VIN discrepancy 3.2 Carrera

[RVVUNM]

This car needs to be ultra cheap and taken is it stands in front of you now or walk away. I would walk away.

[BertBert]

supersport said:

BertBert said:

I don't think the older cars had stickers under the bonnet did they?

Yep they did, I wouldn't expect many to be left on though at 30 years old.

I stand corrected
Any progress OP?

[Lungauer]

OPC staff proving difficult to pin down at the moment. They must be rushed off their feet...

Still waiting for news on the VIN number and will report back when I know. I am still interested in the car though so, if it does check out, what would be a fair price for a good condition G50 3.2 with sports seats and a Dansk exhaust with no paperwork or service history? 100k miles with no record of engine rebuild.

Edited to add - OPC Wolverhampton can't find the chassis number on the system either. Anywhere else I could try? I would ask Porsche Club GB but I'm no longer a member...

Edited by Lungauer on Tuesday 18th February 15:11

[LarJammer]

That's one of those cars with the weird US alteration. If there is a number on the windscreen pillar it should rear WP0AA091xHS12xxxx. Was a LHD coupe originally.

[Koln-RS]

If it’s had an after market conversion from LHD to RHD I’d run a mile.
These are very desirable cars if all the boxes tick correctly.
This one sounds very eerie

[BertBert]

I suspect it's neither weird nor eerie! Almost certainly a US import and lhd to rhd converted.

I don't know why it has such a stigma. You have to get the car checked out for condition anyway. So it's just part of that.

Quite possibly a way to get a good car (if it is good) at a low price. If it's not good or not the right price then don't buy.

Having owned a hot rod of exactly that heritage it was absolutely fine. Nothing wrong with it and very few people could even tell it was converted.

So for me, if good and cheap then consider buying. If not, don't!

Bert

[IMI A]

Why not just buy something like this one? If you contact 911v they get some stunning G50 from time to time. You're so much better off just buying a straight car.

http://www.911virgin.com/porscheforsale/1415/9113....

[mlsporsche]

Stickers under bonnet started in about 1983

[Lungauer]

IMI A said:

Why not just buy something like this one? If you contact 911v they get some stunning G50 from time to time. You're so much better off just buying a straight car.

http://www.911virgin.com/porscheforsale/1415/9113....

Missed that one. I had seen the white one but was looking for a G50. Couldn't have been on their website for long. Have sold two of my 911s through Tom - very straightforward.

[Lungauer]

BertBert said:

I suspect it's neither weird nor eerie! Almost certainly a US import and lhd to rhd converted.

I don't know why it has such a stigma. You have to get the car checked out for condition anyway. So it's just part of that.

Quite possibly a way to get a good car (if it is good) at a low price. If it's not good or not the right price then don't buy.

Having owned a hot rod of exactly that heritage it was absolutely fine. Nothing wrong with it and very few people could even tell it was converted.

So for me, if good and cheap then consider buying. If not, don't!

Bert

I certainly couldn't spot the conversion, though to be honest I wasn't looking. Drove it too and there were fewer squeaks than from my Carrera T!

I am somewhat put off however, though the plan was to do a little light modding so perhaps it shouldn't matter. They're asking £45k for it.

[IMI A]

Lungauer said:

IMI A said:

Why not just buy something like this one? If you contact 911v they get some stunning G50 from time to time. You're so much better off just buying a straight car.

http://www.911virgin.com/porscheforsale/1415/9113....

Missed that one. I had seen the white one but was looking for a G50. Couldn't have been on their website for long. Have sold two of my 911s through Tom - very straightforward.

If you know Tom ask him to find you a good G50. If I was in buy mode I’d buy the Baltic G50 cab at Hairpin. It’s stunning and perfect for high days

[ras62]

That VIN and engine number (cant see the last few numbers) are from a rest of the world 911 build 1987.

[C4ME]

Can you post vin number from the V5C if it is different?

Have you tried talking to Porsche GB customer servives in Reading? They are usually very helpful with VIN number enquiries. If they can't find the VIN number then it is probably the 5th from last number being a 2 hence being interested in what is recorded on the V5C.

Edited by C4ME on Wednesday 19th February 21:43

[Lungauer]

C4ME said:

Can you post vin number from the V5C if it is different?

Number on the V5C is: WP0AB0910H5120598

I'll try Porsche Reading, thanks. The plan was to lose the rear spoiler and make some other cosmetic (and weight saving) changes, perhaps some retro-y seats with a smattering of basket weave leather here and there, get the engine rebuilt with hopefully some gains in power and upgrade the suspension for a more purposeful drive. With this in mind it might be a shame to marmalise a really good 3.2.

