I know this topic has been discussed before and that a lot of folks think that COA's are a waste of money but.....I'm still interested in ordering one. I'd like see if PCNA can get it correct first time. Would it be helpful if I sent in photos of the VIN #'s, build date / color code tags and a list of the options on the car with the COA form filled out? Does anyone have any advice and/or firsthand experience with this?

I don't think it's a waste. If you have a nice car, get a coa and add it to your car docs.

Yes, provide as much info as you can, if it's verifiable they'll add to the coa.

Jeff,

Even with PCNA's problems & COA warts, it's still considered a valid collector document, & well worth getting for any nice 914/Porsche.

From my experience, you will need to send a pic of your case number if a 2.0 to get them to do the COA as a 914-2.0, plus you may need to follow-up with interior color codes if they get yours wrong from their reading of the Kardex (as happened with mine).

However, the only items which they'll accept as proof of options not showing up on their Kardex, would be the original window sticker, &/or maybe the dealer invoice when new - if it lists factory options &/or model number.

Any other pix & documentation will be a waste of time, since the dealers regularly swapped interiors (45 mins between 2 914s), Pirated parts & spare alloys off of cars (mine lost both its fog lights & spare ally), & other changes - not to mention what owners & dealers could add after the fact. So they tend to ignore current pix of an older car.

See Jeff Bowlsby's website for Model Numbers relative to included option groups (AG & PG), his Options Page for option numbers, & interior codes under the Tech Documents page of pdf documents....

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/ModelNumbers.htm

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/OpEq.htm

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/Manuals.htm
.... scroll down about 3/4s for 74 MY - which IIRC yours is 74

PCNA used to give a discount if you have the COA (saves them work), & PCA members or if you "mention" Panorama magazine gets you $10 off the price.

Remember, even if wrong, they have a responsibility to correct errors at no charge, so if you run into problems, go up the ladder, & feel free to give me a shout if stymied, so I can tell you how I got mine resolved.

Good Luck!
Tom
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I just attached a post-it note to my application listing the VIN, engine number, chassis number, paint code, and trans number saying 'this is what the car has right now'.
My COA came back with everything listed, including the trans number, which I understand is VERY unusual. I assume they either verified it somehow, or it was in the acceptable range of units used at the time.

If you give them every thing they need, they follow the path of least resistance.

They turned me down. Something on the order of, "they were absolutely positive that no 914 had ever left the factory w/ a Subaru engine in it!"

Question: So they won't tell you the original engine number, but will verify if you have the original? Or am I misunderstanding?

I think sometimes they don't know the exact number, but they do know a small range that the number could be in. I know this kinda sucks, but it's the best they can do. Their bookkeeping was a bit shoddy back them, many number recordings were done on the fly often by the guy on the line. If he was being lazy that day, he may of filled in numbers at the end of the shift, in a batch, etc.

This is long before barcodes and really they never gave it a thought that a 914 (or 911, VW beetle, bus, etc. ) would become a collectable car.

No they won't! I sent proof on 2 CoAs of details and they refused to accept it. Complete Waste of Money!

I have one for both of my 914's

Can they tell me what color seats and carpet came in my car?

I have the window sticker, but it only lists the car color.

Thanks.

They can, but they don't always have that info.

--DD

Does that mean my COA is worthless? I know all the numbers are the same as when I bought it 40 yrs ago. Unless the first owner swapped something, I'm pretty sure everything is correct and original.
If it was really that easy, someone could take an engine number (or VIN for that matter) that was 'close', send it in and get an official COA. Which means they really would be worthless...

Never have gotten one on any of my cars but probably should just for the records.
I've had the '71 since new so know it's the original engine, tranny, everything... I've known my '73 since new and knew the other 2 owners so know it also has the original equipment.
If you have to tell them every thing about the car beforehand, what's the point??

I was told to do this by PCNA after calling to verify numbers matching motor on my 930... I still haven't ordered mine, but I know several people that I've given the same advice who were happy with the results...

Similar to others in this thread, I've put this off and am now getting around to it because I'd like the documentation, even if it's for a non-matching numbers car. I spoke to PCNA the other day and explained I had the registration, VIN, etc, but the original engine and transmission were long gone, having been replaced by previous owners. The friendly rep I spoke with said that they would process the form, but the transmission and engine number fields would be blank, unless I could provide them.

Now, I understand they don't want folks passing off non-numbers matching cars as numbers matching, but I want the form because I'm curious about the car's history, as much as anything. Therefore, getting back an incomplete form does diminish it's usefulness and value. Besides, anyone who knows anything about 914s knows that 1970 transmissions were tail-shifters instead of side-shifters, and the original engine number would've been stamped in a different location than the engine I now have. Pretty hard to hide those details, short of over-stamping. To carry this further, I could probably do a little research and come up with numbers close enough that they wouldn't question them, but that's not what I'm after.

Anyone know a good way around this issue? Thanks in advance.

- MR

Not much info, but still pretty cool.
It doesn't mention the flairs, 3.2 motor and 916 trans.
Click to view attachment

A way around what issue? You have not definitively said if your components are original to the car or not. If they are original AFAYK, give Porsche the info and get your COA. If they are mismatched, then take the COA for what it is worth, or not.

I have a factory widebody 911. I basically wanted the COA as proof of the body from the factory. Like others, my first COA came back not listing that option! I emailed back and asked if their records indicated it as such and they said yes. I knew this to be the case because I inquired before I bought the car!

They redid it at no fee with no reason for the original oversight.

Sorry if I wasn't very clear:

>> and explained I had the registration, VIN, etc, but the original engine and transmission were long gone, having been replaced by previous owners. <<

The original engine was bricked a long time ago and a previous owner decided he liked the feel of side-shifter transmissions better than tail-shifters. So those two items are gone and I don't have the numbers. I'd like those numbers to be on the document for historical purposes and out of curiosity, but Porsche doesnt want to provide unless I already know them. That's the issue I'm trying to get around.

- MR

That makes it sound like they don't know them. Not only that, but if that information isn't put on a certificate, then it makes it easier for you to pass off a car as numbers matching since you'd have a certificate with omissions or blank fields. Seems like Porsche would provide that info on all certificates to protect future buyers.

As an aside, is there a listing of ranges of engine numbers based on the year and month of manufacture? Anyone here tried to make one?

just Mclovin