308 GT4 Build Numbers

Hello. I am new to this thread. My November 1974 GT4 "DINO F 106 AL 09574" has "A5" stamped in four places where everyone else is showing build numbers. Engine number "00702". California car from new.

 

Very interesting, could you post pics?

 

Pictures of what?

 

the A5

 

A5 is stamped in both headlamp mounts, the brackets that hold the lights, and on the coil bracket. I have not looked inside the doors, etc. Car is November 1974 California car, serial 09574 and engine 00702. I have owned it for almost 30 years, and I I live near Monterey, California. At the popular Concorso event, I have noticed that some people have been interested in certain technical details, but I am not sure what makes the car different from others at the same event.
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wow, never seen that before. Now this is gonna get interesting if someone has info. Ive never heard this discussed before. And you have the Big Ol Bumpers, and star wheels. what tires do you have?

 

The spare is a Cromodora, and so I am not sure that the star wheels were original. For most of the 30 years that I have owned it, it had what looked like the original XWX Michelin tires, but they were rock hard, and the car jumped every time that I hit even a small bump in the road. Present tire are Dunlops with a lower speed rating, but I will buy the new replica XWX tires in the future. Most cars in my area have the high performance very low profile tires, that do not look right to me.

 

You have me beat, im at 18yrs with mine

 

Interesting... I have a 1975 GT4 and it has 4 Cromos on the ground, and a Star under the bonnet as the spare. Maybe we should swap.

 

Old thread here, but didn't want to start a new one. I am looking for confirmation of all the known locations for the build number stamp. Here is a list posted by someone previously at the beginning of this thread:

- On the headlight brackets
- On the lower trim rail of the doors
- On the rear of the door hinge covers
- On the rear of all the aluminium trim parts including those used on the headlining.
- On the rear of the rear seats and other fibreglass trim parts, either hand written on masking tape or written directly on the fibreglass in crayon.

Is anyone aware of any other locations where a stamp should be located? Can you also provide a photo showing the exact location and layout, please?

Thanks.

 

Ignition coil frame bracket. Interior Door lip that holds the door panel. Also I think somewhere in the tunnel when the center council is removed

 

Interesting this thread resurfaces at a time I've been looking at build numbers. I have a 1975 model, chassis 10388, build 274.

The build number seems to be all over the place, stamped in some places, hand painted in others. One of the easiest places to find it is in the engine bay, left side on the frame just above the ignition coils. This would be the true build number of your car as it's not a part that can be swapped out when damaged, like headlight brackets, doors, etc. Photo not my car, belongs to a friend:

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Here's several shots of the build number hand painted or stamped on the back of interior panels (these are my car):

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Someone mentioned not knowing where to find it on any of the deck lids (much earlier in the thread). It was hand painted on those as well. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of mine, but you could just make out a large hand painted "274" under the black paint on the inside of the front bonnet. Since my car is in the shop getting restored right now, chances are that faint outline won't survive. But, as an example, here's a shot of a Dino 246, build number clearly visible under the hood (not my car, unfortunately):

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Don't get too carried away with "build" numbers, it's nice when they all match (for instance all interior components) but they are an internal build order number which have no real correlation to the chassis number (VIN) unless you happen to have access to factory records documenting which build numbers ended up in a particular car. Here are my interior parts, #574 in chassis 13834.
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Build number would be chassis and body built. ie 574. not 574th ordered. then as an order was placed and VIN assigned your interior parts were assigned the 574 number to follow the chassis around the plant

 

Yes, build number does not always directly relate to serial number, and my car is probably the most extreme, with build number A5 for the USA homologation car that stayed in Italy for a long time, before finally being released as 09574, which is a long way from the 5th one released for sale. "A" prefix was going to be for "America" cars, but was soon discontinued, and it only appears in some places on my car.

 

Great info! Thanks, guys.

 

correct, your Dino body no. "A5" was the fifth US-model produced
the "A" was also stamped for 246 GT US-models, but not in all parts

US-models have own body no. range