73 MY 914S Build Date Question, ...is it August or Sept 1972?? Options

[Tom_T]

Okay folks,

I've owned my early-73 MY 914-2.0 (914S for Pat G. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ), and I looked at the VIN label on the driver's door jamb, but the build date could either be an "8" but missing one of the "punch-dots" in the left side of the lower loop, or a "9" with an "extra dot" (& don't ask about the COA - no help there).

... so which is it ???? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I'm also aware of another 73 MY VIN 01102 built 9/72, & another on here VIN 01654 built 8/72 IIRC - & both are earlier VINs than mine - so did they build VINs out of date order?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

My VIN Door Jamb Label:



... and here's my project to restore - finally outside last Sunday before the "monsoon" hit!






... Lotsa work for me to do, to say the least!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[ME733]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) TOM requarding out of sequence chassis numbers and build dates decals......well When I reviewed the list of early 1973-S cars I think I noticed a propensity toward certain colors. SUNFLOWER yellow being the most prevelant, within the early 1973 MY...(meaning of course they were constructed in the latter part of 1972.). As a marketing tool maybe the fully loaded 1973-S cars were of a more noticable, or recoginizable, color, (sunflower yellow) and others. This could explain some of the mismatched chassis dates and build numbers, as they may have held back a batch of certain chassis with (certain colors) to construct into the 914-S. While this has been SAID to be JUST a north american marketing tool, the management /marketing at porsche surely knew everything about it....food for thought......MURRAY (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[Tom_T]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) TOM requarding out of sequence chassis numbers and build dates decals......well When I reviewed the list of early 1973-S cars I think I noticed a propensity toward certain colors. SUNFLOWER yellow being the most prevelant, within the early 1973 MY...(meaning of course they were constructed in the latter part of 1972.). As a marketing tool maybe the fully loaded 1973-S cars were of a more noticable, or recoginizable, color, (sunflower yellow) and others. This could explain some of the mismatched chassis dates and build numbers, as they may have held back a batch of certain chassis with (certain colors) to construct into the 914-S. While this has been SAID to be JUST a north american marketing tool, the management /marketing at porsche surely knew everything about it....food for thought......MURRAY (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

Hey Murray - sorry we sent our rain your way & more coming! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

What I've read/heard form several sources, was that VW-Porsche/PAG "over there" had "converted" &/or "redirected" some early 914-2.0 cars originally intended for the Euro market in the Summer/Fall of 1972 - to be sent to the USA where demand was so high for the "914S". But I'm not sure what they did about the Euro 2.0 GB motors vs. the USA/Calif spec GA 2.0 motors - maybe swapped them out??

So I doubt that they would've held any back regardless of popular colors. As to colors - well you & I can remember that that was the 70"s and the bright & wild colors like Yellows, Oranges, Reds & Greens were the "in" & "cool" thing! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) So I think that they just produced a lot more of them to be a hit with the younger buyers whom they were courting with the 914s! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Unfortunately, the members' VIN listing here doesn't include the build dates, so it's not easy to check it there, although there are several others who could be "polled" among early 73 MY & low VIN's.

I don't think that colors had anything to do with the out of order VINs we're noting here, since 01102 is an Orange (Signal Orange or Phoenix Red?), yours is Sunflower Yellow IIRC, & mine is the "dull" Light Ivory! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

- which BTW I would not have picked for myself if buying new, but instead probably would've gone for either the Marathon or Alaska or Special Order Blue Metallic or 72's Adriatic Blue (73's Olympic Blue was too pale/light for me), or maybe I'd have "settled for" a Silver, Delphi Metallic Green, Ravenna or Zambezi Green, or Black "on the lot" if I had to! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)