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Posted by: 914 RZ-1 Feb 21 2016, 05:09 PM

So I'm looking for something that will tell me what the numbers mean on the chassis number. I find the "chassis number decoder" info shown. However, it doesn't seem to work. Am I missing something? My chassis number-found on the inside front fender on a plate (is this supposed to be the same as the VIN number?)-is 472 2910951, door sticker says car was built in Feb '72.

So using the decoder it seems my car was built in the 29th week of the year (29) on Monday (1) at the Karmann factory (9) and it was the 51st car built that day.

By the way, the chassis plate states the car was "Made in Germany", but there was a West and East Germany back then, so what gives?


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Posted by: Coondog Feb 21 2016, 05:20 PM

Your correct with the chassis number date that your car was assembled. Key word assembled. As far as East and West, after 1960 I seriously doubt any Porsche was assembled in East Germany.

Posted by: Larmo63 Feb 21 2016, 06:17 PM

The VIN and the chassis numbers are different. The VIN is located on the driver's side windshield A pillar plate, on the sticker inside the driver's side door below the striker, (which also states the month/year of build,) also, on top of the right fender under the hood, and on an aluminum plate on the side of the inner front right fender, inside the front trunk.

The black and aluminum plate inside the driver's door to the front, is the chassis number and that same number will also be on the rear trunk floor on most cars. Different cars/years are stamped in different areas of the rear trunk.

My chassis plate says: "Made in Western Germany." The lower part of this plate also has stamped in it the original color code of the chassis.

Posted by: dlkawashima Feb 21 2016, 09:57 PM

Posted by: SirAndy Feb 22 2016, 12:12 PM

That's your VIN...

As stated above, the chassis number is on the small black plate that can be found on the drivers side front door pillar.

Posted by: 914 RZ-1 Feb 25 2016, 06:28 PM

According to the Haynes manual the chassis number "...is in the front luggage compartment on the top of the right wheel well." This number matches the VIN (from sticker on pillar behind driver) on my car. Hence my question.

My car does not have a VIN plate on the window pillar. I think it was made in Canada.

The plate on the front door pillar is painted over. Thanks for the reference picture. I might try to use some paint stripper to get the paint off so I can see the number.

Anybody ever had to do this? Does the stripper take off the ink on the plate?

Posted by: boxsterfan Feb 25 2016, 09:24 PM

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-179-1217454646.jpg

If the Karmann plate in the driver's door area is painted over and you can't make out the numbers, look in your rear trunk for chassis number (which is not the VIN#). There's one other spot to look after that but I'm not going to say.

Decode from there.

Posted by: SirAndy Feb 25 2016, 09:33 PM

In that case, the Haynes is wrong. The number stamped on the top of the wheel well is the VIN, not the chassis number.

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Feb 25 2016, 09:46 PM

Haynes is a British publication. To them, they may think 'chassis' is the same the VIN. But they are clearly different.

Posted by: 914 RZ-1 Mar 29 2016, 05:54 PM

I finally got around to taking all the paint off and found the chassis code: 0729595.

Based on this, my car appears to be the 95th one made that day (Tuesday, Feb 8, 1972 to be exact). Is that right? That seems like an awful lot of cars for one day. If they were working 8 hour shifts, that's almost 12 cars an hour if mine was the last one!

I used Crown Tuff-Strip. I spayed it on an old toothbrush then rubbed it on the label. It did not take off the black on the label, just the paint.

Posted by: stevend914 Dec 11 2018, 03:08 PM

Question on counting the weeks: In my case the first of January is on a Thursday so the first week of the year is a partial week, is that week still considered the first week or is the first full week of the year considered the first week?

Thanks

Posted by: jagalyn Dec 12 2018, 08:18 PM

My car was the 110th car built on Monday, April 9th, 1973.

Posted by: aharder Dec 12 2018, 09:04 PM

Mine was the 6th one on Monday October 1974

Posted by: Larmo63 Jul 7 2019, 10:37 PM

How many 914s did the Karmann factory pump out per day?

