1975 Door DOT/VIN Sticker - Was CA different? Options

[DaveB]

The DOT sticker I have on my door doesn't look like what I see on other 1975 914's. The PPS said my car was Equipped for California. This is what the current sticker looks like:



Was this done just for California?

Thanks,

DaveB

[JeffBowlsby]

As I recall Porsche reassumed a controlling interest in the 914 in late 1974, so I wonder if the change in labeling was related to that?

[wonkipop]

As I recall Porsche reassumed a controlling interest in the 914 in late 1974, so I wonder if the change in labeling was related to that?

@JeffBowlsby @Davep



the glitch (or rare) vin stickers that lasts for only a month or two at the beginning of 1975 is VW wide.

it looks almost as if they rearrange the layout to create enough space for further words (name of country?) for the start of 75 calendar year and then don't include the name until the next batch of vin stickers in about late feb/early march 75.

here are kombi/bus vin labels.
same pattern of types as 914s in same chronology.
slightly different text arrangements as they are not passenger cars.
(two vin dates as some are kamper vans, second vin is interior kamper fit out).










difficult to easily find van labels from 76 and 77.
but by beginning of calendar year 78 it seems VW replace Germany with West Germany.

some beetle info i had on file shows that in 76 and 77 vin labels on beetles were using Germany.

Reasonable conclusion = VW adopt the name West Germany in 1978.
but only for USA bound cars on USA Vin Labels.
this all applies only to USA market cars.

cars for the ROW / Europe (EU/Common market as it was known) go over to using the name West Germany in 1976 calendar year. these cars retain manufacturer ID plates.

US market VWs lose the ID plates and transition to only having the Vin Label in the door.

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USA cars

VW probably drop the ID plate in USA cars as a rationalisation and economy.
insignnificant on perhaps individual cars but across daily US export production it added up to a definite saving.

as a result of dropping the manuf i.d. plate for USA, vw had to transfer the country of origin/manufacture on to the USA vin label.

this appears to have been a series of changes for the first 6 months of calendar year 75.
914s probably illustrate the same transition on other VW product.

1. re designed sticker with space allocated for name. Jan/Feb 75.
2. addition of name - Germany - March 75 to end of MY 75 / approx july or aug 75.
3. introduction of 76 MY car, drops manuf id plate, has only vin label = to later 75MY cars.

at step 1 VW seem to hesistate. possibly attempting to clarify when the name change of germany will be recognized by the US govt. after a couple of months it is confirmed.
not a problem at that stage of the year as they still had man. i.d. plates on cars.

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ROW/EU cars

The EU is the first to recognize the new modified official name for Germany as West Germany. its adopted throughout those markets and territories for the ID plate in 76.

It is highly likely that the USA did not formally recognize the modified official name of West Germany until some time later. safe to say just before 1978 if VW labels are trustworthy indications.

I think they would be. VW was the only auto maker in germany where the german govt. was a significant stakeholder and had a place on the board (controlling interest).
everything would have been crossed t-s and dotted i-s.

conclusion.

the Vin labels are the province of VW and have nothing to do with porsche.

the Vin labels are tailored to the USA market only and reflect the protocols around wording and names particular to US - German relations.

the ROW of world cars diverge and adopt a different protocol.

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of interest.

other car makers in germany seem to plough their own furrow regardless of official govt. protocols etc.

MB are just made in germany from whoa to go.
post war occupation / independence / economic miracle era/ post re-unfication.
they never change their tune.

Porsche adopt West Germany in 1976 on their USA vin labels.
a full two years before VW.
probably less proper. they don't wait around.
but they don't have the german govt. looking over their shoulder on the board.

i don't know about other carmakers.

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i found a few more 75 Vin labels for 75 cars easily and quickly off BAT.
the redesigned stickers without Germany written on them are restricted to the first 8 weeks of 75. the first stickers with germany included appear at the end of week 8.