Last weekend I picked up a late build 1974. Door jamb sticker say 7/74. Karmman tag says build was week 27,1974 Day 5 Car 18. VIN number is 4742920810. It has a 75-76 gas tank and the vent line goes to the rear engine compartment. It also has 75-76 salt and pepper carpet. I asked the owner about the gas tank and he said that was the way it came. I have since seen another late 74 with the salt and pepper carpet.

This adds to my theory that the factory used what ever was in the pipeline. Since the change over for the 75 model was in August, looks like they ran out of parts before the change over and they used what they had.

See if you can get Porsche to give you a rebate

I think it was a consistent group of late 1974 model year changes Mark. Have seen these before on late 1974 cars, in fact, the LE series spans into these changes. Earlier VIN LEs have what we know as 'standard 1974 year features, and late VIN LEs have these changes you mention and more.

So there was an early 1974 (silver button gauges, carbon canister at gas tank), standard 1974 (black button gauges, carbon canister at rear wall of engine bay, and late 1974 (chassis number plate in front trunk, plastic fuel expansion tank, salt & pepper charcoal carpeting). Fuel pump is in the engine bay on all of these versions.

Now that you mention it I remember cutting up a late 74 with the build tag in the front trunk.

My 74 has black button gauges and the carbon canister on top of the gas tank.

My old 74 1.8 had the engine-bay canister.

--DD