Porsche building cars without a VIN? (911), 914s also, maybe? Options

[74ravenna]

Hi all,

Last week a coworker sent me a photo of a 911 without a VIN.
Its a factory built race car that the owner bought new around 1970 (i think) and put the car away, never really drove it i guess.
To look at the photo you'd think it was a nut and bolt restoration, but its all original!

So, did Porsche actually build cars without a VIN in situations like this?
I can't help but think that they had to put some sort of numbers/ID on it.

Did they build any 914s in this same manner?

Steve

[gms]

I believe a “body in white” was just that, a body painted white. I don’t believe there was engine, transaxle, suspension or interior. This was a very popular way to make a 935 out of a 911. The serial numbers were like 000 00022 I believe this was the 22nd body from 1980.
I have heard of one such 914 body in white it replaced the rusted body of 914.043.0059

[Tom_T]

I believe a “body in white” was just that, a body painted white. I don’t believe there was engine, transaxle, suspension or interior. This was a very popular way to make a 935 out of a 911. The serial numbers were like 000 00022 I believe this was the 22nd body from 1980.
I have heard of one such 914 body in white it replaced the rusted body of 914.043.0059

When was that -6 body-in-white done Glen? I'd bet at least 15-20 years ago.

IIRC the body-in-white was only the body shell, & also lacked doors, F&R deck & engine lids, & a bunch of other parts to make a complete 914 etc.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[gms]

I believe a “body in white” was just that, a body painted white. I don’t believe there was engine, transaxle, suspension or interior. This was a very popular way to make a 935 out of a 911. The serial numbers were like 000 00022 I believe this was the 22nd body from 1980.
I have heard of one such 914 body in white it replaced the rusted body of 914.043.0059

When was that -6 body-in-white done Glen? I'd bet at least 15-20 years ago.

IIRC the body-in-white was only the body shell, & also lacked doors, F&R deck & engine lids, & a bunch of other parts to make a complete 914 etc.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

I cannot say when the transformation (on #59) took place but I think it was about 10-15 years ago that I heard about it. I had pictures but I cannot find them. Another example was a GT3 that came into Kelly-Moss racing while I was helping out on a 914/6 restoration. The chassis was tweeked beyond repair so they bought a new body and transferred all the parts over to the new white body.

[lalee914]

I believe a “body in white” was just that, a body painted white. I don’t believe there was engine, transaxle, suspension or interior. This was a very popular way to make a 935 out of a 911. The serial numbers were like 000 00022 I believe this was the 22nd body from 1980.
I have heard of one such 914 body in white it replaced the rusted body of 914.043.0059

When was that -6 body-in-white done Glen? I'd bet at least 15-20 years ago.

IIRC the body-in-white was only the body shell, & also lacked doors, F&R deck & engine lids, & a bunch of other parts to make a complete 914 etc.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

I cannot say when the transformation (on #59) took place but I think it was about 10-15 years ago that I heard about it. I had pictures but I cannot find them. Another example was a GT3 that came into Kelly-Moss racing while I was helping out on a 914/6 restoration. The chassis was tweeked beyond repair so they bought a new body and transferred all the parts over to the new white body.

Hi Glenn,
According to an e-mail I have from 2004, 9140430059 was sold in 1986 with the replacement chassis. This is a small part of that e-mail.

14/01/1986 Transferred owner: Chris Duncan --> Heddell & Deeks
Chassis: *0310005*/9140-43-0059
Engine: 642-0251
Colour: L20E/Signal Orange

So the chassis swap had to occur 30+ years ago.

[Tom_T]

I believe a “body in white” was just that, a body painted white. I don’t believe there was engine, transaxle, suspension or interior. This was a very popular way to make a 935 out of a 911. The serial numbers were like 000 00022 I believe this was the 22nd body from 1980.
I have heard of one such 914 body in white it replaced the rusted body of 914.043.0059

When was that -6 body-in-white done Glen? I'd bet at least 15-20 years ago.

IIRC the body-in-white was only the body shell, & also lacked doors, F&R deck & engine lids, & a bunch of other parts to make a complete 914 etc.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

I cannot say when the transformation (on #59) took place but I think it was about 10-15 years ago that I heard about it. I had pictures but I cannot find them. Another example was a GT3 that came into Kelly-Moss racing while I was helping out on a 914/6 restoration. The chassis was tweeked beyond repair so they bought a new body and transferred all the parts over to the new white body.

Hi Glenn,
According to an e-mail I have from 2004, 9140430059 was sold in 1986 with the replacement chassis. This is a small part of that e-mail.

14/01/1986 Transferred owner: Chris Duncan --> Heddell & Deeks
Chassis: *0310005*/9140-43-0059
Engine: 642-0251
Colour: L20E/Signal Orange

So the chassis swap had to occur 30+ years ago.

Interesting that a 914 was so heavily rusted that it needed a full BIW more than 30 years ago, which made that 70 -6 only about say 10-17 years old when that heavily tin-wormed out body was redone, depending upon the actual year of the re-body.

I know that even here in "Sunny SoCal" (not always sunny as 72-73 were El Nino years), my 73 (1st sold Nov. 72) had enough rust bubbling occurring by 76, that I had my 1st Rustoration/Repaint done that summer (I bought it from the OO in Dec 75). Mine was cowl & below the sail panels rust bubbles, so not a full re-body level of rust damage.

Before that work, I went to Porsche/PCNA through a local dealer - who said that Porsche was long aware of the rust problems with 914s, 356s & 911s/912s - but PCNA/PAG wouldn't cover any cost on a 3-1/2 year old car with about 58K miles on it by then - so not old. But there were NO 10 year rust perforation warranty back in those days, & in the 1976 MY they started hot dipping the bodies/parts - 911/912E/930 only - since all 76 914s were built before that started, in late 1975.

So the 356 discussions on BIWs above isn't surprising either, but Porsche (VW-Porsche) probably made it worse on 914s with their injected foam.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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