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Posted by: pcarenthuz Jan 27 2017, 09:16 PM

I'm going to look at an '76 914 tomorrow. I have the VIN but have been unable to decode it. I see the place on 914World to register a VIN but nothing to decode. Is there something and I'm simply missing it?

Apologies for the very green/newbie question.

Pat Arnold

Posted by: altitude411 Jan 27 2017, 09:21 PM

* OK better... when you had typed '86 I was like...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=52816


and

Posted by: Dave_Darling Jan 27 2017, 11:13 PM

The VIN will look like this:

4762900000

47 == 914-4
6 == 1976 model year
29 == Karmann factory
00000 == Series number within the 1976 model year.

If the VIN starts with 475, it's a 75. If it starts with something else, post up and ask.

--DD

Posted by: Chris H. Jan 27 2017, 11:50 PM

Yeah there's nothing else to decode from the VIN besides the year really since the 4 cylinder cars were all made at the same place and have the same model designation. For a '76 people get pretty excited if the number is higher than about 4000 because they only made about...what...4100 that year? Something like that. 4762904000 that is. There is another tag in the door jamb that will tell you the paint code which you can check against the codes listed here to see if it's the correct original color. All 1976 cars are 2.0L's. Although people claim to have seen a handful of 1.8's over the years, no one has produced one that came from the factory that way.

Posted by: Coondog Jan 28 2017, 01:22 AM

Posted by: Dave_Darling Jan 28 2017, 03:04 AM

Note that the chassis number is not the same as the VIN.

--DD

Posted by: eitnurg Jan 28 2017, 05:00 AM

From what they're saying, there is no year identifier in the chassis number (unless it's the mystery "5" in the first one): so, apparently, the same chassis number(s) could/would be duplicated annually. Incorrect, surely?

Posted by: pcarenthuz Jan 28 2017, 07:23 AM

Yeah, I screwed up my very first post by talking about a 1986 914! I saw your "what the heck" or whatever that emoji is and knew I had messed up! So thank you and thank you.

Pat Arnold
Annapolis, MD, USA

Posted by: pcarenthuz Jan 28 2017, 07:26 AM

And thanks to everyone else for the information. Much appreciated. The one I'm looking at is 01232. I have a nice older 911 but have never owned a 914 so this may turn out to be a great day

Pat Arnold

Posted by: altitude411 Jan 28 2017, 10:05 AM

Best of luck to you!

Posted by: worn Jan 28 2017, 02:41 PM

You are gonna love the teen. I have a 911 and two 914s. The 914 is the better car, but I love both.

Posted by: pcarenthuz Jan 28 2017, 05:41 PM

I flew down to Winston Salem today from Wash DC. Needed to get some flying time anyway so it was a good day. The '76 914 I looked at was one advertised in Craigslist. In my opinion, the owner didn't represent the car well at all. The engine was recently overhauled by an apparently reputable shop but there were numerous other issues with the car. If it's appropriate for this forum, I can post more details. The guy was certainly nice enough but the car was pretty darn rough.

Pat Arnold

Posted by: altitude411 Jan 28 2017, 05:56 PM

Its far better to be a disciplined buyer than a regretful owner... You'll find the one.
What are you flying?

Posted by: Tom_T Jan 28 2017, 05:59 PM

You are correct - you must use the VIN sticker's date to get the year - since any MY splits the calendar year from August XXXX to July XXXX+1.

PS - the "mystery 5" is 95 for the Karmann Plant identifier, but they used 96, 97 to denote 100s or 200s in car number built that date - e.g.: 95+1 for 100, 95+2 for 200.

PSS - Contrary to the chart, there were actually far more 914s built in 1972, 1973 & 1974 for the partial 72 MY & especially 73 & 74 MYs - so the 96 & 97 etc. are more common there, than in 75-76 MYs.

.

Pat - For the 76 MY - all 914's were 2.0s & built in 1975, since the Karmann plant converted to the 924 at the start of 1976, & the 912E was the fill-in model to the end of the 76 MY.

So he just need to get the chassis number from the Karmann Plate on the driver door front jamb or stamped on the rear trunk floor near the back wall (both should match), then count the weeks of the year using the diagram above to get the build date (approx.).

Color code will be in the top box on the Kamann plate.

OP should also check that all VINs match on the door sticker, windshield frame plate, stamped on top of the passenger/R side wheel house top inside the front trunk, & on the plate on the Pass./R headlight box (IIRC the latter plate was left off of 76 MY).

Print & take this 914 evaluation form with you:
http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zTN_Gen_914CAF.pdf

Also use Jeff's 914 website from where it came as a reference ....

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/

.... & at p914.com (also substitute .net & .org if some links won't work yet on p914).

Good Luck!
Tom
///////

Posted by: pcarenthuz Jan 28 2017, 08:17 PM

You've got that right!

I fly a 1966 Piper PA-24-260B.

Pat Arnold

Posted by: pcarenthuz Jan 28 2017, 08:19 PM

@ Tom, super information. Thank you very much!

Posted by: altitude411 Jan 28 2017, 08:33 PM

Sounds like your living life right my friend. Good luck w/your search. Keep us posted...

Posted by: Chris H. Jan 28 2017, 08:59 PM

Good assessment. Run away from that one. If it doesn't feel right it's not the one for you. There are plenty more out there!