By my chassis #, my car was the 578th car of the day on August 28th, 1972.

I don't think they built that many per day but I could be wrong.

Posted by: Craigers17 Jul 8 2019, 04:03 AM

Looks like the made 21,580 914's in 1972, not including 240 sixes. So if you base that on a 5 day work week, roughly 261 work days, they would have pumped out roughly 82.68 cars/day if my math is correct.

But who knows? Did they work 5 days a week, 6?, 7? Did they manufacture cars in all 12 months? Were the same # of cars produced on a Monday as a Friday?

If Bob can install "x" amount of tail light housings in 8 hours, and Bill can install "y" amount of door handles in 5 hours, how many front bumper caps can Mary install in 4 hours, provided Raul can install 21 antennas in 7 hours?

Posted by: jagalyn Jul 8 2019, 05:46 AM

So, what does the ‘5’ stand for?

Posted by: Larmo63 Jul 8 2019, 09:14 AM

If the "5" isn't included in the car number for that day, then my car would be the 78th of the day which makes more sense.

I know this doesn't matter a hill of beans, I'm just wondering.

Posted by: 914 RZ-1 Jul 13 2019, 06:06 PM

I was looking at this post again. Thought I'd add some more info.

The week of mfr is counted from 1 even if it's a partial week. 1972 started on a Saturday, so that's week #1, even though it's one day.

So 0729595 would mean:

07: week of Feb 7, 1972
2: Tuesday (Feb 8, 1972)
9: Karmann factory in Osnabrueck
5: what does this mean? Anyone know? I couldn't find anything.
95: 95th car made that day.

Posted by: SirAndy Jul 13 2019, 08:54 PM

Not sure why it starts with a 5 in that column but if there were more than 99 cars that day it will roll over to a 6 ...

For example 0129606 would be the 106th car built that day.

Posted by: EdwardBlume Nov 22 2020, 12:39 AM

Found this tag on the ABM

Chassis born on July 4th 1974


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Posted by: jagalyn Nov 8 2021, 05:32 AM

That would be considered the first week of the year even if it is a partial week.

https://www.calendar-365.com/1970-calendar.html

Posted by: emerygt350 Sep 27 2023, 04:28 PM

So mine says 9/72 but I can't figure that out by the chassis number...

Posted by: SirAndy Sep 27 2023, 05:15 PM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=25740
Looks to be 3729610 so according to the guide from the first post that would be:

37 week
2 day
9
610 - 500 = 110 car that day


Google-ing the calendar for 1972 week 37 was from September 10th to September 16
Since Karmann started counting on Mondays, the 2nd day that week would be:
Tuesday, September 12th 1972

Posted by: emerygt350 Sep 28 2023, 10:41 AM

Thanks Sir Andy!!! I missed its 51st birthday but I am sure it will forgive me.

Posted by: 76-914 Oct 2 2023, 02:23 PM

Re: My 1976 914; Would I still use calendar year '76 even though the factory made the last 914 on Dec1975? Need to buy a repro VIN decal. TIA

Posted by: davep Oct 2 2023, 02:27 PM

NO! 4762901295 would be 10/75

Posted by: 76-914 Oct 3 2023, 10:13 AM

Let me see if I have this correct. If my chassis # = 4139042 and my VIN = 4762901295 I would use calendar year 1975 since they were actually made in 1975. Therefor:

41 = 41st week of 1975
3 = Wednesday
9 = Karmann Factory
042 = 42nd build of the day

Hence Oct 8,1975

Posted by: dax1969 Oct 4 2023, 04:14 AM

Interesting... 3419547

week 34 1974 - august
1 = monday
5 = nobody knows
47th car

21st august 1974 - 47th car of the day.

So in 2024 my baby becomes 50 !



dax

Posted by: mgarrison Oct 4 2023, 11:28 AM

So, my chassis # = 4649581 and my VIN = 4742908715 with an 11/73 build date.

Then:

46 = 46th week of 1973
4 = Thursday
9 = Karmann Factory
581 = 81st build of the day (nobody knows what that pesky "5" is...???)

