VIN Page Options

[robkammer]

Hello all: I'm new to the 914 world and am hoping to add a 2.0 to our garage soon. I have seen references to a VIN page in the forums but can't find it on the site.
Can someone point me in the right direction?
Thanks

[JeffBowlsby]

I'm still processing the above, but here are a couple of other fun facts to ponder:

The 1971 wiring schematic includes an oil temp sender circuit on the ignition harness and the original ignition harnesses have this circuit. The 1970 and 1972 do not. My thinking is that a separate wire directly connected the 1971 ignition harness to a sump mounted oil temp sender. Unlike the later 73-76 cars with the circuitry in the main chassis harness.

The 1973-76 cars have the center console gauge harness connections in the main chassis harness under the carpet, the 1970-72 cars do not.

[wonkipop]

I'm still processing the above, but here are a couple of other fun facts to ponder:

The 1971 wiring schematic includes an oil temp sender circuit on the ignition harness and the original ignition harnesses have this circuit. The 1970 and 1972 do not. My thinking is that a separate wire directly connected the 1971 ignition harness to a sump mounted oil temp sender. Unlike the later 73-76 cars with the circuitry in the main chassis harness.

The 1973-76 cars have the center console gauge harness connections in the main chassis harness under the carpet, the 1970-72 cars do not.

ok @jeffBowlsby - returning to this.

(this thread has been good. wandering further north of the seat cushion into the package bin along with this info on the harness of the 73-76 cars might throw a bit of light on the last mystery i was trying to find data on re three number engine code stamps on the 4 cylinders).

i got to here.




as you may recall Jeff we were initially only restricting research to 74 1.8 L jet cars.
we started turning up enough examples of the engine stamp codes to pretty much capture the extent of them.

and there was a verifiable pattern.
there were 4 number codes present on north american engines.
they corresponded to first of all whether a 49 states engine or california.
and further subdivided into whether it was a car built as an appearance group 1.8 or a base 1.8. if appearance group (fitted with gauge + console) the engine was also assembled and supplied by engine factory at hanover with a sump plate with oil temp sensor and engine wiring to plug directly into the chassis wiring loom.

using PET we worked out that the 1.8 engines have listed the two types of sump plate as fitted. whereas 2.0 engines always were fitted with sump plate with sensor and wiring.

what also became clear was that in 74 all 1.8s got as part of what we call appearance group package with the same guage and console as the 2.0 cars. in fact the 1.8s were pretty much the same as 2.0 appearance group optioned car, just gave you the choice of it being the smaller engine (fuel economy, first oil crisis? scenario).

after that 74 1.8 engine research i extended the collection of data into the 75 1.8s.
75s used a very similar spread of 4 letter codes across a sequential range of 4 consective numbers.

i got all those codes and connected them to verified data (original window stickers).
a repeat of 74 data in terms of what type of engine was numbered with which number.
similarly 75 1.8s also repeat the 74 spec re appearance group and base car.

after the 75s i went into the 73 1.7s.
i figured if my theory was right there ought to be also 4 of these codes for the 1.7 engines in 73.
1 for base EA (49 states), for appearance group EA, 1 for base EB (California) and 1 for a. g. EB.
but i have only ever been able to find 2 engine stamp numbers for the 73 1.7
610 for the EA
613 for the EB.

but now i can see the assumption i got wrong.
its clear to me now the 1.7 appearance group cars were not fitted with a console and guages as a factory spec option set up. only the 73 2.0s.
the 1,7s got a parcel bin console.
VW-Porsche kept a bit of spec difference to distinguish the two different engined cars in 1973. likely a marketing strategy?

but there was a four consecutive range of numbers alocated to the 1.7s.
running from 610 to 613.

the wiring loom you say exists in all 73 cars and can take the temp sensor connection from the engine along with the 4 number range allocated indicates to me that VW-Porsche contemplated offering the guage+console in the 73 1.7s for appearance group.
to do this they would have used all 4 of the numbers just as they did in 74 and 75.

however a late decision was made i think and they changed strategy.

as a result they simply used the first and last code number possibilities from the allocated range of 3 number codes.
610 for EA and 613 for EB.

i conclude there is no 611 or 612 engines. they dropped the necessity for these late in their plans for 73 models.

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another curiousity of these code combinations is as follows.

the EC 1.8 engines come after the EA and EB 1,7 engines chronolgically.

yet when you look at the code allocations.
the EC engines have the 600-609 range.
the EA/EB engines have the 610-619 range.
and the G engines have the 620 range.

which almost suggests that in terms of engine design projects that the EC precedes the EA/EB.

which it might have. thats what i am thinking.
negotiations with the EPA by all the big car manufacturers in 1972 caused the program for emissions standards introductions to be be delayed one year and shifted in time.
kind of opening up an interim year in 1973.

i think the EA and EB engines of 73 were a late insertion into the development program of the 914 and the EC engines were given more time to be developed - in particular focussing on the new L jetronic injection system. that is probably why they get their own 10 range of 3 number codes?

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thats why i think the wiring loom is there in the 73 1.7s but never the possibility of the temp gauge (at least from the factory as an ordered car).

in fact i am yet to come across a verifiable 1.7 fitted with the temp gauge from factory.
enough examples come up with a console and gauge but these are not original condition cars you can use to verify data.

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after 73 it looks to me like VW-Porsche go ahead with their planned model strategy given thought to earlier.

ie that the appearance group versions of the 1.8s and 2.0s are very similar (almost identical spec) cars only distinguished by their engine types as the difference.
-----or its all about fuel economy versus power. apart from that you can have the same car if you wish.