Full Version: How to tell Euro from U.S. spec car?
How can I tell if a 914 is a Euro or U.S. spec car?? Chassis/VIN number? What are the differences?
Easiest way is front side marker lights. USA cars have them EURO cars don’t.
Not many 914s running around Victimville.......
Not many 914s running around Victimville.......
QUOTE(Ace Le Count @ Feb 15 2020, 07:47 PM) 
How can I tell if a 914 is a Euro or U.S. spec car?? Chassis/VIN number? What are the differences?
Chassis and vin is a good starting point.
Most had a different badge on the rear that had VW on it (see below).
Click to view attachment
They wouldn't have had the Porsche lettering on the engine lid grill.
Likely different tail light and front signal lens.
Any emission control stuff would have been different or non existent.
European radio?
I'm sure there's tons of things that I'm leaving out.
Gonna be hard these days, but...
-Lack of front sidemarkers (a lot of US cars have had them removed...)
-Badge on the back says "914-VW-PORSCHE" (some US cars now wear them)
-Lack of P-O-R-S-C-H-E letters on engine grille (a lot of US cars have had them removed)
-Wolfsburg logo in the center of the steering wheel instead of Porsche (a lot of 914s have custom steering wheels)
-Km/h readings instead of mph on the speedo
Language on various stickers? I suspect there is more, but these are a few clues that come to mind. However, I suspect true RoW 914s are rare in the US—the 914 sold in bigger numbers here and many of RoW 914s were melted by salt on the roads. Seems like there are more US cars over there than Euro cars over here, but there are always those exceptions...
-Lack of front sidemarkers (a lot of US cars have had them removed...)
-Badge on the back says "914-VW-PORSCHE" (some US cars now wear them)
-Lack of P-O-R-S-C-H-E letters on engine grille (a lot of US cars have had them removed)
-Wolfsburg logo in the center of the steering wheel instead of Porsche (a lot of 914s have custom steering wheels)
-Km/h readings instead of mph on the speedo
Language on various stickers? I suspect there is more, but these are a few clues that come to mind. However, I suspect true RoW 914s are rare in the US—the 914 sold in bigger numbers here and many of RoW 914s were melted by salt on the roads. Seems like there are more US cars over there than Euro cars over here, but there are always those exceptions...
QUOTE(horizontally-opposed @ Feb 16 2020, 07:10 AM)
Gonna be hard these days, but...
-Lack of front sidemarkers (a lot of US cars have had them removed...)
-Badge on the back says "914-VW-PORSCHE" (some US cars now wear them)
-Lack of P-O-R-S-C-H-E letters on engine grille (a lot of US cars have had them removed)
-Wolfsburg logo in the center of the steering wheel instead of Porsche (a lot of 914s have custom steering wheels)
-Km/h readings instead of mph on the speedo
Language on various stickers? I suspect there is more, but these are a few clues that come to mind. However, I suspect true RoW 914s are rare in the US—the 914 sold in bigger numbers here and many of RoW 914s were melted by salt on the roads. Seems like there are more US cars over there than Euro cars over here, but there are always those exceptions...
Although UK cars had mph speedometers and some Italian-spec cars had side-markers.
Make it easy. NO compliance sticker in driver door jam, NO VIN stamped plate on drivers windshield post.
QUOTE(914Sixer @ Feb 16 2020, 06:36 AM)
Make it easy. NO compliance sticker in driver door jam, NO VIN stamped plate on drivers windshield post.
Most reliable indicators and least likely to be messed with
Thanks for all the great info! I'm new to 914 world. It's nice to have other people to talk to. It would've taken me hours to find this on google. Thanks again 
Give Vince a call 760-600-6297. He is in Hesperia and runs a 914 parts yard off of I Ave. Super cool guy who will teach you everything you need to know and has lots of 914s in various states of repair or part cars that you can look at.
I learned a lot from him and he has great prices.
I learned a lot from him and he has great prices.
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