So...November 15, 1973

Did I work that out correctly

If so, that's pretty COOL because our daughter's birthday is November 15th!

Posted by: 76-914 Oct 4 2023, 02:52 PM

The quotation in the 1st post says that only 70-74 model years use the digit "5".

Posted by: Front yard mechanic Oct 4 2023, 04:31 PM

Edit

Posted by: Olympic 914 Oct 5 2023, 02:31 PM

Looks like mine was built the next day . 3739545

Sept 13th 1972 45th car

Posted by: fixer34 Oct 5 2023, 02:46 PM

Does any of this apply to the -6 models? My Karmann tag has nothing stamped in the chassis box, and '15' (Irish Green) in the lower box.
The trunk stamped number is 130911. Scraped both ends looking for more numbers, that was all.

Posted by: Dave_Darling Oct 5 2023, 02:53 PM

I think the -6 chassis did not use this numbering scheme, they had their own.

Dave Pateman or Jeff Bowlsby are probably the two people here that might have the best idea of what the -6 chassis numbers mean.

--DD

Posted by: davep Oct 5 2023, 07:14 PM

email me for more info: Kardex@bell.net
Dave P

Posted by: sixaddict Oct 6 2023, 05:58 AM

So does this same formula work for 914-6 ( specifically the number in rear trunk floor ) which is in center not rear corner

Posted by: ClayPerrine Oct 7 2023, 08:11 AM

Just a related side note...

I took a picture of the body tag on the Sounato GT at Rennsport.

It doesn't have a number on it, just the paint code.



"Curiouser and curiouser!" - Alice

Posted by: SirAndy Oct 7 2023, 05:25 PM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=1143
It's a /6 is it not? Them do not have a chassis number on the Karmann tag.

Posted by: wonkipop Oct 7 2023, 05:47 PM

the pesky 5 is the number assigned to 914s on the karmann assembly line up to the first 100. then it flipped to a 6 if they went over 100 for the day (which they rarely did).

other cars on the k production line got a different number at that location.
something like 1 and 2 for the beetle cabs and 3 and 4 for ghias. not sure i have the actual number assigned correct but they got different numbers.

later when they shut down the ghia line and moved the 914s across to the cab line with the beetles the 914s got a different number instead of 5 and 6. if i recall when i looked into this they might have got the ghias old numbers. but there was also a week where they got scrambled. dave p knows all about it. i think the scirrocos ended up with the numbers that the 914 had from 70 to 74.

the number on the karmann plate is a VW production number. all VWs of that era have it. depending on the factory or the model where the VW was made the factory number is different. ie its not a 9 if its not the karmann plant. and the next number after that is different depending on the model being made at the factory. some models got more than two numbers allocated for the sequencing of cars for the day. they were making a lot more than 100 beetles for instance at wolfsburg than 100 per day.

Posted by: wonkipop Oct 7 2023, 05:57 PM

the karmann plate would be stamped with the porsche internal system numbers.
similar to the cars made at the ruetter body plant across the road from the porsche factory in stuttgart.

probably all the 911 and 912 bodies made at the karmann plant for porsche in the 1960s are similarly numbered as the 6. because karmann was making both the 911 and may have made all the 912s - or at least all the 912s for the USA.

someone like dave p with access to porsche records would crack that one.

point being.
4s are built as VWs and use VW production number code on the k plate.
6s are porsches and used porsche body number code on the k plate.
evidence of the original arrangement for production and marketing of the car.
just like the fact that at least in germany the 4 was sold at a VW dealership and the 6 was sold at a porsche dealership despite the VW-PORSCHE badge.

in the UK the car was sold at porsche dealerships.

and everyone knows how it went in the USA. basically VW owned Porsche-Audi dealership network set up in north america at that time.

and these days there is final clarity thanks for F. Piech. VW own all the brands and the Piech Family mostly own VW.

Posted by: ClayPerrine Oct 7 2023, 07:29 PM

I just looked at our six... and you are right. I never noticed that before.

