Production date/model year question

ossiblue · 01-12-2011, 11:45 AM

I was aware that a car's model year was not always the same as the year it was made, due to factory production schedules and that, typically, a car could actually be made during the year prior to it's model designation--a 1972 model year car actually made during the year, 1971.

However, I came across this today on eBay, and it doesn't make sense to me. It is a 1972 911T according to it's vin--9112101985--which appears on the aluminum plate in the trunk and the decal on the driver's door jamb. What's strange is the manufacture date, recorded on the door sticker, is 02/73. I did not think any car manufacturer would continue to make a model year unit, on into the following year, especially since retooling usually takes place in late summer.

Can anyone offer an explanation? Could it be a replacement decal where someone mispunched the date code? Could it be legitimate?

BTW, the engine number is also one I've never seen, as it begins with the digit 7 instead of a six, and is referred to as the "original case." I suspect that is a typo.

Link:

Porsche : 911 - eBay (item 170589104424 end time Jan-16-11 21:43:08 PST)

Grady Clay · 01-12-2011, 11:59 AM

Is it possible for a 1972 Serial Number to be produced in 1973?

Replacement decal.
I think there is both a typo and poor workmanship from PCNA.

I would like to see the car in person before money changed hands.

Best,
Grady

peon77 · 01-12-2011, 12:14 PM

I bet its a repro sticker. My sticker real (red car) the white one doesn't have the tamper circles, and other differences. Some cars were built out of the normal Model Year period, but they are the early serial number cars. I don't know why they would date the sicker that way.

ossiblue · 01-12-2011, 12:16 PM

Thanks Grady.

Wil Ferch · 01-12-2011, 01:08 PM

Odd that the "real" sticker has a dot between "West" and "Germany". Also, I do know that in Europe you sometimes have the choice to register the car as model year A or B.....but only if it's a"B" model year that we all know built the preceding Fall when the model year oftentimes changes.....not the other way around as mentioned here. So a 1972 built in Fall of 71 can sometimes be registered in Europe as a 71 or maybe a 72.

Wil Ferch · 01-12-2011, 01:12 PM

Hmm......here is copy of my recently sold car sticker that I *know* is correct. No "dot" between the words "West" and "Germany".

djpateman · 01-13-2011, 09:16 AM

I'd like to see more of these DOT labels, but there are a few different designs and colors used in the period. I have seen another with WEST.GERMANY, and it was a 1976. Both cars are early production, almost prototypes. 00012 is the second built and note it is April production while the other is 00023 and June production. Both are built well before volume production in August started.

tcar · 01-13-2011, 02:02 PM

Are the rivets the correct kind from the factory... on the VIN plate in the trunk?

Seems like those are the kind that you buy at Home Depot.

I don't know, just asking.

RLX · RLX's Garage

Is the tag in the door the only way of finding out the production month of a 911 sc ?
is the info not on tags in seatbelt or maybe on steel tag under hood passengerside?

how can I find out if my car is older then 30 yrs without the sticker in dooropening .
this is a euro model.

all feedback / help is welcome.

thanks!

1-ev.com · 1-ev.com's Garage

I've seen on early cars SN next to the tunnel hole between front and rear sits... and some cars have those numbers do not match what that in the front/trunk/glove SN.

Can someone explain this?

Also, when Porsche stopped put SN on the tunnel hole?

Thank you.

1-ev.com · 1-ev.com's Garage

Bump

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1-ev.com

I've seen on early cars SN next to the tunnel hole between front and rear sits... and some cars have those numbers do not match what that in the front/trunk/glove SN.

Can someone explain this?

Also, when Porsche stopped put SN on the tunnel hole?

Thank you.

djpateman · 06-04-2013, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1-ev.com

I've seen on early cars SN next to the tunnel hole between front and rear sits... and some cars have those numbers do not match what that in the front/trunk/glove SN.

That is the Karmann body # that you see on the tunnel. Very early Karmann bodied 912's had the # on the top of the dash in a corner of the recess for the speaker. After a short while (about 3000 cars) the number was stamped on the tunnel.
The Karmann body # was similar to the VIN but did not match in the early years. In 1969 it took the same form as the Porsche production #. While both 911 & 912 were produced by Karmann, the body pool was shared by the two models, and the production # and Karmann body # generally did not match. I have little data for 1970, but by 1971 the two numbers generally matched. There were no Karmann built cars in the 1972 model year.
Any Karmann body #'s that you can report would be useful; matching VIN is essential for research.

1-ev.com · 1-ev.com's Garage

thank you djpateman for the explanation