What year's my car

[DaveMarcotte]

So I'm looking through my shop manual to ID the relays that are in the engine compartment, drivers side.
Sure enough they are well labeled with sketch indicating all six. But wait, the page is labelled "Relay Location 1975 & 1976" My car (so I thought is a 1977). I check the door pillar tag that's riveted there and the date is 10/76. The ownership is 1977. Was this car sold new back in '77 a '76 model? Thoughts? Can I use the VIN to look it up?

[courtenay]

Made that late in the year, your car would have been considered (and sold) as a '77. My '80 was made 10/79. Not sure whether you can tell by the VIN number as prior to '81, Fiat did not adhere to the normal VIN standards.

[DaveMarcotte]

Made that late in the year, your car would have been considered (and sold) as a '77. My '80 was made 10/79. Not sure whether you can tell by the VIN number as prior to '81, Fiat did not adhere to the normal VIN standards.

Ya that's what I"m thinking. I'm reading that euro manufacturers updated and made changes throughout the model year. Makes it nice that so many parts are interchangeable throughout the years.

[Funcar]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_12 ... Production this might help you.

[courtenay]

Nothing new, really. I expect we'll be able to buy 2017 North American cars sometime late this summer - which probably means they will have come through the production line in June/July.

[DaveMarcotte]

Nothing new, really. I expect we'll be able to buy 2017 North American cars sometime late this summer - which probably means they will have come through the production line in June/July.

Of course makes sense, but it was the shop manual that showed changes to the '77 that my '77 don't have that thru me off. Based on the serial number it is a '77