Pelican Parts Forums - I Think I Have The Last 993 Off The Line Not Seinfeld.

Great and Excellent info!!!SmileWavy

QUOTE=javadog;4152322]I haven't been to the factory in a number of years and so I can't offer any advice that is directed specifically at the 993 cars. I will pass on three things which may be relevant.

Back in the good old days, there were two numbers assigned to a 911. One was the production number, the other was the serial number/VIN. The production number was stamped on the dash sheet metal prior to the car being painted. It was then covered up when the interior trim was installed. This same number was written on other body parts after they were painted, using a grease pencil. A typical place to find them is on the inside of the doors. Many people (including me) assume a couple things about this number. First, the cars originally started down the line in the order of their production number. Notice I didn't say that they came off of the line in that order. Often they were held for a part that hadn't arrived, or for re-work to something that didn't pass inspection. Second, there is no real relationship between this number and the serial number.

At some point, each chassis is assigned a serial number or VIN. This was recorded on the car in various places, in several different manners, depending upon the year it was produced. It might have been stamped into the body sheet metal, it might have been stamped into a tag that was then riveted to the body and it might have been stamped or printed onto a sticker that was glued to the body. Deending upon the year it was produced, a car may have all three of these types of identification. In the case of those cars that had it stamped into the body sheetmetal, this was done prior to the body being painted, so it was done fairly early in the process. I'd wager that the serial number was assigned to a particular car fairly early in the production, even during the 993 days. 993s were built after Porsche had started using the just-in-time manufacturing techiques they learned from some Japanese consultants and that process dictates that they build things in a very particular order and know exactly what order the cars are coming down the production line. In any event, take a look and see if there is a number stamped into the body sheetmetal, under the paint, at some place. I'd suggest that you start your search under the trunk carpet. If you find one, you'll know that the VIN number was assigned quite early in the process.

Next, what Mercedes does may or may not be similar to what Porsche does. A Mercedes master tech may know exactly zip about a Porsche.

Lastly, having been a car dealer, let me mention a couple of reasons why he may have not responded to your calls. He is in business to sell cars. He is usually pretty busy, as there are always a million people needing his attention. He may consider this quest of yours to be a wild goose chase and it may have gotten buried quite low on his priority list. He may also have no real source of information for what you seek. When I was a dealer, there was nothing I had access to that would have given me that sort of information. If you are dealing with a salesman, instead of the dealer principal, he will have even less access to information. It is always better to make such inquiries in person, rather than via a phone call.

Tell your dad to enjoy the car,
JR[/QUOTE]