Euro vs. U.S. model

[Johns911sc]

I have a '78 911T. How can I tell if its a US model or Euro model.

[Seth Slovik]

John,

The easiest way is to check is to look at you vin# it will have a ZZZ in it if it's a Euro.


Seth

82 911SC Euro

[1980SC]

Not for a 1978. The ZZZ thing is for 1981 and later cars. Give us your VIN# and we'll let you know.

[ChrisBennet]

The Euro '81 I have in the garage at the moment doesn't have the ZZZ you'd expect. The VIN plate has the importer's(federalizer?) name on it so perhaps that is why.

Euro's have side marker lights in the front quarter panels behind the front wheels.

They often have a red parking light below the rear bumper on the driver's side.

Judging from the '81 I have on hand, they have a more substantial external oil cooler than the loop cooler. It has a lot of exposed tubes. (It is not like the later Carrera style radiator.)

The US models have a charcoal canister inside the engine compartment ahead of the oil filler tube. I doubt even a federalized Euro car would have it in that location.

They generally have a lower level of options on them; cloth instead of leather, no sunroof, no AC, etc. (Deleting these would be special order thing for a US car I think.)

-Chris

[Noel]

Look at the engine code near the right at the base of the fan. Post the number and someone can look it up in the Red Book and let you know. (I think the third or fourth number determines Euro vs. US model. It should be a 3 or a 4. I forget which is which.)

Noel


BTW, Euro models started the revised tube coolers in 1980 and the side turnsignals didn't start until the early 80s.

[Saffs]

Originally posted by ChrisBennet


They often have a red parking light below the rear bumper on the driver's side.
-Chris

That's a rear Fog light! Mandatory in a lot of Europe.

[emcon5]

Originally posted by Johns911sc
I have a '78 911T.

Huh? If it is a T, it isn't a 78, last 911T was made in 1973. If by T you mean Turbo, check the VIN.

If it is a 78, the Vin should be

9118 "X" "Y" "0001" for a 911SC, or
9308 "X" "Y" "0001" for a turbo.

Where, "X" = engine type. and "Y"= body type, and "0001"= sequential serial number.

Values for "X"
2 911SC USA
3 911SC ROW & Japan
7 930 Turbo ROW & Japan
8 930 Turbo US.

Values for "Y"
0= coupe, 1= Targa.

Hope this helps.

Tom

[thabaer]

Ignore the VIN put on the A-pillar, it's added by the import modifiers (the cheap glue gave up and mine blew out the window one day).

Look up front in the luggage area for the chassis ID plate. My carpet has a hole in it so the plate can be seen.

[ChrisBennet]

Originally posted by thabaer
Ignore the VIN put on the A-pillar, it's added by the import modifiers (the cheap glue gave up and mine blew out the window one day).

Look up front in the luggage area for the chassis ID plate. My carpet has a hole in it so the plate can be seen.

I don't know if the VIN in the trunk will help. My US '86 911 has a VIN near the door latch, one on the A piller (I think) and one in the trunk. They are identical except the one in the trunk has "ZZZ" instead of "WPO". In other words, the "VIN" in the trunk may not be useful for determining if it is a Euro.
-Chris

[k9handler]

SAMPLE VIN 9118710047

911=911 8=1978 7=930 Turbo R.o.W. 1=Targa 0047

So your vin should have a 3, 7, or 8 in the 5th digit spot.
If it has a 2, it was a U.S. SC 3.0 liter

NO 911T Shown! (Last shown 1972 - 1973)

[speeder]

All chassis are stamped w/ ZZZ from 1981-1989 in position 4-6. On VIN tag, however, if 4-6 are ZZZ it would be a grey market vehicle. These cars all start w/ WPO regardless of market.

For 1978 cars, previous post is correct; 5th digit will be 2=US 911SC, 3=ROW 911SC, 7=ROW 930, 8= US 930.

All info courtesy of factory parts and tech reference catalog, 911 models 1974-1989.

[Jadams1]

The rear bumpers are narrower to accomodate the wider license plates. The vin # has all the info you need as previously stated.

[Johns911sc]

Ok my vin # is 9119310226. On the vin plate it says it was manufactured in 1978. According to the post above it would be a 1979. My registration says its a 1978. It has a 3 is spot # 5 so it is a Euro and also has the small bumper guards in the back. So can I assume it has the higher compression engine and 210 hp? And I called it a 911T for Targa. One more thing would it have a LSD in the tranny? Thanks for the info. John

[Johns911sc]

If its a Euro why is the speedometer in mph. Shouldn't it be kilometers?

[speeder]

Speedometer was switched when car was federalised,(brought into U.S.), this and other things were necessary to get DOT/EPA certification to register it here. For this reason, actual miles can be hard to determine on a grey-market car unless extensive records exist, including date of importation, who,(and when) did the federalising.

Your car is a 1979 model regardless of what title says, remember that model year build dates run from August or Sept. of previous year. If you really care, you could get that corrected on title w/ documentation from factory. If exhaust is euro, (euro pre-muffler instead of cat), engine should be 203hp, assuming that motor is a "10" on a scale of 1-10,(brand-new power output).

[1980SC]

My euro's speedo has a small hand written label on the case stating "kmph to mph". I've often wondered if they calculated the correct milage?

Mine does not have limited slip, although I believe it was more common for the euros to have it.

A 1979 euro with engine type 930/03 would have 180 hp. In '81 they were raised to 204.

-Rob
1980SC euro

[Johns911sc]

Here is the number on the engine to the right of the fan. 6390672
The exhaust has a premuffler and not a cat. No wonder I had trouble getting through emissions. I had to retard the timing so it would pass. I wonder why it has a air pump? Is it ok to remove this? I'm in Oregon and for emissions they just do a sniff test. John

[emcon5]

Yep, that SN is for a 930/03 ROW SC engine, with 180HP. It probably had an air pump installed when it was federalized.

Tom

[1980SC]

In 1979 both the euro and the US SC's had air pumps.

[scphelps1]

should the side markers light with the directional or parking lights. Neither of mine light and the bulbs are fine. should be interesting trying to track this down!!! The connectors have some corrosion, but it is difficult to trace where the wires go to.