Did I buy a Prototype s2 Cabriolet?

[ssschaib]

I just bought a 1989 944 s2 cabriolet the other day. I was trying to run the vin through a vin decoder, but it kept giving me error messages. So I sat down and tried to manually decode the vin, but all the info I found said that my vin was wrong. It's not, I can see the damn thing stamped.

After a little googling, I ran across some discussion of there being 10 prototype 944S2 Cabriolets made in 1989 by ASC. They apparently had a vin code that didn't follow the rules because they started as a coupe and were made in a cabriolet.

Is this true? Anybody have any more information about this? Does it make the car any more valuable?

My Vin is: WPOBA2948KN480010

Thanks for any help.

[flash968]

pretty sure the S2 cab is the same, but i know that all 968 cabs started out as hardtops. ASC cut them and converted them. you may still have one of the first ones though.

[FrenchToast]

The 944 S2's (and the few Turbos) all started as coupes and were converted by ASC. I was told by someone that the 968's started as true cabs? Not saying you're wrong Flash, I don't remember who told me.

Look at the date stamp on your car (by the fusebox).

Is the car a RoW or North American spec? Not sure if the factory would've made any North American spec prototypes, but I don't know. Your car may also be a 'press' car; a car Porsche showed at North American auto shows and dealers, after which may have been driven and reviewed by numerous magazine journalists.

A prototype used for factory testing would likely have no undercoating on it. Does your car have any undercoating? A factory prototype might also have some options left out, but I don't know. I.e. it may have manual windows, no armrest, no radio, cloth Script seating, etc.

If you do have a prototype, very cool! It may or may not raise the value. Probably a little bit.

Regardless, all of the 1989 cabriolets are rare, they didn't make many that year.

[ernie9944]

Just an infos supplement about S2 Coupe & Cab.The Coupe were produce in Neckarsulm,but the Cab were built in Heilbronn by ASC from the US( the reason it wasn't built by the German firm Bauer was due to higher cost per unit plus probably Porsche had more truste in ASC due to their experience building Cab ).Also the last 130 Coupe & 449 Cab were built by Porsche in Zufferhausens.Btw the first prototype Cab was built in 85 had a 16V 186 HP motor & a manually operated soft top.Well all this is pass history now.
Last 944S2 Coupe out of the Neckarsulm factory was a Cyclamen Red Coupe.

[9FF]

Your vin doesn't compute to any production numbers. The last part: 480010 means its a MY90, the KN before it means it's an MY89. The first part: WPOBA doesn't exist, it should be WP0AB or WP0CB for and 89/90.

No prototypes were made in the USA, they were done by Bauer in Germany way back in 85. ASC got the production contract and produced in Heilbronn Germany not in the USA.

Do all your vins say the same number?

...and ernie is a faster typer than me

[ssschaib]

Yea I thought iw should have been WPOCB as well, but it is definitely BA everywhere I can find. The car has some stuff I haven't seen in other 44's before.

The interior is all leather. The seats, the center console, the bottom of the dash. They are all wrapped in leather.

Car is currently in the shop getting some of the leather replaced, I'll check it out further on Wednesday, plan on removing the dash to recover it.

[9FF]

The leather you speak of was an option, nothing to do with the vin, the options are listed in your trunk bodywork between the rear lights there should be a sticker. Seems like you have full leather which was an option a lot of the later US cars were optioned with.

If you want a definitive answer take it to a Porsche dealer. They will tell you all about the car and you can even buy a certificate from them (iirc $50) that tells you the spec as it left the factory.

One final thing, you typed the letter "O" instead of the number "0" in your vin. FYI there are no letter "O's" in vins.

[flash968]

french - i'm quite sure the 968s were converted cars. i actually have pictures. i've also spoken to ASC. it's also in at least 2 books.

i'm not surprised about the VIN issue. i've found cars not in the database too. i almost bought one that isn't supposed to exist according to the database. it looks like it was a very early car, and outside the normal production run.

i suspect this one is a similar kind of situation

[porsche4life]

post some pics....

