Help understanding VINs

[rollandburn]

Howdy, couple of quick questions regarding VINs....

While browsing Wikipedia's Porsche 911 page, I read the following in the Carrera 3.2 section:

In 1985, Porsche introduced the first Carrera Club Sport prototype with the identification number WP0ZZZ91ZF100848. Later on in that year, a 911 Club Sport Row (Rest Of World) with the identification number WP0ZZZ91ZFS101166 was special ordered for a Porsche driver that was particularly inspired by the CS prototype on the track.

I'm pretty sure I don't have a Club Sport (even though my 1985 RoW was apparently special ordered and picked up in person at Stuttgart factory then privately imported), however this piqued my interest because that is the exact same as my VIN (other than the 4 digit car-specific Serial Number at the end).

For the VINs above, Scouser's decoder reports the Vehicle Type Designation as "911 - Carrera/SC Weissach/Club Sport" so I'm guessing you can't tell a Club Sport from Carrera via the VIN. I did notice a bit further down on that Wikipedia page it states that a reduced weight m637 version of the Club Sport showed up in 1987... which makes me wonder what mods the 1985 Club Sports came with (if not reduced weight).

Anyhoo... follow up question that started all this. How are folks getting a vehicle history report if Carfax doesn't recognize their VIN as entered? Scouse's decoder is the only one that works for me, all others throw an error.


edit: after reading a bit more, i think what i was overlooking is that the 1985 serial #848 car was a prototype that first came to be sold as Club Sports in '87 (ie. there were no Club Sports in '85). Also, loads of cars (ie. 3469 coupes built in '85) could have the VIN pattern WP0ZZZ91ZFS10****

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by rollandburn

Howdy, couple of quick questions regarding VINs....

While browsing Wikipedia's Porsche 911 page, I read the following in the Carrera 3.2 section:


I'm pretty sure I don't have a Club Sport (even though my 1985 RoW was apparently special ordered and picked up in person at Stuttgart factory then privately imported), however this piqued my interest because that is the exact same as my VIN (other than the 4 digit car-specific Serial Number at the end).

For the VINs above, Scouser's decoder reports the Vehicle Type Designation as "911 - Carrera/SC Weissach/Club Sport" so I'm guessing you can't tell a Club Sport from Carrera via the VIN. I did notice a bit further down on that Wikipedia page it states that a reduced weight m637 version of the Club Sport showed up in 1987... which makes me wonder what mods the 1985 Club Sports came with (if not reduced weight).

Anyhoo... follow up question that started all this. How are folks getting a vehicle history report if Carfax doesn't recognize their VIN as entered? Scouse's decoder is the only one that works for me, all others throw an error.


edit: after reading a bit more, i think what i was overlooking is that the 1985 serial #848 car was a prototype that first came to be sold as Club Sports in '87 (ie. there were no Club Sports in '85). Also, loads of cars (ie. 3469 coupes built in '85) could have the VIN pattern WP0ZZZ91ZFS10****

CS was option M637
MY87 RoW M637 have vin 91HS1 05001 >
MY87US M637 have vin 91HS1 25001>

MY88 RoW M637 have vin 91JS1 05001 >
MY87US M637 have vin 91JS1 25001>