was asked to get the internal number of the transmission on a Ferrari 250GTE. Internal numbers are stamped on several parts from the engine block to the rear differential. These numbers were stamped on these parts as they were manufactured, and eventually mated to a particular car. When the engine was assigned to a chassis, the block was stamped with the corresponding chassis number, and the internal number was noted in records kept by the Ferrari factory. The other internal numbers stamped on the differential, and transmission were also noted and matched to the particular chassis. When Ferrari “Certifies” a particular car, they are checking all these internal numbers to see if they are the same as what they have in their records. Most of them are pretty easy to see, except for the one on the transmission.

The number for the transmission is found on the top of the transmission and is obscured by the transmission cover. The best way to access this number is to remove the front seats, and the transmission tunnel. People have tried to use mirrors and flexible shaft cameras to save them the trouble of removing the interior of the car, but often can’t get a clear image of the number.

Even after removing the transmission cover, I still had to clean the surface of the transmission so I could read the number, but it was done and the customer has the information he needed!

Here’s a video of the process.