U.S. VIN Build Dates

[HB Chris]

I have gathered the VIN data for U.S. 3.0 coupes only on a spreadsheet from our new registry and compared it the quantity built each calendar year, also from our site and the CS Registry site. Only a few of us have the actual build date from BMW but I found some interesting info.

We have one of the earliest built 4-speeds, 2240036 (a build date would help us determine when production actually began). The earlist automatic is 2250065, again an early car. We have 34 4-speeds and only 18 automatics even though total production was almost even. The BMW Parts Book lists at which VIN the `73 models began due to the `73 only bumper changes but a couple of coupes built much earlier are recorded as `73 models. They may have sat on a dealer showroom for quite a while although I thought only the `74s suffered this fate.

Maybe I should wear the title of 'coupe anorak' but I enjoy collecting this info and thought others might be interested as well. I intend to update as coupes are added so feel free to contact me through PM or e-mail if you want a copy. I tried attaching it in both doc and pdf formats but even though they are very small they are too large. And eventually I hope all of our coupe brethren obtain the actual build date for their cherished coupe. Cheers!

 

[BlauMitWeiss]

HB Chris, the info is only starting to come in....it will be awesome to learn the forgotten with this project!
Once a few consecutive cars start apearing. ie 2250131, 2250132, 2250133, the colours and dates will add to the entire experience.

Someone should get ahold of BMW and ask for what they have on data base.

kevin

 

[iconoclast6]

Hey Chris,

This is really good stuff....keep up the great work. I'm certain more will be revealed--
the stuff that will add to what makes our coupes special.

Chuck

 

[Ives]

Vin#2240322 and 2240321 on Registry

HB Chris, the info is only starting to come in....it will be awesome to learn the forgotten with this project!
Once a few consecutive cars start apearing. ie 2250131, 2250132, 2250133, the colours and dates will add to the entire experience.

Someone should get ahold of BMW and ask for what they have on data base.

kevin

My 1972 3.0 CS Sahara Coupe was right behind Sven's Polaris Neu on the factory floor. I don't have a sunroof and from his pictures it looks like Sven may have one. My Coupe ended up without the dreaded U.S. front reflectors and Sven has them on his. I have seen the reflectors on Coups in a very random fashion and assume that all U.S. models came with them when they were delivered to Hoffman Motors but have dissapeared due to body work. Is that correct? I think the Registry is great and can't wait to spot Vin #2240323.

Regards, Jon

 

[m_thompson]

It will also be interesting to see where the cutoff between '72 and '73 production is. My '72 has the '73 seat belt warning indicator, a combination of '72 and '73 license plate lights, and '73 bumpers.

 

[HB Chris]

72 vs. 73

`73 production began with 2240391 and 2250319 according to BMW, what is your VIN and do you have a build date? I will send my spreadsheet to anyone who wants to have a look, just send me a note. 2250131 was built in CY `72, only 60 autos were built in `71 and all of these are `72 models. Coupes built after 1 October are next year models but having a build date for a coupe near the cut-off would help document this. We do have several consecutive build numbers: 2240321 and 322, 2240689 and 690 (3/27/73) and 4310234 and 235 (5/17/74) but no other build dates posted.

All U.S. coupes got the side reflectors, later imports from Europe had them added for DOT, sometimes in weird places. Others like mine were removed when they were restored (I like it without reflectors). If your `73 has two sets of license lights it is because someone lost the chrome plastic covers for the holes in the bumper and put lights in their place, better than having a hole!

 

[gazzol]

Very interesting stuff!! Keep up the good work.

 

[m_thompson]

`73 production began with 2240391 and 2250319 according to BMW, what is your VIN and do you have a build date?

My '72 VIN is 2240228, I will have to find the letter to supply the build date.

If your `73 has two sets of license lights it is because someone lost the chrome plastic covers for the holes in the bumper and put lights in their place, better than having a hole!

I am not convinced of that. I have found two other '72s that were built like this.

 

[HB Chris]

VINs

m,

2240228 was probably built around April of `72 based on coupe production of 30 or so a month for each variant, stick vs. automatic. Anything is possible with the license plate mounting, tail panel vs. bumper. All `73s got the tail panel lights and plactic bumper plugs. I have seen only 2 or 3 `73s that still have the plastic plugs, most now have redundant lights in the bumper which are probably not connected. This is how my coupe came to me five years ago.

Although all of the early and later bumpers have the license light opening, the `73 has the hoop mount and I believe the inner mounting point on the bumper is different even though the exterior looks identical. It takes some fabricating the install the early bumper on the `73 hoop. When I asked Peter S. about this he said he routinely removes all `73 bumpers during his restorations and mounts the earlier style.

Also possible is that during restoration if a new tail panel trim is needed and only one with license light holes is available, that could be installed and license lights added.

Keep those build dates coming! Thanks.

 

[72CS]

Chris,

I happen to be the (new) owner of 2240036. Here is what I received from BMW Classic:

"The BMW 3.0 CS US VIN 2240036 was manufactured on August 2nd, 1971 and delivered on August 31st, 1971 to the BMW importer Hoffman motrs Corp. in New York City. The original colour was Tundra metallic, paint code 068."

The vehicle documentation refers to it as a 1972.

Hope this helps, keep up the good work!

Fabio

 

[HB Chris]

Fabio,

Congratulations! You have the earliest US 3.0 so far, be sure to update your registry page and I will update my list. Thank you.

