Need Help - VIN Decoder
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: Renton, WA
Need Help - VIN Decoder
I am searching for a good VIN decoder for 911 models 25 years old or older and haven't found much luck. Does anyone have one to recommend?
Sorry if there have been threads on this before, but I was unable to find the answer in any of them. Thanks in advance!
Sorry if there have been threads on this before, but I was unable to find the answer in any of them. Thanks in advance!
Rennlist Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 20,607
Likes: 16
From: Bakersfield, CA, for now...
(Shameless plug) My book gives a sample and a breakdown of the VIN for all USA delivery 911s. 25 years puts you at about an '82SC, which, along with '81s, had a 17-digit VIN. '80 used a 10-digit VIN with the letter "A" (for '80) as the 3rd digit, while '70-79 cars used a 10-digit VIN with the last number of the year used for year model in the 4th digit position. Post the VIN and we'll tell you what the car is.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: Renton, WA
It's not a specific car, actually. The long story is that a friend has been importing mini trucks (little Daihatsu hi-jet type) from Japan for a while now and been doing good business with it. People buy them for farm / ranch use, factories or job sites... a number of things. On the auction site he gets them from he's noticed that cars go for a pretty good price, and since it wouldn't cost anything additional to ship them over he's interested in bringing over one, or maybe more depending on how things go.
At first he wanted to bring over newer ones but I was able to show him that it'd be a nightmare trying to register anything under 25 years old. Everything I've seen on there has been a ROW model - all left-hand drive.
At first he wanted to bring over newer ones but I was able to show him that it'd be a nightmare trying to register anything under 25 years old. Everything I've seen on there has been a ROW model - all left-hand drive.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 20,607
Likes: 16
From: Bakersfield, CA, for now...
You should probably fire off a call to the EPA and DOT to see what you'll be up against. In CA cars '75 and older are smog exempt, but I'm not sure what's involved with the safety equipment (DOT). Good luck with it!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: Renton, WA
I've been doing the homework for him - we seem to be in the clear per the DOT, EPA and NHTSA sites. He wanted to bring in newer cars but I think I've talked him out of it because that's where it gets complicated. I'm helping out because I know Porsches (at least water cooled ones anyway).
I would like to find a VIN decoder for the older cars though so I can at least give him an idea of what they are and maybe a little basic option info. Tomorrow I may actually be able to post a couple of sample VINs, depending on what's available on the auction site.
I would like to find a VIN decoder for the older cars though so I can at least give him an idea of what they are and maybe a little basic option info. Tomorrow I may actually be able to post a couple of sample VINs, depending on what's available on the auction site.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,778
Likes: 113
From: The 909, CA
Try this one -> http://www.mindspring.com/~blained/vintage.html
I used Dan's example VIN and it decoded it with very basic information.
I used Dan's example VIN and it decoded it with very basic information.
