Alternative location for engine # on a 930?

Willem Fick · 05:00 AM

Hi guys,

A friend bought a '84 930 that was previously stolen and recovered. Post recovery it was issued with a new VIN and engine number by the authorities, and he bought the car with these already in place.

He now wants to sell the car, and it will obviously be worth a bit more if he can prove that it is still the original engine/body combination. So far we have managed to get a hold of the VIN number thanks to someone on this forum pointing out the location under the radio. The engine however leaves us stumped!

Other than the location next to the fan, is there any other place where we can look for an engine number?

Thanks!

Willem

javadog · 01-26-2016, 05:27 AM

That's the only place the engine number was stamped. If there is no engine number there, it was either mechanically removed or that's a replacement case.

The number in the dash sheet metal is the production number, not the VIN number. Porsche can convert from one to the other, but nobody else can.

About the best you can do on the engine is a careful examination of components and date codes to see if they are appropriate for the build date of the car.

JR

patz · 01-26-2016, 05:31 AM

Engine numbers and VINs on Porsche cars do not match. If there is some paperwork from the motor vehicle department they should have mentioned the engine number. If they didn't they didn't do their job.

Contact that agency and discuss the issue with them. IF you have a Porsche club in your country they MAY have what is called a Certificate of Authenticity that shows the original VIN and the delivered engine number. Otherwise contact closest Porsche dealer, they may help you with getting information from Porsche headquarters. If the car was originally sold in USA, the PCNA can help.

I had a 356 that had a owner's doc from New Jersey USA that showed the engine number as the VIN, the wrong date of manufacture and other errors. The COA allowed me to correct the errors at the CA DMV, which is notoriously hard to deal with. The COA smoothed the way.

Engine numbers are on the case, right side next to the crank pulley. There are many threads and pics on this.

Willem Fick · 01-26-2016, 06:31 AM

Thanks for that JR! At least the dash number solves a small part of our problem, even if it takes a bit of work! The engine number is a hell of a mess though as I grudgingly suspected what you just confirmed! Problem is we absolutely have to have both!

Patz, well aware of where the crank pulley number is, and was sort of praying that (as is the case with the body) there might be other places from where identification can be made. As for working with agencies; You might not have noticed where I am from - tracing the original numbers will probably make the mystery of the ark of the covenant look like a breeze to solve!

As an aside I am trying to chase up leads with regards to using chemical etching to try and uncover the original numbers. Not technology that you kick out from behind every second bush over here though...

patz · 01-26-2016, 06:35 AM

The engine # is in no other place but the engine. If the engine serial number and or motor # has been defaced that is something that needs to be discussed with the local motor vehicle people.

Is the VIN issuing agency in another country?

Jim2 · Jim2's Garage

Edit: I see patz suggested the same thing.

Flat6pac · 01-26-2016, 01:03 PM

The trans number and engine number will be on the COA once the sequence number is changed into a vin number. All in all, everything will not be sanitary, above reproach.
Is the 930/xx there?
Bruce

atcjorg · atcjorg's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willem Fick

Hi guys,

A friend bought a '84 930 that was previously stolen and recovered. Post recovery it was issued with a new VIN and engine number by the authorities, and he bought the car with these already in place.

He now wants to sell the car, and it will obviously be worth a bit more if he can prove that it is still the original engine/body combination. So far we have managed to get a hold of the VIN number thanks to someone on this forum pointing out the location under the radio. The engine however leaves us stumped!

Other than the location next to the fan, is there any other place where we can look for an engine number?

Thanks!

Willem

I have a similar situation I have an 81 sc that was stolen, stripped and recovered (previous owner) and was rebuilt using a steel widebody kit turbo gauges and a 930 3.0 turbo engine that has no serial number (replacement engine from Porsche) the rebuild happened in the 80's