Chassis number stamped under passenger door hinge cover

[Alex Mestas]

To keep this interesting...I just checked the back of the passenger hinge cover plate of my 1963 Karmann T-6 S coupe # 211259 for the identification number on the passenger side door and I didn't have one.

[Alex Mestas]

Hi 356er's:
I want to correct my previous post. I meant to say that my 63 T-6 S coupe Karmann did not have a Vin number stamped on the hinge of the passenger side door. I did not mean to say behind the cover itself. Sorry for the confusion. Thank you for pointing that out!

Alex

[Bill Leavitt]

this "hidden" VIN number location is also mentioned in a Registry Article by Bill Leavitt (Vol. 25-1). See also the Technical and Restoration Guide Vol. 2, p. 12.

I had an article in the Registry??? I must have written that in my sleep!

Actually, my "article" was just culled from the old email list. The snippet in the Registry doesn't specify, but my vague recollection is that we were discussing VIN stamp locations on B/C cars and not all 356es (and possibly not to include Karmann B/Cs given Alex's datapoint). That could be a bit misleading for people like you and Barry who then take that list to look at their A.

It seems that this VIN only appears on B and C cars. It does not appear on my A car, but I will check my B Coupe. However, it is not mentioned on the VIN Location Page in the B Driver's Manual.

I can see two reasons why it wouldn't be mentioned in the manual.

1) It's not visible without taking parts off the vehicle. The other full VINs are readily visible. FI, the manual also doesn't note things like the stamps on the doors which are also obscured. Of course, that's only a partial VIN to aid in assembly so it doesn't quite fit the discussion.

2) People often refer to this as the "hidden VIN." It's been postulated that Porsche started stamping this number as an aid in recovering stolen vehicles. If so, it'd be better that fewer people know about it so the "bad guys" are less likely to learn about it and know to alter it as well. Oops! Did I just say that? Ignore everything I just wrote...

[Frederic Prince]

(march 1960) '60 T5 roadster doesn't have the stamped number
fred

[Roy Smalley]

Convertible D's 86806 & 86808 in for restoration, neither have numbers stamped on the panel behind the removeable hinge plate; 808 is stamped on both hinge covers and in grease, the last two digits; 806 grease only two digits.

The one thing certain about 356's, is.....uncertainty.

Both are out of storage after some 30 odd years.

[Matt Kreeve]

wasn't expecting to find it but as a Right Hand Drive (RHD) data point ..

my '64 C has the full VIN number running upwards vertically (ie first number is closest to the ground) on the driver's (ie RHS) door jamb (below A pillar) behind the cover plate (as well the the last 3 digits on the boot lid etc..)

[Doug McDonnell]

Since this popped up again, with regards to engine lid I THINK Reutter cars had last 3 digits on lid and Karmann has them on the tongue of the lid as in this photo.

[Mike Wilson]

My Karmann coupe has them on the tongue.

Mike

[Jon Schmid]

FWIW my 1960 Drauz Roadster has the last 2 numbers stamped on the tongue.