Here is a picture of the car, just in case anyone is still curious.

[Lungauer]

And some more for good measure...

[C4ME]

Lungauer said:

C4ME said:

Can you post vin number from the V5C if it is different?

Number on the V5C is: WP0AB0910H5120598

I'll try Porsche Reading, thanks. The plan was to lose the rear spoiler and make some other cosmetic (and weight saving) changes, perhaps some retro-y seats with a smattering of basket weave leather here and there, get the engine rebuilt with hopefully some gains in power and upgrade the suspension for a more purposeful drive. With this in mind it might be a shame to marmalise a really good 3.2.

The V5C is showing a seemingly valid USA region VIN that identifies the car as a Carrera Coupe (USA/Canada). The 5th digit from the end being a 2 is part of the identifier for this. The 5 after the H should be an S for Stuttgart factory though so that might explain why they cannot match the VIN on the computer (also all the 0 are zero not the letter O in that VIN). This matches with the suggestion the car was imported from USA/Canada.

Now the WP0ZZZ... number stamped into the chassis. This is not the VIN number but the chassis number. It contains matching information but the US region cars had both a WP0ZZZ... chassis number and a WP0AB... VIN number. The US VIN would be on a sticker in the door kick plate and also stamped into a plate visible through the front windscreen.

Everything would indicate that this being a US region car would have been LHD originally unless Porsche built a special order RHD car for the US market (unlikely). So has the car been converted but retained its original chassis number stamping? Only Porsche themselves or a very detailed inspection can reveal whether the car started life as LHD or RHD.

Edited by C4ME on Thursday 20th February 07:34

[RSVP911]

Lungauer said:

C4ME said:

Can you post vin number from the V5C if it is different?

Number on the V5C is: WP0AB0910H5120598

I'll try Porsche Reading, thanks. The plan was to lose the rear spoiler and make some other cosmetic (and weight saving) changes, perhaps some retro-y seats with a smattering of basket weave leather here and there, get the engine rebuilt with hopefully some gains in power and upgrade the suspension for a more purposeful drive. With this in mind it might be a shame to marmalise a really good 3.2.

Here is a picture of the car, just in case anyone is still curious.

Can’t comment on authenticity or drive type - it does look cool though

[browngt3]

Certainly looks nice from these pics. Heat exchangers etc all looking good. If the car checks out and seems original then could be a buy?

[RSVP911]

C4ME said:

Lungauer said:

C4ME said:

Can you post vin number from the V5C if it is different?

Number on the V5C is: WP0AB0910H5120598

I'll try Porsche Reading, thanks. The plan was to lose the rear spoiler and make some other cosmetic (and weight saving) changes, perhaps some retro-y seats with a smattering of basket weave leather here and there, get the engine rebuilt with hopefully some gains in power and upgrade the suspension for a more purposeful drive. With this in mind it might be a shame to marmalise a really good 3.2.

The V5C is showing a seemingly valid USA region VIN that identifies the car as a Carrera Coupe (USA/Canada). The 5th digit from the end being a 2 is part of the identifier for this. The 5 after the H should be an S for Stuttgart factory though so that might explain why they cannot match the VIN on the computer (also all the 0 are zero not the letter O in that VIN). This matches with the suggestion the car was imported from USA/Canada.

Now the WP0ZZZ... number stamped into the chassis. This is not the VIN number but the chassis number. It contains matching information but the US region cars had both a WP0ZZZ... chassis number and a WP0AB... VIN number. The US VIN would be on a sticker in the door kick plate and also stamped into a plate visible through the front windscreen.

Everything would indicate that this being a US region car would have been LHD originally unless Porsche built a special order RHD car for the US market (unlikely). So has the car been converted but retained its original chassis number stamping? Only Porsche themselves or a very detailed inspection can reveal whether the car started life as LHD or RHD.

Edited by C4ME on Thursday 20th February 07:34

Top knowledge !

[Lungauer]

RSVP911 said:

Top knowledge !

It is indeed and I should have been more fulsome in my thanks for taking such trouble to share it.

Customer Service at Reading are unable to help as I am not the registered keeper. I doubt very much if the owner will be prepared to contact them directly to confirm his car is somewhat tangental to the norm.

Edited by Lungauer on Thursday 20th February 10:54