What year is this 911 really?

[GMH]

I am a first time poster but I'm a long time Porsche owner who is in the process of researching an odd older 911 that I've found for sale.
I need some help from the board please, first off I have been reading through the previous messages and I bought the 911 Red Book to use with my research. But I still need advice and help if possible, What I've found is a car that's being sold by its owner as a 1981 911 SC targa. I've seen the car and it appears in very good condition with Grand prix white outside with black interior. The car appears to have a turbo wide body on it, something that wasn't offered until 1985 on targa models I believe. It also has a 88 or beyond whale tail with the third break light on it.
Now there isn't a vin tag inside the windshield, BUT there is a tag on the A pillar and it reads 9112110828. This makes me think that the car is a 1972 T targa model dressed to look like a SC.
I'm still at the preliminary stages of looking at the car, I've seen the outside of it but the owner is out of the country right now so I haven't been able to get inside or drive it. Hopefully that should happen next week.
Can anyone tell me the definitive places to find the vin and engine plates to determine what year this car is? Also are there any other details that would define the year through closer examination of the interior. Right now I'm just having fun researching this mystery car. Thanks in advance for any and all help you can offer.

[ossiblue]

Others with more expertise will join soon, but here's what I (think) I know: You're right about the VIN indicating a 72. There should be two other VIN inside the trunk--one on an aluminium plate by the receptor for the trunk latch, unless the car is a 74 or later. If it is then the aluminum plate will be on the passenger side fender side wall. There is another VIN stamped into the metal just below the lid of the smuggler's box (left side as you face it.) Unfortunately, you have to have access to the car to check the VIN's and that will have to wait until the owner returns. These VIN's should match the one you saw on the A pillar.

As far as interior/exterior clues, if the car has been modified from a 72, it will be hard to see unless they left the oil fill door on the rear passenger fender!--dead give away it's a 72, but I suspect if they went as far as you describe to make the car look like an 81 SC, they probably replaced the fender. Also, check if the fenders, all around, are fiberglass or steel, and look for seams behind the wheel wells, all possible clues.
The engine numbers are on the passenger side of the engine, just below the fan housing on the verticle edge. Most likely could be any replacement engine but if the VIN you posted is correct, then the matching engine would begin with *612xxxx*.
Hope this helps. Keep us informed.[img]
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads11/vin1195526393.jpg[/img]

[ossiblue]

More pics of where to find VIN # and engine #