not sure of year

[truth]

this fiat plate came off my 1916-1918 touring car   the # means nothing to everyone ive talked to  its an american fiat im thinking cause it has american standard threads not metric  fiat america only keeps records from 1980     centro storico [ a fiat museum in rome says it means nothing]  im pretty sure its not earlier than 1916 cause it has a patent plate w 1908 - 1916?  the motor is stamped 10-9-16  it has a 140 inch wheelbase which i think came out in 1918  im pretty sure its a tipo 55 but i always was counting on f.7041 to tell me something  anyone have any wisdom on this    why would fiat put such a plate on their vehicles if it means nothing?  maybe it did back in the day?