Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

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Greg Masset
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Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

#1 Post by Greg Masset »

In the drivers door well there is the chassis number and a small tag that states "kunstharzlack" but no number. I saw one like it on derwhites website but without explanation. I believe the car was silver with black interior, and doesn't seem like that would be much of a special order.. My other A has a number on the tag, but I don't see that it corresponds to anything- perhaps I'm confused as to what I'm actually looking at. (57 late A- tag states 6 08)
Thanks- Greg

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Barry Brisco
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Re: Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

#2 Post by Barry Brisco »

fourspeedwagon wrote:In the drivers door well there is the chassis number and a small tag that states "kunstharzlack" but no number. I saw one like it on derwhites website but without explanation. I believe the car was silver with black interior, and doesn't seem like that would be much of a special order.. My other A has a number on the tag, but I don't see that it corresponds to anything- perhaps I'm confused as to what I'm actually looking at. (57 late A- tag states 6 08)
Thanks- Greg
Hello Greg,

Many of the earlier cars did not have a number on the kunstharzlack plaque. I don't think anyone has a good explanation as to why some did and some did not.

On our 57 A, 608 means it was first painted metallic silver. That is the Reutter color code, same as the Porsche code 5706. See http://derwhites356literature.com/Porsche356Colors.html and http://www.willhoitautorestoration.com/PaintChart.htm

Note: I would not consider a 57 A "late" A. The first A model year was 56, the last was 59. To me a 57 is "early". :-)

Best regards,
Barry Brisco
1959 356A Coupe 105553, Ivory / Brown
2009 987 Cayman, Carrera White / Beige (daily driver)

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Jim Karaba
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Re: Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

#3 Post by Jim Karaba »

He probably means a late 57 A, which would make it a T2 rather than an early 57 being a T1.

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Luca Bogoni
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Re: Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

#4 Post by Luca Bogoni »

Jim Karaba wrote:He probably means a late 57 A, which would make it a T2 rather than an early 57 being a T1.
Jim,

If the Greg A was a T2, the 1st number on the color tag would be usually the #7, not the 6

The 6 was referring to the colors for the 1956 model year (Sahara 605, Lago Green 606, Aquamarine 607, etc), while #7 was for the MY1957 (black 701, Ivory 704, etc)

But we all know that with Porsche, there was also a lot of exceptions :wink:

Regards
Luca
Luca Bogoni
'57 A-T2 cab #150046

Massimiliano Del Monte
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Re: Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

#5 Post by Massimiliano Del Monte »

Hello Greg,
I've an october 56 sahara beige cabriolet and even in my car I did not found any colour code.
I think it's normal on t1 American cars.
I bought mine in los Angeles.
Sometimes in European cars it was present even the code of paint.
Ciao from Italy
Massimiliano


Massimiliano Del Monte
61406 cabriolet
Rome Italy

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Greg Masset
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Re: Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

#6 Post by Greg Masset »

Thanks guys- I thought it was originally silver. Sorry for the confusion, I have a 56 ( I call early as it is of course a t1 w/ beehives) and the 57 (i call late as it has the teardrop taillights). I took pics of the tags today but they are too big to load here. I'm gonna have to do some research and figure out exactly when it was built, must be transitional with the 56 style paint code? Chassis number is 100556.
Thanks again, Greg

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Barry Brisco
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Re: Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

#7 Post by Barry Brisco »

Greg, chassis number 100556 is a very early T2 car. But are you certain the teardrop taillights are the way the car was built? It was common back then to "update" the cars with later features to make them look more current.

Your "research" should include getting the COA for the car. See this page http://porsche356registry.org/resources ... ardex.html

Best regards,
Barry Brisco
1959 356A Coupe 105553, Ivory / Brown
2009 987 Cayman, Carrera White / Beige (daily driver)

Dick Weiss
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Re: Why doesn't my 56 A have a color code on the tag?

#8 Post by Dick Weiss »

Greg,

A correction here; your 100556 is a T1 built before the September '57 and later cars built as T2's; however, the teardrop tail lights were introduced from coupe 100001 and they're correct on your car.
My Carrera Speedster (built on Oct '57=T2) has the same no-# tag even tho it's WHITE per factory papers, but it was a direct delivery to Venez., So. America so it's considered similar to a Euro.

Dick

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