this is a harder one, but the answer is relevant to 914 historyClick to view attachment Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

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Such an early VIN does not jive with the build date decal.

Someone found use for a set of vin numbers???

Somebody welded two early 914s together along the line shown by the carpet crease?

Could just be an odd example, but yeah, seems like a late VIN for some early features.

70/71 seats in a '72 car?

OR

/6 seats from 70/71/72 in a '72?

OR

a real '72 9146?

Not sure about the first 3 numbers.........Monday Morning after Oct-Fest?

ALSO, I am doing this from memory, may have the # positions wrong in my assessment?

Driver seat from late car? or wrong side for driver seat too?

70’s have basket weave seat cushions whereas 71’s have smooth cushions?

Charlie

Did passenger doors have pockets under arm rest. Mark

Funny, My '70 had a cut in the seat cushion EXACTLY where this one is.......Hhhhmmm

So did my 73 driver seat have an almost identical hole and location? My original owner Dad admitted climbing in with a screwdriver in his back pocket!

Yup, that is exactly what happened......sigh

Recess in the driver seat for the hand brake access not yet implemented?

So... a very early 1971 chassis retaing the early seats and belts. The cutout around the handbrake lever looks smaller than my 1973 car. I can't recall what that cutout looked like on the 1970 car I had. Is this getting warm?

check the body vins... do they match the vin in the window.

Everything looks fine to me except the basketweave and carpets. My later 71 had the smooth leatherette and cheap carpets.

1st car with black compliance sticker.
All previous were silver ( Update....wrong.... I have a '72 here with silver compliance sticker )
PS, it's not listed in 914 World, how significant could it be ?

Wow, glad I didn't have to guess on this one! I never would have gotten that...

--DD

My guess: VIN looks right, early ´71 built shortly after the summer break therefore labeled as the following years model.
Hmmm...Drivers seat has no recess for the parking brake lever, meaning it is a passenger seat from a later car. 1971´s still had the fixed passenger seat. Besides that I cannot see any difference to my late ´71.

be buggered if i know.

nice brain teaser, trying not to get mesmerized by vinyl and get carried away by sticker colors like i am an aussie 356 concourse nut.

something to do with vin number, maybe, and the other photos are give you a headache furphies?

...... 874 cars by either start of sept 70 or end of sept 70 is not very many for 71 model year. german workers strike? something happened then.

or it is detail, looks like my handbrake lever and i have a 74. 71s fold up?
but never seen one of those early handbrakes to take notice of or remember.
someone could update a detail anyway by this time in history........

relevant to 914 history. be interesting whatever it is.

So what paint color is on Karmann tag?

I agree with this assessment - especially since the ingress/egress damage found on all driver seats and some passenger seats is on the inside - note the stiches have pulled through the vinyl.

reckon you guys are right.
studying some pictures of early cars looks like the drivers seat left side is more scalloped out than later cars with changed handbrake (even though those are scalloped too).
if so learn something new everyday, thought the seat scallop stayed the same.

if a passenger seat someone swapped the position lever handle over.

can't really tell from photos if seams are stitched or heat pressed on drivers seat.
but look a little different to back rest from passenger seat that seem tighter.
if so seat is from a 74.

The only car the OP has ever shown with a correct interior light ?

the rest are stashed in a bank vault.