 

[hplug]

73

My 73 vin#2250389 auto manufactured 0n Nov. 16th 1972 delivered Jan 3rd to Hoffman. Original colof Fjord 037.

Do the 2800 guys not get to play?

 

[HB Chris]

Vin

Hayes,

I might have to start a list for them as well. My interest began with the `73 U.S. model year only as that is what I own and 1005 of the first 1713 were `73 coupes. I notice that owners are slowly contacting BMW and adding the build date to their profile.

Unfortunately many have not included their e9 alias or name and e-mail to the registry making it difficult to associate an owner with a coupe. I hope more will add this info when they have the time.

 

[gpetrus]

I have gathered the VIN data for U.S. 3.0 coupes only on a spreadsheet from our new registry and compared it the quantity built each calendar year, also from our site and the CS Registry site. Only a few of us have the actual build date from BMW but I found some interesting info.

We have one of the earliest built 4-speeds, 2240036 (a build date would help us determine when production actually began) and this coupe might actually be a `71 making it very rare. The earlist automatic is 2250065, again an early car. We have 34 4-speeds and only 18 automatics even though total production was almost even. The BMW Parts Book lists at which VIN the `73 models began due to the `73 only bumper changes but a couple of coupes built much earlier are recorded as `73 models. They may have sat on a dealer showroom for quite a while although I thought only the `74s suffered this fate.

Maybe I should wear the title of 'coupe anorak' but I enjoy collecting this info and thought others might be interested as well. I intend to update as coupes are added so feel free to contact me through PM or e-mail if you want a copy. I tried attaching it in both doc and pdf formats but even though they are very small they are too large. And eventually I hope all of our coupe brethren obtain the actual build date for their cherished coupe. Cheers!

I think maybe another resourse would be to look at what parts changed from the 2800cs to the 3.0cs, and when.

Pistons:http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=3425&mospid=47810&btnr=11_2441&hg=11&fg=20
No. Description Supplement Qty From Up To Part Number Price Notes
01 MAHLE PISTON 85,97MM("0") 6 12/1968 03/1971 11251262002 $183.02
01 MAHLE PISTON 86,05MM("00") 6 12/1968 03/1971 11251262003 $183.02
01 MAHLE PISTON 86,22MM(+0,25) 6 12/1968 03/1971 11251262004 $183.02
01 MAHLE PISTON 86,47MM(+0,50) 6 12/1968 03/1971 11251262005 $198.77
01 KS PISTON 85,97MM("0") 6 12/1968 03/1971 11251267295 ENDED
01 KS PISTON 86,05MM("00") 6 12/1968 03/1971 11251267296 ENDED
01 KS PISTON 86,22MM(+0,25) 6 12/1968 03/1971 11251267297 ENDED
01 KS PISTON 86,47MM(+0,50) 6 12/1968 03/1971 11251267298 ENDED

Retarded ignition timing for U.S. versions:http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=3425&mospid=47810&btnr=12_0942&hg=12&fg=05

03 Rotor 1 12/1968 03/1971 12111351447 $10.57
03 Rotor 1 12/1968 03/1971 12111354503 $12.22

Exhaust:http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=3425&mospid=47810&btnr=18_0339&hg=18&fg=10

INTERMEDIATE PLATE 1 12/1968 03/1971 18211104652 ENDED
03 Bow 8MM 2 12/1968 03/1971 18219898778 ENDED
04 Bow 8MM 2 12/1968 03/1971 18219898778 ENDED
___________________________________________________________
All 3 of these changes(there are some others) happened for cars ending in March 1971. 86mm and 89mm pistons are the strongest evidence to me.

 

[HB Chris]

g

That is indeed what I did to get the intro of the U.S. `73 model, the bumper mounts changed with these cars. And yes, the changeover of the 2800 to 3.0 did occur in the April `71 timeframe. One of our members has 2270604, built 3/8/71, which is 37 units from the last 4-speed 2800CS. The first U.S. 3.0, 2240001 was built on 5/17/71, the first automatic 2250001 was not built until 11/9/7 and both are 72s. BMW has said they didn't rely on model years like the U.S. does but they did to comply with DOT and `73 was a significant change in the U.S.

 

[Gary Knox]

Chris,

I recently received info from Julia Oberdorfer that my '74 ( VIN 4310278 ) was produced on June 12th, 1974 and arrived in NYC for Hoffman Motors on June 27th. Any idea how many manual trans e9's came into the US after that?

Thanks for sharing your expertise.

Gary Knox

 

[HB Chris]

393 in total and built thru Dec 1974 so only 115 after yours

 

[CSteve]

393 in total and built thru Dec 1974 so only 115 after yours

Any chance of doing this labor of love of the e9 for euro coupes like mine? Would that fill in the gaps in the VIN numbers?

 

[Stevehose]

I think the Hoffman date is when they transferred title to them and sent them a bill for services rendered, not when it actually arrived.

Chris,

I recently received info from Julia Oberdorfer that my '74 ( VIN 4310278 ) was produced on June 12th, 1974 and arrived in NYC for Hoffman Motors on June 27th. Any idea how many manual trans e9's came into the US after that?

Thanks for sharing your expertise.

Gary Knox

 

[Gary Knox]

Thanks Chris and Steve.

Chris - is the 393 number the number of manual trans cars that came to the US, or the total build number of all e9's that left the door in Munich? Thanks for the number, and further clarification.

Cheers,

Gary