Certificate of Authenticity, How accurate is yours? Options

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

Time to time, the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity (CoA) is referenced and not infrequently the data is deemed inaccurate or inconsistent.

I applied and received mine almost 12 years ago and the specification contained therein, though sparse, is accurate. I don't know if the fact that my car was an early example (when record keeping was of more importance), because I applied a (relatively) long time ago, that I had a pretty basic car (compared to later editions), or was just plain lucky that my CoA was not botched.

Here's what it looks like, issued October 1995........

[Pat Garvey]

Does anyone have any "history" with 914's that were "converted" on the dealer's lot. Like, non-appearance group cars converted to appearance group?
And, would that conversion have been retro-recorded to the COA?

And, I'm still waiting, what does "Norwegian equipment" mean?
Pat

[Tom_T]

Does anyone have any "history" with 914's that were "converted" on the dealer's lot. Like, non-appearance group cars converted to appearance group?
And, would that conversion have been retro-recorded to the COA?

And, I'm still waiting, what does "Norwegian equipment" mean?
Pat

Hey Pat - that dealer color change possibility is exactly the "mystery" I'm trying to track down on my 73-2L. I don't have the COA in hand yet, but I've been talking back & forth with the gal there & she says it's an L80E Light Ivory, which I could always see was under to the floor mats & in the nooks! However, it was a Gold or Bronze Metallic when I bought on 12/26/75 - about 38 months after first delivery on 11/9/72 - but it didn't look like a fresh paint nor an incomplete/incompetent color change. And perhaps either the original buyer wanted another color the the factory white, or the dealer may have thought they could sell if better in Gold???

Any-hooo - in doing my resto, is it best for value and correctness to:
1 - Go Back to the White as it left the factory?
2 - Go Back to the Gold as it was sold(if I can somehow verify that)?
3 - Or Go Back to Either White or Gold??

...if it's 1, then I won't stress over trying to verify how/when the color go to Gold!
...and if it's 3 then I also have to mull over which I prefer to repaint & verify it!!


As to your difficulties on the COA - I'd suggest that you call PCNA at the 1-800-PORSCHE & Option #5, then ask for Kristen Bissonette-???? (can't recall her married name) & say I referred you, as we've developed a rapport.

She's been very helpful to me, and has at least read the "raw" code numbers from their spreadsheet to me, which I then cross checked on the rennlist webpage noted herein with her. So she may read you what shows up on hers, if you're real nice & don't unload on her, but do explain your frustration & problems. ...ditto for others out there.

And for EVERYBODY - Kristen told me that you only pay ONCE for the COA, and then any updates or lost/damaged replacements are FREE! It may be different if you go via PCA, since I downloaded the form off of the Porsche website - not PCA;s & faxed to PCNA in the Atlanta Area.

This came up because she wanted me to email her photos of my engine number before she would include it on my COA - i.e.: by verifying it as a match to hers as (GA)...000424, which she did tell me over the phone to look for. Apparently they can only see the last 6 digits & therefore can't tell which engine without your pix!
Probably the same for the transaxle numbers too, and why they put not available or whatever. So they should be matching your engine/trans number in a pic with the last 6 digits in their file to establish the match.

As to errors in their records - well she couldn't tell me the actual "stock upgrades/options" for my fairly early "914S"/914-2.0 VIN 4732901954, and said it only showed the US Equipment & tinted windows as the only 2 options. That 2.0 baseline is what I was trying to verify with the COA, because someone at sometime removed the fog lights & switch, Center Console & 3 Gauges, & the Fuchs 2.0 Alloys (had/has Rivieras instead). I have been able to verify that the first 2 were there by finding the old mount points & wiring, and most of what I've read says that ALL 73 2.0s came with the full Appearance & Performance Groups' options, with `74 starting to charge extra for some. So it sounds like it's correct once corrected as the 2.0.

However, in discussing the battery/fuel line recall campaign with the customer service person to whom Kristen referred me, I found out that their records show that it was supposedly sold in 9/73 in Connecticut!!?? .....almost a year AFTER my California DMV Registration cards say it was first sold/registered on 11/9/72 and having been built 9/72! How could a 2.0 sit for a year & get resold new (again) back east??? So I sent Kristen a pic of my reg. card & asked her to fix their records, suggesting that perhaps somebody mis-keyed that sale, possibly supposed to be 4742901954 !?

Both Kristin in COAs & Jolene in Customer Care said that their records that far back are not perfect, and have a lot of errors, so they're happy to change the if you supply them with documentation.

Hey Pat, you might see if KY (the state not the jelly!) still has a microfilm of your window sticker. I just found out that Acl. DMV will do a search for $20/year requested & send you a copy. That's under an "Information Request" at their ca.dmv.gov website for those out here. Maybe KY can do the same for you, if they retained paper or microfilm records - which they might because we're talking about tax revenues?