Superformance evolution by chassis number

[Blas]

If a car is driven to any extent by its owner, you will get them... Rock chips are a fact of life...Like death and taxes…The secret is to occasionally touch them up...The first few hurt the most. Depending on the cars color touch-ups can almost disappear if done correctly. Regarding flaws on new cars, I don't think any are flawless. But to what extent you are willing to except an imperfection varies from person to person. Dealers know you are hot-to-trot to take the car home. Perhaps you should not accept the car till the problems are corrected. Bubbles in the paint, drips, scratches, areas not buffed out properly…unacceptable at delivery, but usually repairable, especially before taking final delivery. But expecting truly “flawless” is really unrealistic. MAYBE 99.9% flawless on a million dollar Bentley...and only if you took delivery at the factory, and up until you pulled on the street to leave the factory…They are painted, assembled and shipped by humans.

[purple panther]

superformance serial number k1398am1463. what year was this chassis produced? a seller says the car is a 2002 but it doesnt have a glove box. I thought the am number makes this an early car? 1998? anybody thanks

[madmaxx]

I agree with Blas but there is a difference between flawless, Excellent, good and poor. Fingerprints in the clear are poor, scratch is poor. A tiny fish eye in the clear is good to excellent. There is a difference in catagories between flawless and bad. Anything less than strong good to excellent should be rejected on a new chassis.

Anything can be repaired with RISK, will the shade match, the gloss, damage incurred during the repair etc. I have seen many excellent spf paint jobs and have seen excellent paint jobs with one very bad area. That what irks me when the whole car is excellent but then there is just one panel that somehow was missed.

Originally Posted by Blas

If a car is driven to any extent by its owner, you will get them... Rock chips are a fact of life...Like death and taxes…The secret is to occasionally touch them up...The first few hurt the most. Depending on the cars color touch-ups can almost disappear if done correctly. Regarding flaws on new cars, I don't think any are flawless. But to what extent you are willing to except an imperfection varies from person to person. Dealers know you are hot-to-trot to take the car home. Perhaps you should not accept the car till the problems are corrected. Bubbles in the paint, drips, scratches, areas not buffed out properly…unacceptable at delivery, but usually repairable, especially before taking final delivery. But expecting truly “flawless” is really unrealistic. MAYBE 99.9% flawless on a million dollar Bentley...and only if you took delivery at the factory, and up until you pulled on the street to leave the factory…They are painted, assembled and shipped by humans.

[thudmaster]

purple panther
probably the only part of that serial number that means anything is 1463
......cars can be ordered sans glovebox

[Blas]

k1398am1463
Is car #463 and was actually built in 1998.
Could have been titled and sold anytime after 1998...
Don't forget, it has to get to the USA from SA.
But is is NOT a 2002 model...

[purple panther]

yes i thought it was a 1998 too. am chassis number the 1st number is meaningless. 463 is the chassis number. a very early car. thanks guys

[Blas]

There is nothing wrong with an earlier SPF car. The major changes were related to addition of dropped foot boxes, the rims, cowl height, the front brakes, wiring harness version. If you are not 6'-6" tall, no problem. Drive the car and see if you fit. The rims are probably the Trigo's and not the early steel rims with fake KO's - Trigo's are what you really want... And the SPF front brakes have just been upgraded 2 or 3 times over the years...The engine's in the car so you don't care about a taller cowl height like on the newer cars. Convertible top has been updated but of little real concern. The wiring harness has just evolved of time, no big deal. Best thing, it probably has some stone chips here and there so you can sleep soundly at night not worrying about getting one. Go look at the car and drive it...If it runs strong and looks to have been taken car of...go for it if the price is right.
FWIW: I myself prefer an older chassis with the lower cowl.

[purple panther]

i didnt say there was anything wrong with it.