Metal VIN tags

[visionaut]

I knew Les the VINmeister would know… lol 

 

So we know exactly when the late USA 02s lost the weights on their VIN tags. 
 

But John also asked ‘why’?

 

I read the regulations — yawn — and nowhere does it say stop putting weights on the VIN tag. What would be BMWs rationale to drop the weights?

 

My hunch still stands that it’s due to the multi-models coverage of the tag, and the fact there were different weights between them. ( I.e. a 2002tii has different weights than a 2002 Auto).

Consider that the additional 1974 US mandated safety standards meant BMW was crash testing - what better than to group all your 2002 variants as ‘one model’ for safety testing  certification purposes. If so, the multi-model designation pre-printing on the VINs, wasn’t just a penny saver for manufacturing the blanks, or to avoid having to print tag variations to cover the different 02 weights - but indicative of a million dollar savings strategy on vehicle certification.

 

BMW obviously still treated the multi-model 02 variants as separate models internally (thus the distinct VIN ranges imprinted on these common-for-safety-purposes USA VIN tags). So the multi-model ‘bundling’ seen on the tag was for USA safety regulations purposes only.

 

And the weights ended up being dropped from the VIN tag because of the weight differences within the ‘bundled’ model set BMW had defined for the US safety regs.  (BMW obviously still had individual model weights, but likely switched to communicating those required specs officially via other means than the VIN tag).

 

Gotta better theory? ?

[golf73]

8 hours ago, visionaut said:

So we know exactly when the late USA 02s lost the weights on their VIN tags. 
 

But John also asked ‘why’?

 

I read the regulations — yawn — and nowhere does it say stop putting weights on the VIN tag. What would be BMWs rationale to drop the weights?

 

 

 

 

 

[Conserv]

9 hours ago, visionaut said:

 

… Gotta better theory? ?

Nope! We are henceforth referring all “Why doesn’t my VIN tag show weights?” questions to you, Tom. That makes you… ‘da man! ??

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[John76]

Good info! Thanks everyone for the discussion.

So do all the weights on the door sticker read the same for all '74-76 models? Mine specifically says BMW 2002.

The weights are rounded off, so there is a lot of "slop" for the differences between 2002, 2002-A and 2002 tii....and Turbo?

Looks like the door sticker was pre-printed for individual models (any year), so just the production date and VIN was added.

This looks to be a US car thing...all weights are in pounds, not kilos.

 

[visionaut]

13 hours ago, visionaut said:

BMW obviously still had individual model weights, but likely switched to communicating those required specs officially via other means than the VIN tag).

 

TL;DR   Seeking:  USA 74-75 2002tii Door Stickers, and USA 74-76 2002 Auto/Manual Door Stickers showing weights please…

—

My 02 has no VIN tag (as original), thus my odd interest in this topic… ?

 

But I have no USA-only Door Sticker either, otherwise I would have known that THAT was the other means to communicate the weights that they dropped from the late USA VIN tags.  Kudos John for the late-stage enlightenment.

So I’m wagering that since John’s 76 2002 has a model-specific weight sticker, that the other two 02 variants under the common VIN plate also do. And the weights are model-specific.  They may still be the same though, since we’re talking the maximum the vehicle or it’s axles can safely weigh/carry with payload (GVWR/GAWR) and not vehicle curb weights.

 

Anyone?
 

 

[HBChris]

A good place to compare is BaT, there are several 1974 2002s with VIN tags that have weights, 3300kg, 670 front, 750 rear.  The 75s have no weights on the VIN tag.  I think FMVSS regs required the weight in pounds on the door sticker, 3300/1660/1780.  I didn’t look at 73 or earlier.

Edited September 29, 2021 by HBChris

[Conserv]

5 hours ago, John76 said:

 

… The weights are rounded off, so there is a lot of "slop" for the differences between 2002, 2002-A and 2002 tii....and Turbo? Looks like the door sticker was pre-printed for individual models (any year), so just the production date and VIN was added…

 

+1

 

Yes!

 

Among 1968 sub-models, I noticed a minor difference between 1600-2 and 2002 GVW’s and GAW’s, but I’m guessing they disappeared as the 1600-2 disappeared from the U.S. market in April 1971…

 

Best regards,

 

Steve