I learned something new today.

Posted by: wonkipop Oct 7 2023, 08:13 PM

so a 6 is pretty much as per a 911 in some way.
the chassis (or production number) would be there somewhere on the body - because its the build sheet number for the order.

those karmann tags on the 4 and the 6 would not have gone on until the car was virtually finished. they are like fancy little nameplate items. as they were building the cars they would have been going off the number where it is stamped in the metal in the trunk.
does the 6 have the number stamped there.

i forget where it was on 911s. i think it was in some obscure location on the floor pan or somewhere like that. the reutter plate or the karmann plate would have gone on pretty late in the piece of assembling the body before it got sent either across the road to the porsche assembly line or transported from karmann to the porsche assembly line.
(which for all intents and purposes during that era was a kind of hand assembly "garage".
it wasn't very big. i think porsche bought into reutter sometime in the early 60s but they did not have capacity to make all the porsche bodies. so karmann was always involved to some degree in porsche manufacture right through the 60s.

kind of puts paid to all the NARPOs who liked to look down their noses at 6s as if they were VWs when they might have been driving one of those VW built 911s themselves.

Posted by: davep Oct 7 2023, 08:26 PM

The 914/6, AFAIK, only ever had the paint code on the Karmann tag. Initially they had the 2 digit paint codes used by Porsche in 1970 & 1971, but later changed to the VW codes as the 914/4 had.
Up until 1968 the 911 & 912 had the production # stamped as the VIN on the lower dash frame. Then in 1969 the production number took a new form and the 914/6 was included in that system as body type 3. The Karmann # on the 912 and 911 was similar to the VIN but usually slightly different; this changed in 1969 as well.
It is rather complicated so it is best to contact me directly with questions.

Posted by: JeffBowlsby Oct 7 2023, 09:50 PM

DP

Posted by: JeffBowlsby Oct 7 2023, 09:50 PM

Was the Sonauto GT yellow at some point?

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=2755

Posted by: mate914 Oct 8 2023, 08:42 AM

My paint code tag says 849548
8th week 4th day #548?

It is a 1970

Thanks, Matt

Posted by: Gint Oct 8 2023, 09:27 AM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=104 Fixed your member tag for Maltese Falcon Jeff. If you want to do that with user IDs that have spaces in them, you need to quote the entire user ID like so: "Maltese Falcon" You'll know if it's correct if the tag ends up in a bold font.

Posted by: 76-914 Oct 8 2023, 10:01 AM

48th build of the day; the 5 indicates it is pre-75/76 build AFAIK.

Posted by: mate914 Oct 8 2023, 11:50 AM

Thank you.

Posted by: Maltese Falcon Oct 8 2023, 06:43 PM

Not sure Jeff, I don't plan to peel away the sail vinyl, etc to find out; but both cars sent to Sonauto Paris, France >> our Chassis #1020 (LM24 car) and Chassis #1017 (J. Duvall Daytona car) both arrived in light ivory. I did see some pics somewhere online of #40 in an assembly area and thought I saw a bit of red near the targa sails

Posted by: flat4guy Oct 10 2023, 09:25 PM

not sure why mine is a low number but chassis 071953, so
7th week
1st day
karmann
pesky 5
3rd car

monday Feb 8th?
3rd car built that day?
it's a 1971

Posted by: wonkipop Oct 11 2023, 02:59 AM

i would say so. 3rd car for the day.
you would think they would write 03 instead of deleting the digit.
but they also did it with week at the start of the number sequence (at least for some years)
i have a 74 jan build and instead of writing 04 at the start of the number sequence its just 4.
so similarly i have a six digit production number instead of a 7 digits number.

it seems to be inconsistent.
they have chosen in your case to write 07 at the start instead of just seven.
then deleted the 0 from 04 instead.

certainly the 6 numbers fit inside the space on the plate better than 7!

Posted by: 76-914 Oct 11 2023, 08:56 AM

Posted by: 76-914 Oct 11 2023, 08:56 AM