[FrenchToast]

Originally Posted by 9FF

an option a lot of the later US cars were optioned with.

Alot!?!?!? I've only seen one in person, was a 968 too. Guess all the leather-optioned cars must be by you?

Originally Posted by flash968

french - i'm quite sure the 968s were converted cars. i actually have pictures. i've also spoken to ASC. it's also in at least 2 books.

i'm not surprised about the VIN issue. i've found cars not in the database too. i almost bought one that isn't supposed to exist according to the database. it looks like it was a very early car, and outside the normal production run.

i suspect this one is a similar kind of situation

Not saying you're wrong. You sound pretty knowledgeable! Cool! Maybe start a new thread and post those pictures. And any other cool prototype pics you have

[veleno]

I saw one for sale last week or two, a red one. Is that the one you purchased?

btw, what does ASC stand for?

[ssschaib]

Idk if it's the one you saw. I bought it off a guy in a tiny little town called Riedsville, NC. Got a Hell of a deal. Will post some pics on Wednesday.

[flash968]

i don't have postable pics. they are all in books, and internal porsche stuff, which would all violate copyright law if i posted them. the osprey book has most of them, i think there is some in the morgan book, and the one entitled "excellence was expected" has some stuff on this, so you can see them for yourself there.

[Packardrat]

There is nothing wrong with your VIN number. I own two 1989 944 S2 Cabriolets.
One has VIN # WPOBA2944KN480105, and the other has VIn # WPOBA2948KN480107. I also know of the # 106 car, which sadly is in a wrecking yard in Wisconsin. European convertibles used to have the designation of being drophead coupes, and the early S2 Cabriolets did not get the CB designation in their VIN numbers until 1990. The 1989 944 Cabriolet models shipped to the United States were quite rare with only 16 produced for the US market. May only be half of that amount still on the road, so count yourself lucky to have found one and enjoy it!

Packardrat

[924RACR]

ASC = American Sunroof Conversions IIRC. Local here to the Detroit area; they do a lot more than just put sunroofs in cars. Sad story about the founder, but that's unrelated.

Note also that before they did the factory conversions for Porsche, they also did some choptops - like my friend's 951 cab. Those are most obviously noticeable in that the windshield angle is "wrong" - the coupes have a different angle than a "true" cab, think it's more reclined in the coupe IIRC... but it's been a while...

[flash968]

the angle is the same between coupe and cab, but the cab windshield on a real one is 60mm shorter in height.

[jeff968]

Originally Posted by ssschaib

After a little googling, I ran across some discussion of there being 10 prototype 944S2 Cabriolets made in 1989 by ASC. They apparently had a vin code that didn't follow the rules because they started as a coupe and were made in a cabriolet.

Is this true? Anybody have any more information about this? Does it make the car any more valuable?

My Vin is: WPOBA2948KN480010

Thanks for any help.

You might have something special there. Although my area of expertise is 968s I can tell you that back in the early nineties Porsche reserved the first 60 VINs of each year and each body style. That means the first regular production 968 was NS840061. Your car having a "10" could mean that it is a reserved car?? Again, I don't know 944s. Also, CarFax shows you have a valid VIN but no records which is interesting. Do you have any paperwork on the car? Original maintenance manual with delivery history?

[veleno]

Maybe it was a press car?

[flash968]

could indeed be a press car or one of the in house numbers. they are required to produce those 60 extra chassis for collision testing and such. some of them were completed. some were not. i know of a few of the 968s like that. pretty sure one of the ones i almost bought was one of those. kicking myself now for not buying it. not sure about the 944, but it stands to reason, especially since that was the original car on which the cabriolet setup was developed, that it may well be one of those.

[PorscheChef]

French Toast *** My Blue 87 944 has the full leather package in black: Front and Back seats, Door Panels, Center Consul, and Lower Dash. Everything in immaculate condition. That's why I bought the car. A freind of mine has owned over 30 944s throughout the years and he has 2sets of door panels and one lower dash. He said he has never seen one in the car complete like mine is. They are option codes M981 and M983.