Karmann Karosserie Number - please explain ? Options

[amallagh]

Can anyone please explain the Karmann Karosserie numbering system on the aluminium plates in the left door jam ?

I would love to know what this means. Particularly would like to know what year/month my chassis was made. I recall finding a post about these numbers in the past but I've been searching for hours and can't find it.

My number is 2619521
Andrew

[Gustl]

from my brain, the 1st 2 digits indicate the week of the year, the 3rd digit the day of the week
the 9 is a constant
the last 3 digits are a running number of the production week

so, 2619521 should be:
week 26 (looks like end of June)
1 = Monday
body #521 from week 26

if you tell us the VIN - at least the digit after the leading 47 - we could find out the exact building date of your 914 body


if my memory is bad, Dave will tell you the truth (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:http://www.oct.at/images/Smile_wavey.gif) Gustl

[amallagh]

from my brain, the 1st 2 digits indicate the week of the year, the 3rd digit the day of the week
the 9 is a constant
the last 3 digits are a running number of the production week

so, 2619521 should be:
week 26 (looks like end of June)
1 = Monday
body #521 from week 26

if you tell us the VIN - at least the digit after the leading 47 - we could find out the exact building date of your 914 body


if my memory is bad, Dave will tell you the truth (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:http://www.oct.at/images/Smile_wavey.gif) Gustl

I remembered it was something complicated. I would never have guessed what it meant without your explanation ! Many thanks. Chassis Number is 4732925202. So does this mean it was manufactured June 72 or Jun 73 ?
I was desperately hoping it was manufactured in 72. There is a marvelously unfair law in the UK that says if your car is from 1972 you don't pay road tax because it is classified as a classic vehicle for tax purposes. If it is 1973 you pay full road tax as if it is a new car !
Can you tell what specification my car originally was ? engine, trim, etc.
Original engine has long since been removed and is now a 914-6 GT replica with all the bulgy bits. Hope to get it back on the road very soon

[Gustl]

Andrew,

in combination with this VIN I'd say the car (body) was built on

Monday, June 25, 1973

neither the VIN nor the Karmann body # tell us anything about the vehicle specification
engine would be a 1.7 or 2.0 ...

(IMG:http://www.oct.at/images/Smile_wavey.gif) Gustl

[amallagh]

Andrew,

in combination with this VIN I'd say the car (body) was built on

Monday, June 25, 1973

neither the VIN nor the Karmann body # tell us anything about the vehicle specification
engine would be a 1.7 or 2.0 ...

(IMG:http://www.oct.at/images/Smile_wavey.gif) Gustl

Presumably it must have been one of the last ones made then ?
I read that each model (1973) year was manufactured between August of the previous year(1972) and June of the model year (1973).
Is there any way to find out what engine the car was originally fitted with ?
Andrew

[Gustl]

your VIN is 4732925202, the MY'73 is reported to reach up to 4732927660, so there are 2458 cars more

funny thing about the built date - my 74 1.8 was built on June 26, 1974 ... exactly 1 day and 1 year later (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

from the numbers there is no way to find out the correct engine
you would have to find out any pre owners - maybe one of them could tell you the correct engine??? not very likely, but worth a try ...

(IMG:http://www.oct.at/images/Smile_wavey.gif) Gustl

[JeffBowlsby]

The original engine size would be indicated on a COA available here in the states from PCNA and I think you may have access to the European equivalent...whats it called...'birth certificate' (?)

[Gustl]

Jeff, does the COA really show you the correct engine type?

At the german "birth certificate" they show "not recorded" at most of the documents - at least these days ...

btw - hoch much do they ask for a COA ??

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif) Gustl

[davep]

On the subject of body numbers I try to keep everyone in line. Gustl has it correct except it is the 21st body on that day.
What is the paint code?
Sorry about your luck, but it is most definitely a 1973 car.
To determine if it was a 2.0 or 1.7, there are a few hints if the info is still there. Tire data label on the gas tank would say SR for the 1.7 or HR for the 2.0. Engine data label in the engine compartment.

[Gustl]

Gustl has it correct except it is the 21st body on that day.

oooops ... so what does the "5" say ??

[amallagh]

Paint code is L30E Bahia Red.
Never heard of an 'engine data label' in th engine bay ? Where is it supposed to be ?
No label on the gas tank any more . It has been completely refurbished inside and out a few years ago.
Mine is a US car . No mention of engine size on the title deed document I got with it.

Are both the 9 and the 5 in my number just constants then that don't mean anything ?

[Gustl]

Are both the 9 and the 5 in my number just constants then that don't mean anything ?

as for my knowledge, the "9" says that it was built at the Karmann headquater in Osnabrück, Germany

maybe Dave can tell us about the "5" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif) Gustl

[JeffBowlsby]

The COA these days is absurdly priced at $110USD...but its the only document that can authenticate an LE car

http://www.pca.org/members/library/Cert_of_Authen_Form.pdf

Some of the COAs list the engine size and all of them list the serial number which may suggest the size

[amallagh]

Are these issued by Porsche themselves ir Porsche Club America ?
If it is the Porsche Club then presumably you have to be a member to get one ?

[Johny Blackstain]

Are these issued by Porsche themselves ir Porsche Club America ?
If it is the Porsche Club then presumably you have to be a member to get one ?

They're issued by PCNA & no, you do not have to be a member of PCA, but it costs $10.00 more if you're not. Also, if you have the Kardex (window sticker) there is a $10.00 discount.


PCNA- Porsche Cars, North America

This post has been edited by Johny Blackstain: Aug 7 2007, 08:08 PM

[Pat Garvey]

Are these issued by Porsche themselves ir Porsche Club America ?
If it is the Porsche Club then presumably you have to be a member to get one ?

They're issued by PCA & no, you do not have to be a member of PCA, but it costs $10.00 more if you're not. If you have the Kardex (window sticker) there is a $10.00 discount.

I think Al meant that they are issued by PCNA, not PCA.

I got my first one for $20 & thought that was a hijack - $110!

Yeah, but it's a "must have".
pat

[Johny Blackstain]

I think Al meant that they are issued by PCNA, not PCA.

yes Pat, I made an error... PCNA, not the club. Will edit.

[davep]

As Gustl says, we believe the 9 designates the factory or production line.
The 5 is a base number. So for a given day you would have a base body number that looks like xxy9500, then the first car would be xxy9501 and the 110th car would be xxy9610. Why they started at 500 I do not know. Perhaps there was another car being built that started at 9000 and went up to 9499. About week 40 of 1974, about 10 weeks into 1975 MY production they did change the system, and instead of stamping the number into the rear trunk floor, they began riveting a tag into the front trunk, and at the same time (I believe, but have no proof) they began using a base of 9000. I suppose I had better start a new thread to ask the body of members for their help in defining these changes.

[smontanaro]

Check roadglue.com. There was a thread about this very topic in the past couple of
days. Something about someone at Karmann screwing up the "9" in the xxx9yyy scheme.

Skip

[amallagh]

Thanks again for all the information. Great to know what these numbers mean.
'davep 'mentioned an engine data lebel in the engine bay that might help with identifying the original engine size. Can anyone tell me exactly where this is supposed to be in the engine bay and how to interpret the numbers on this label ?