Gas Tank Change, mid 74? Options

[echocanyons]

I wonder if we as a group couldnt nail down the vin numbers or close to the time that they changed from the early gas tank to the late style in 74.

I have one of each

early tank vin 4742906509


late tank vin 4742921117

so its gotta be somewhere in between.

if the change has already been documented, like in B Johnsons book you can post it.

[JFJ914]

I have the early tank, VIN 4742912244.

[TheCabinetmaker]

We have 2 -74's here today

old 09007

new 19067

[Marlow]

What about the tanks changed?

[echocanyons]

AFAIK

the tank change consited in the runoff tank and the filler/cap.

Metal to plastic cap basically

[Dave_Darling]

That was probably also the time they changed from having the charcoal cannister up on top of the gas tank to having it back in the engine bay.... That also happened some time in mid-74.

--DD

[echocanyons]

Great we already narrowed ti down to 7000 cars

any 74 teeners between


early
12244

Late
19067?

[davep]

I'd have to double check, but 15749 was early tank and moved canister I think. My old parts book says the changeover came in the 1973 model year, but that is obviously out to lunch. They also have my car on the wrong side of the proportioning valve change.

[Dave_Darling]

So sayeth The Book--my factory parts manual, 1980 vintage.

Tank, filler neck, bolts (yeah, right!!), washers (suuuure...), and cap are all listed as one part number up to VIN 4732924902 . The expansion tank also is listed with that notation.

The next tank (the .012 model as opposed to the .010 model) is listed as beginning with VIN 4732924903 . One expansion tank is listed as starting with that VIN as well, but there is another part number that is noted as starting with the 75 model year. There is also a middle gas cap covering the same range, and a late gas cap. There are two charcoal cannisters illustrated in the line-drawings, but only one part number shown in the 74+ section. (The 70-73 section has a different part number listed for the charcoal cannister.)

I'm afraid that's not very conclusive.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

--DD

[dmenche914]

used to own a 1970, very early car, US specification, was something like 1600 th 914 built (built in 1969) It had no charcoal can, nor provision for the hoses for same on the fan house nor rockers. it was very difficult to pass smog test without it, but thats the way it came, and it was supposed to have it. Oh well. Other interesting thing was the muffler heat shield was screwed on, not welded on as all the other 914's I have seen. this was also probably an early car thing.
i no longer own this weird car, but it all appeared to be that way from the factory, not changed over the years.

[echocanyons]

Dave, does that mean there are three different types of gas caps for the 914?

I do know that the late tank filler will not accept the early tank cap the diameter is smaller if I remember right

[Dave_Darling]

Three different part numbers for the gas cap.

Note that the change is listed for 1973 model year cars, not the 74s as we had been discussing earlier!!

--DD

[echocanyons]

So the vin change is listed as changing in 73 but we have a least a couple of cars in early 74 with the early tank.

very strange

[davep]

As DD says, the old parts manual lists the crossover in 1973. That is NOT the case as all my 74's have the steel expansion tank and steel gas cap. I have never had the plastic tank. This is one reason why I am keeping my own "cardex" because you cannot trust the factory literature on everything.

The evaporative system was only for North America, so it would be a ROW (rest of world) car if it did not have it. In that case, the windshield frame VIN badge would also be missing.

[JFJ914]

That was probably also the time they changed from having the charcoal cannister up on top of the gas tank to having it back in the engine bay.... That also happened some time in mid-74.

--DD

Nope, VIN 4742912244, has the rear mounted charcoal canister.