1973 Sepia 911S

[Sepia911S]

Bill,

I think the PCA Parade is very laid back and relaxed. Çoncours prep is great! You work hard at "perfecting" your car. Everyone is willing to chat, share tips, tools, supplies, and constructive suggestions. I have met the best people there.

Both Geneva and Barrington include many different types of cars. It will be a new experience.

I am very much a beginner at all of this. Having made too many mistakes, I ask questions. Now, I concour the car mostly to learn about it. There are very few people who know the early cars well and they are at Parade. Last year, a respected Preservation judge took the time to discuss the car with me ... such valuable information. I need help to properly maintain Sepia.

At Parade, my presentation is based on a binder with documents and photographs. (There will be a surprise this year?!)

At St. Charles, not having purchased tickets to the Concours Banquet, I had to scramble to find some. Now, I go to applaud the winners and hear the stories.

Scrambling, to get everything ready for Parade,

[Sepia911S]

What does the M mean? The 911 has these options--

M482 (Engine Compartment Light)
M402 (50th Anniversary Car, 1982--I don't get this one ... how could Porsche label that code in '73?)
M568 (Tinted Windscreen and Side Glass)

I understand the first six digits of the VIN. I always thought the last four digits were a sequential production number. So, 1365 means 1365 out of 1400 cars produced. Recently, someone said that those numbers had a special meaning. I am not sure about that. What is the correct meaning of the last four digits in the VIN for a '73S?

Thanks,

[Sepia911S]

There are some more numbers. I have the order form dated 3/26/73. On it, 402, no M is listed as KONIS. In addition, 428 is listed as TOW HOOK. The tow hook is the only thing not listed on the CofA. Were tow hooks installed by the dealer?

Just trying to match everything up, and understand all of this,

[LongRanger]

. . . some more numbers. I have the order form dated 3/26/73. On it, 402, no M is listed as KONIS. In addition, 428 is listed as TOW HOOK. The tow hook is the only thing not listed on the CofA . . .

Here's a previously published listing of option codes that might help . . .

http://members.rennlist.com/vilhuer/options.pdf

HtH

[LongRanger]

And here's another thread . . .

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...%2C+71%2C+911T

. . . and this one shows that M402 = KONI, so . . .

[Sepia911S]

Thank you Long Ranger for the information. I found what I needed.

When he was in the army, Jim was the only soldier on base who had a Porsche. I think this pic was taken in 1968 in Duncanville, Texas. He was a kid ... 23 years old ... he doesn't look very happy. I wonder where that car is today?

What is the model and the year of the Porsche? I think it is just a 911 ... but I don't know the early Porsches like I should.

[wgwollet]

911S

The last four digits are the sequence numbers, your correct. Unlike the new VIN numbers that tell you the engine type, location of parts, etc....SO...THERE IS NO WAY THE VIN tells you the options, must get a Kardex or COA.

And COA's are loaded with errors, my car's COA is not correct, I have original window sticker.

ABOUT TIRES.....REMEMBER BY LAW YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE TIRES OVER 10 YEARS OLD, why would you anyway? Very unsafe, plus most tire stores refuse to mount old tires for liability reasons....

[Sepia911S]

My favorite car at the Cars and Coffee ... a '75 911S in Bitter Chocolate. Of course, it had to be brown.



Another favorite ... 1974 Porsche RSR.

[Sepia911S]

Comparison of Parade Judging 2010, 2011, 2012
SC=St. Charles, S=Savannah, SL=Salt Lake City

	Endorsement	Compliment	Commendation
1a/1b	S, SC,SL
Exterior		S, SC	SL-
Interior		S, SC+	SL-
Engine	SL+	S, SC+
Storage	S	SC+, SL+
Chassis	SC		S,SL

As part of Parade preparations, I went over the previous score sheets to compare them from year to year. It is a challenge to earn a commendation. The judges have been consistent. And, that is good to know. Every year, the car was judged by a different team of judges ... no repeats.

Some things I don’t understand. 1a/1b is early documentation ... Moroney sticker, Kardex, CofA. I didn't have the Kardex; but, do have all the original paperwork. Even though an Endorsement is great, I am thinking the downgrading must be on utilization/mileage. I am confused about how the chassis is judged. But, I am starting to learn about all "the bottom" parts.

Some judges used the rating +/-. To me, there is not much difference between them. For the most part, Sepia scored mostly in the compliment range.

Next on the list of things to do is reread the score sheets and compare the comments from year to year. For the most part, I know what needs to be done; some of it will be left as is. There are things I don’t want to change.

The score sheets and comments help me take care of the 911S,

[mrgreenjeans]

Candyce,

the picture of Jim makes me want to try and guess its a '68 car.
I went out to my garage, where a friend has his '68 sitting and waiting for me to take it to the 50th Celebration in Mpls. at the Porsche Dealership there. I am dropping it off on the way to Parade this Thursday.........

AND,

the first thing I am going to do is go looking for the folks I have made friends with here, and at other Parades, and at other forums online. I am making a beeline to check out Sepia. Look for Bill W. and for Patrick and Ed and the many other good people that belong to this site and to PCA.

Busy cleaning their cars I suppose.......
Candyce, In that pic of Jim, I imagine he may not be too happy. Probably wanted to take his early 911 somewhere cool and dry, where he could get some good h.p. out of that little fella, and put in first choice of a location he wished to serve at and got sent to someplace hot and humid, where the 911 vapor locked, blanched, bucked, got heat stroked and sat for days 'til he could once again drive it.

About the codes :
They change from time to time and model to model. It can keep us on our toes. What means something for a 944, may or may not mean something 10 years later on a 911. Or even one series of car to another.

I have a friend who has an Anniversary coded 402 , or as also shown on that option sheet, a 406 coded car. A 944 in a special color produced in low volume as an '83 car for the US but having begun production in model year 1982.

IT also is brown, but a metallic brown and only produced that one year according to him. I think he called it Mahogany but I may be wrong on that.....

See you all in a few days at Grand Traverse, Traverse City, MI.
I have a brand new memory card all ready to fill up with Concours pictures.

And bring your hippie get up.
Dare you