Personally, I'd say if the choice was taking an classic off the road or converting it to electric. I would choose electric.
Same for restoring a vehicle that would have gone to the scrapyard or become a donor.
I bought this beasty a couple of years ago. Using Google translate I was able to determine the instructions but I have not been able to find out much (anything) useful about it.
Does anyone know what it is and what it was typically used for (Nope "It's a generator" and "The army" don't count )
If you can get the resources, I'd say restore / rebuild it to an empty carcass then see if it can be added to over time to bring it to some version of life.
It was done by Tanks-A-Lot in the UK (Or at least that is the earliest pictures I could find of it) So you're off the hook for this one. This time
The poor thing has been up and down the UK each owner usually trying to get rid of it within a couple of months of purchase.
If memory serves, it is as sirhc says, a drawing number. You should find each plate has a small stamping. I noticed them most often on the floor plates.