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Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com May 23 2019, 11:13 AM

by looking at this picture, who can tell me the year, month of production and vehicle id number range?

Posted by: Mikey914 May 23 2019, 11:18 AM

Sail panel dealer installed actualy not sure on vintage

Posted by: Cairo94507 May 23 2019, 11:32 AM

I do not believe I have ever seen that heavily grained material on a factory build. But I guess anything could happen.

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com May 23 2019, 11:32 AM

QUOTE(Mikey914 @ May 23 2019, 10:18 AM)

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com May 23 2019, 11:39 AM

QUOTE(Cairo94507 @ May 23 2019, 10:32 AM)

I do not believe I have ever seen that heavily grained material on a factory build. But I guess anything could happen.

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com May 23 2019, 11:43 AM

this car came in last night for restoration from indianna. Pretty original car except for the left front fender having been replaced, the rest of the paint was original. Upon seeing the car from a bit of a distance and seeing the sail vinyl, I told him that I could guess the year, the month of production, and the first two digits of the serial number after the 47-29. He did not believe it, but I was dead on the money.

I have had several cars like this one and they all followed the formula

Posted by: Cairo94507 May 23 2019, 11:51 AM

All right Doc, we are on pins and needles......

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com May 23 2019, 12:12 PM

I first saw this anomaly on a very very original 24,000 mile car I purchased. Upon getting the 914 I actually thought "why in the world would someone replace the side vinyl on such a low mile original car?" THEN in the subsequent years I saw it more and more establishing a pattern. Every car that had it was the same sequence, like other anomalies during different years. This is absolute factory side vinyl in an obvious very different pattern than all of the rest of the production

QUOTE(Cairo94507 @ May 23 2019, 10:51 AM)

Posted by: 914Sixer May 23 2019, 12:27 PM

Since Karmann built these cars along with several other car models, they used what was on the shelf that day. According to production records they were also building BMW 3.0 CS from 1971-1975. Might be a source of the vinyl in question.

Posted by: 914_teener May 23 2019, 02:21 PM

QUOTE(914Sixer @ May 23 2019, 11:27 AM)

Posted by: sixnotfour May 23 2019, 02:36 PM

914114

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com May 23 2019, 03:18 PM

ok here is the info:
around id number 4762903700 the factory must have run out of side vinyl for the last 300 or so cars, switched to this rough grained vinyl. I have seen this many times over the years, and it never fails that it is a 3700 and up serial number so will have the rough grain

Posted by: rgalla9146 May 23 2019, 03:20 PM

1971 is my guess
Goes along with the one year only elephant hyde interior

Posted by: 914Sixer May 23 2019, 03:28 PM

Personally I like the pattern better than the small sandpaper version. Gives more depth to the side. In the 70's when I did vinyl tops that would have been the Levant pattern. Mostly used on Ford products

Posted by: dan10101 May 23 2019, 04:45 PM

I think our 71 1.7 falls into that category. the pattern looks real familiar.
But, that was almost 40 years ago.

Posted by: Bleyseng May 23 2019, 05:01 PM

Looks like the vinyl I used to have on my car.

Posted by: Mikey914 May 23 2019, 06:35 PM

I have seen this before, but it was on a 72. Had to check on which car it was, but figured it was a non factory option as they did come naked.

Posted by: sixnotfour May 23 2019, 07:38 PM

I call BS that is not a 1976...its the sam charter 914-6...look at the trim .....or its the first and the last had it ??

Posted by: sixnotfour May 23 2019, 07:56 PM

Attached image(s)

Posted by: sixnotfour May 23 2019, 08:02 PM

strange you only have a weird pic...

Posted by: Bleyseng Jun 1 2019, 10:18 AM

How about this clear picture of the texture on the vinyl


Attached thumbnail(s)

Posted by: Bleyseng Jun 1 2019, 10:18 AM

Does anyone know of a source for it?

Posted by: sixnotfour Jun 1 2019, 10:23 AM

that is the best pic of the late 76

Posted by: Bleyseng Jun 1 2019, 10:40 AM

Mine is pretty damn late-4063! I took off the sail vinyl as it was ripped and curled at the edges and wouldn't stay glued.

Posted by: 914werke Jun 1 2019, 10:52 AM

here is a basically a "survivor" 74 in marathon blue I just did some rust repair to ...
Note the vinyl


Attached thumbnail(s)

Posted by: type47fan Jun 3 2019, 12:11 PM

My '76 914 number 3947 has the heavily textured vinyl sails.

Posted by: JeffBowlsby Jun 3 2019, 01:45 PM

We should come up with a term for this Later than Late Targa vinyl texture. ALL 914 peculiarities/distinguishments have a term. Hell Hole. Silver dot. BRB's. Grasshopper. Hot Dog muffler. Steelies. How about:

"Elephant Hide"
"Rough Nauga"
"Dry Lake Bed"

Posted by: lierofox Jun 3 2019, 01:56 PM

QUOTE(JeffBowlsby @ Jun 3 2019, 12:45 PM)

Posted by: Mike Bellis Jun 3 2019, 10:45 PM

QUOTE(JeffBowlsby @ Jun 3 2019, 12:45 PM)

Posted by: sixnotfour Jun 4 2019, 12:27 AM

Attached image(s)

Posted by: Porschef Jun 4 2019, 03:43 AM

Yes, looks like what was on my Nov 75 production car. Was pretty weatherbeaten when I replaced it with a sail panel kit. I noticed the slight difference when I installed it, didn’t think much about it.

As far as the targa vinyl goes, I don’t think it had the same grain, but I’d have to look at it to be sure

Posted by: carl k Jun 10 2019, 06:06 PM

QUOTE(Bleyseng @ Jun 1 2019, 09:18 AM)