How to tell a gray market SC

[germaniac]

Okay guys, is there a way to tell if my car (the '81 SC) is a gray market conversion... letters in the VIN etc.?

Thanks,

Rob

[speedracer]

A Triple Z (ZZZ) in the vin will designate it a euro.

[tcar]

WP0ZZZ...... VIN number

[Eagledriver]

Beware that USA cars may also have a ZZZ on the VIN that's stamped into the chassis at the smugglers box. The rest of the VIN locations will not have the ZZZ if the car is USA.

-Andy

[Noah930]

There is a VIN that, even on US cars, has the ZZZ in it; it's located in the front trunk, stamped on the floor of the trunk, just behind the spare tire well, IIRC. I haven't looked for it since I bought my car years ago, so I might be incorrect in its exact location. But it's OK if that VIN reads ZZZ. The rest should be the correct US designation (either ABO/EBO/JBO/etc).

edit: I see someone beat me to it. I type too slowly. That's why Eagle has 5 more posts than I...

[richde]

Side marker lights would be a quick visual cue.

Some people might install them in USA cars, but I doubt anybody is going to fill the hole on a RoW car.

[petrolblue83911]

Aren't the rear bumperettes smaller as well

[tcar]

Originally Posted by richde

Side marker lights would be a quick visual cue.

Some people might install them in USA cars, but I doubt anybody is going to fill the hole on a RoW car.

No, a lot of ROW cars did NOT have side marker lights. They appeared later. Don't remember what year,
'82, maybe?

[tcar]

Originally Posted by petrolblue83911

Aren't the rear bumperettes smaller as well

'74 US cars had the small bumperettes, but quite a few have converted later cars to the small (euro) bumperettes.

[equality72521]

The only true way is to look at the VIN, it will tell you without any doubt unless it has been tampered with.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by tcar

No, a lot of ROW cars did NOT have side marker lights. They appeared later. Don't remember what year,
'82, maybe?

1981

JR

[equality72521]

Originally Posted by javadog

1981

JR

My 1979 RoW has them??????

[javadog]

Lots pf people have added them to their cars. They weren't put there by Porsche until the '81 model year. As an example, my '80 ROW turbo doesn't have them.

JR

[germaniac]

pkay, mine is an '81 but I was told they didn't put them in the 81 model year?

[germaniac]

btw, thanks for all the help...it is a US market car obviously (VIN)

[javadog]

Originally Posted by germaniac

pkay, mine is an '81 but I was told they didn't put them in the 81 model year?

US cars never got them. ROW cars got them starting in 1981.

JR

[rattlsnak]

Originally Posted by tcar

'74 US cars had the small bumperettes, but quite a few have converted later cars to the small (euro) bumperettes.

its not so much that they are smaller, but the Euro cars bumperettes are much wider apart to accomodate the wider plates.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

its not so much that they are smaller, but the Euro cars bumperettes are much wider apart to accomodate the wider plates.

Actually, they are roughly half the size of the US ones, maybe even less. The extra width for the larger number plates all comes from the inside, between the guards. The outside edges of the bumper guards on both cars are essentially in the same place.

JR

[RarlyL8]

Here is a picture of my '78 Euro SC when I first bought it.

Purchased from the original owner who bought it brand new while in Germany and brought it back with him to the states. The car is a Euro but does not have ZZZ in the VIN, only numbers. The car remained 100% bone stock until I bought it. It does not have the Euro signal lights in the front fenders. You will notice the wide gap between the license plate bumperettes and also the stock Euro tail light lenses. You will also notice that interesting Euro color combo.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by RarlyL8

The car is a Euro but does not have ZZZ in the VIN, only numbers.

The ZZZ in the VIN only applies to those cars with a 17 digit VIN. This started in 1981. Prior to that, the VIN was 10 digits, all numeric.

JR