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Should I be suspicious
See my last entry as regards the proper front panel in '67
Being the OCD person that I am, I am always looking for new additions to the 67 Targa threads that I started. Found this one that was sold some time in the past by what purports to be a classic auto dealership designed to provide investment grade autos. Nice looking car but as per the usual just another dealer refusing to post the VIN number. Have taken to enlarging picture of the front number plates to get the VIN. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. This car purports to be an "S" but when I enlarge the plate it is a six digit number without the S. Last digit looks fishy. Is this truly an "S" or am I missing something? See below. The quality of the pictures should allow further enhancement. What if anything should I do if something is not right.
Attachment 470461Attachment 470460Attachment 470459
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Thanks for solving my self created mystery. Aluminum number plate just looks odd. Don't think I have seen one without the S stamped on it even if it is not artfully done. Sorry to raise suspicion on a fine look car. Already had it in my list from a different set of pictures. I even commented on the quality back then.
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What is the problem? But to my embarrassment I reviewed some of the picture I have collected. Looks like the earliest cars may have had the S struck next to the VIN number. However at some point it looks like the number plate was change to actually be embossed with "911S" in the plate before they stamped the actual VIN number thereby avoiding the necessity of adding the "stamped" S. Guess it was the same old story. Heinz used whatever they had until they ran out and then used the newer version. Sorry for any confusion I have caused. I may be even wrong on this latest explanation after re exam. Probably just my stupidity and they never did stamp an S on the aluminum VIN plate although I found a thread about a change for '68S cars. Here is the plate from 500006S.Attachment 470540
Moe apologies!
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Nothing related to the vin plate. The front panel with the drain/rib cutouts is not the right one for a 67.
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Not consistent
Attachment 470557Attachment 470556
Second plate looks too new. HK Engineering did resto. Paint plate looks like a repo also. Original Porsche plates seem to have a slightly larger S following the 911 embossed model number. Also they seemed to have added a space between each individual VIN digit. Guessing I have created my own home grown "tempest in a teapot"
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Yes, as Eric Linden (Soterik) noted above, the red car pictured was mine, and additional photos are in the link. The car did sell (after) the auction, and I have no idea of its whereabouts now, but it is "rumored" to be on the east coast. As far as the incorrectness of the front panel goes, there is a lengthy and unsettled discussion on this forum about cutoff dates for variants of these panels. I do know I did not replace this panel, nor was there the slightest evidence it had ever been replaced when I stripped all paint and undercoating from the car, and inspected all welds during my restoration of the car. Nevertheless, my statement does not prove the panel is correct in general. Perhaps it is an anomaly?
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Jim
Thanks for not taking offense at my speculation aka stupidity. As to the secondary issue, I remember the thread about the front panel, but never paid it much mind. In my picture collecting I find these two. First one is 500587S and second is 500108S. I'll look for some more pictures for numbers in between. The yellow one above is 500368S. The other one was obviously reworked so it might be a new panel.
Attachment 470607Attachment 470606
Maybe a midyear change?
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The change was sometime in 72. 67 cars did not have this later panel. Properly restored 67s should not have these holes but it was the only way to get a replacement panel. So, many restored cars have the holes. Thus the extra holes iteration has become gospel or at least unsettled to some. There is a thread on this but many incorrect cars have been posted adding to the confusion.
In my experience it is incorrect and all proper cars of the years in question should not have them. I think Restoration Design now has the right part. Until now it was up to your metal guy if you cared. If not no foul but not factory.