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Re: Identifying a Real SPG Posted by Larry West [Email] (#1140) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Larry West) on Thu, 2 May 2013 06:49:03 In Reply to: Identifying a Real SPG, brentcd, Wed, 1 May 2013 12:12:37 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
The VIN cannot tell you that a car **IS** an SPG, but it may be able to tell you that it is (was) NOT one.
Simple things (for US SPGs...):
1) VIN digit 6 must indicate 3-door bodystyle (though you'd probably have picked up on this earlier...).
2) VIN digit 7 (Transmission code) must be "5" for the 5-speed manual and not "6" for the 3-speed auto. "4" is right out.
3) VIN Digit 8 (Engine code) must indicate 16v turbo intercooled (usually "L", IIRC, but it may have changed over the span).
4) VIN Digit 10 (Model Year) must indicate 1985 to 1991 (yes I know about the prototypes, but they are so excruciatingly rare, and there were no production SPGs earlier than MY 1985).
5) VIN digit 11 (Factory code) must NOT indicate Finland (code 6).
The only colors they came in were "Special" Black, Edwardian Gray, Talladega Red and Beryl Green. Except for 1985 when they were black over tan leather, they all had grey leather interiors (a light grey for the Beryl cars in 1991).
The two lookalike convertible models: the 1988 "Springtime in Sweden" (aka SiS which were black over dark grey leather), and the 1991 "SE" (Monte Carlo Yellow over dark grey leather and Platana grey over light grey leather) are NOT SPGs. The only things they have in common are the wheels and the side skirts, and (IIRC) the "badge delete". They never got the springs, shocks or engine mods that the later SPGs did, and they can come with auto trans.
_______________________________________ Current: 2002 9-5 Aero Kombi Cosmic Blue 2000 9-5 SE sedan, Imola Red 1990 900S Rose Quartz, Auto Past: 1999 9-5 LPT Combi 1999 9-5 LPT sedan 2002 9-5 Arc 1990 900 5-speed 1986 900 turbo Convertible 1991 9000 turbo 1980 99 GLi 1986 900 turbo 1986 900 S 1991 900 turbo 1984 900 turbo 1976 99 GL
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