chassis number decoder, is this right? Options

[914 RZ-1]

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?

[Coondog]

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.

[Larmo63]

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.

[dlkawashima]

[SirAndy]

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

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.
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[914 RZ-1]

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?

[boxsterfan]

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?

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.

[SirAndy]

According to the Haynes manual the chassis number "...is in the front luggage compartment on the top of the right wheel well."

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

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[JeffBowlsby]

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

[914 RZ-1]

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.

[stevend914]

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? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Thanks

[jagalyn]

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

[aharder]

Mine was the 6th one on Monday October 1974 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Larmo63]

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.

[Craigers17]

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?
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[jagalyn]

So, what does the ‘5’ stand for?

[Larmo63]

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.

[914 RZ-1]

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.

[SirAndy]

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.
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[EdwardBlume]

Found this tag on the ABM

Chassis born on July 4th 1974