Date stamp on steering wheel / struts, etc
10-02-2019, 09:32 AM
#1
Racer
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Date stamp on steering wheel / struts, etc
How should we interpret date stamped parts?
Was the steering wheel stamped when the car rolled off the production line? Should it match the build date on the certificate of authenticity? Or is it stamped a few months before it was even installed on the car? Should it match any other part dates?
How about the suspension? I assume that was date stamped a few months before the car rolled off the assembly line. How do we decode those dates? My struts say "43 85".
My 944 turbo was built 2/1986. Are those dates appropriate?
Is there a database somewhere? Thanks!
Was the steering wheel stamped when the car rolled off the production line? Should it match the build date on the certificate of authenticity? Or is it stamped a few months before it was even installed on the car? Should it match any other part dates?
How about the suspension? I assume that was date stamped a few months before the car rolled off the assembly line. How do we decode those dates? My struts say "43 85".
My 944 turbo was built 2/1986. Are those dates appropriate?
Is there a database somewhere? Thanks!
10-02-2019, 09:56 AM
#2
Nordschleife Master
There won’t be a database however Porsche likely has records for parts with a serial numbers only such as engine and transmission. I pretty sure that applies to all vehicle manufacturers.
All other parts, most not even made by Porsche, are manufactured before the car is made so the dates on those will all be earlier. So, if you have an 87 car and find an 86 wheel it’s likely original but if it’s a 90 wheel it’s been replaced.
All other parts, most not even made by Porsche, are manufactured before the car is made so the dates on those will all be earlier. So, if you have an 87 car and find an 86 wheel it’s likely original but if it’s a 90 wheel it’s been replaced.
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DSMblue (10-02-2019)
10-02-2019, 01:27 PM
#3
Rainman
Rennlist Member
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The parts could have been made a full year before the chassis, maybe more!
Porsche just ordered 100,000 strut sets from Sachs or whoever and picked them off the shelf as naked shells rolled by on the assembly line.
Porsche just ordered 100,000 strut sets from Sachs or whoever and picked them off the shelf as naked shells rolled by on the assembly line.
10-02-2019, 01:28 PM
#4
Three Wheelin'
When I took my 88-S apart to make a racecar out of it.. I was pleasantly surprised to see the factory Koni Struts (MO 30) in the rear had a date code of like 2001 on them.. They looked very new so I looked a bit closer.. Everything else was original except for the LF Fender which had no undercoating on it... But I purchased the car from the original owner and he said he had the car like three months and had a little "fender bender" with it.. This also explains why I had to fabricate a new fender bottom because that was the only rust on the whole car.. - Always interesting to see Date codes on these cars, or Crayon marks on the backside of panels from "Hans" or "Wolfgang" or whoever was working the line that day... I DO look back sometimes to see if it was a Friday or Monday car sometimes if it gives the exact day.. LOL
10-02-2019, 03:11 PM
#5
Nordschleife Master
There’s an interesting old post on this <website> about how, why and when Porsche adopted lean manufacturing and became a JIT enterprise. Well it was in the 90’s so presumably prior to that date Porsche bought and stored all the parts they required for production runs rather than parts arriving on the line when they were needed.
So I presume prior to the 90’s you are more likely to have parts dated months or years prior to the date the car was built. Obviously even after the 90’s it still happens as stockpiles can happen at the manufacturers of the parts prior to delivery to Porsche, but I would imagine the dates being much closer than before.
So I presume prior to the 90’s you are more likely to have parts dated months or years prior to the date the car was built. Obviously even after the 90’s it still happens as stockpiles can happen at the manufacturers of the parts prior to delivery to Porsche, but I would imagine the dates being much closer than before.
Last edited by MAGK944; 10-02-2019 at 04:44 PM.
10-02-2019, 04:39 PM
#6
Three Wheelin'
There’s an interesting old post on this <website> about how, why and when Porsche adopted lean manufacturing and became a JIT enterprise. Well it was in the 90’s so presumably prior to that date Porsche bought and stored all the parts they required for production runs rather than parts arriving on the line when they were needed.
So I presume prior to the 90’s you are more likely to have parts dated months or years prior to the date the car was built. Obviously even after the 90’s it still happens as stockpiles can happen at the manufacturers of the parts prior to delivery to Porsche, but I would imagine the dates bring much closer than before.
So I presume prior to the 90’s you are more likely to have parts dated months or years prior to the date the car was built. Obviously even after the 90’s it still happens as stockpiles can happen at the manufacturers of the parts prior to delivery to Porsche, but I would imagine the dates bring much closer than before.
unless youre GM and have a strike.. then JIT sucks...LOL