Contemporary guru's, what do these numbers on the frame and body signify?
 

I have seen many CCX owners refer to their cars as CCX-**** with various numbers where the asterisks in my example. I have been told by many CCX guys more knowledgable than I that my car is a very early CCX car. For example, my car was built with provisions for rear end trailing arms welded to the frame, a practice that I'm told was discontinued early in CCX production.

I know the CCX numbers are usually located on the main fram rail aft of the drivers side front wheel. I have older notes on the car that I checked tonight. The only numbers my car has there are "121281-3" Now that I see this, it strikes a memory, albeit a very vague memory, that way back in the early days the cars were numbered by build date, with the frame number signifying that build date. In this case I seem to remember that this number on my car signifies that the frame was built on December 12, 1981, and that it was the third frame built on that date. Does that strike a bell with any of you CCX gurus? Also, on a paper label stuck to the interior side of the firewall was a sticker indicating body number 112. I'm not sure if it's even still there.

I started a thread a few days ago (located here - http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/all-...seas-sale.html ) about the ability to one day sell this car overseas where often the car needs to be of a certain age. I wonder if these markings would in any way assist in that. Of course if my guess on the numbers signifying a December 1981 date of manufacture is correct, that does nothing to signify the date of the actual build, which I believe is what most of the foreign statutes are based off of.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

You are correct on the serial number dating. Do have the MSO from Contemporary? The trailing arms might be a add on from the original buyer/builder ? Monti Gotti told me they originally looked at using them but decided not to, but then later they developed their own Watts Link system.

Doug
looks like our cars were built around the same time mine is 120281-5 and I have the watts
linkage produced by contemporary.

Doug have you put your car on the road, have taken mine to a couple of cruise nights,
wanted to take it to cruising the coast this year, its only 50 miles from me but I want to
make sure it has no issues before I venture too far.

It's just about there. I have to find a way to get the interior shop to finish the final couple of details, and it should finally be done!

You might find that the actual "date" to register overseas is less relevant than the year. If you have a title stating 1981, don't sweat about the day. Someone in your desired country can verify that.

What is required, some solid documentation that the manufacturer existed that time. CCX did, which is widely accepted. (late 70s, according to the Bayer interview. Someone may be able to validate the exact year)

1978 is actually mentioned in the interview :-)

Your car has a Birthday this Sunday......

How about that - 40 years young!

EDIT - but it's like Jane Fonda - it's had a complete makeover through extensive surgery so it looks MUCH younger than it's age. :) I had originally said Zsa Zsa Gabor, but she's a poor example since she's dead, and this car is just now coning back to life. :) :) :)

Zsa Zsa was less then two months short of her 100 birthday when she died, so lets hope the above Contemporary makes it that long! Although, I liked Ava better, for the simple fact, that she joked her biggest role was costarring with a pig! Got love any one with that kind of sense of humor.