145s Holley Sniper + questions

[142 Guy]

This is a really interesting mystery car!

I have attached the parts manual diagram showing the front door parts for a 144 / 145 and the door parts for a 142. #20 is the early door handle (my car has them) and #33 is the later recessed door handle. The parts manual (attached) indicates that the 145 would have had the early door handles up to chassis # 103379 and part #33 starts with 145 chassis # 103380. The attached scan from my 1971 North American sales brochure clearly shows the 145 with the early door handles. Also notice in the brochure the seats with the side-ways pleats rather than your longitudinal pleats which came in 1972.

So your doors, seats and the seat belt buckle all suggest 1972. Your build plate is 1970 and I notice that the dash is black and the real clincher is that you still have the long shift lever. The 1972 dash looked the same as the early black dash; but, had a fake woodgrain finish instead of a textured black and the 1972 had a revised transmission tunnel which allowed the short shift gear stick. It also looks like the car has the later 3 piece front grill which came out in 1971

Perhaps a previous owner found a 1972 or 1973 144 or 145 that had been in a collision and decided to do some upgrades to the car? That doesn't particularly matter. It is a really nice looking 145 which may or may not be 100% original with what may be an interesting history.