Koni red / blue shocks

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Joost van der Velden
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Koni red / blue shocks

#1 Post by Joost van der Velden »

What is the difference of a set of new Koni red or Koni blue shocks (besides the colour)?
Porsche 356 BT6 S90 1962
VW Beetle 1302S 1971
Porsche 911 SC 1980

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Jim Clement
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Re: Koni red / blue shocks

#2 Post by Jim Clement »

And
what is a better selection for a road going / driving 356 ?
 

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Jim Liberty
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Re: Koni red / blue shocks

#3 Post by Jim Liberty »

I'm not sure of the difference except price. I've been using the Red for decades. ............Jim.
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Harlan Halsey
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Re: Koni red / blue shocks

#4 Post by Harlan Halsey »

+1
Originally, It seemed that Porsche fit blue shocks if ordered at the factory, but also fit the red ones on occasion. Some of the factory supplied shocks were stamped PORSCHE. The after-market shocks were red. So I suppose the Holy Grail is a numbers matching car with factory blue Konis stamped PORSCHE. (Personally, I wouldn't have anything else.) But the new Konis are different dimensionally and may not be rebuildable. I suspect that the color is the only difference.

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Jon Schmid
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Re: Koni red / blue shocks

#5 Post by Jon Schmid »

Harlan Halsey wrote: Thu Mar 09, 2023 4:57 am +1
Originally, It seemed that Porsche fit blue shocks if ordered at the factory, but also fit the red ones on occasion. Some of the factory supplied shocks were stamped PORSCHE. The after-market shocks were red. So I suppose the Holy Grail is a numbers matching car with factory blue Konis stamped PORSCHE. (Personally, I wouldn't have anything else.) But the new Konis are different dimensionally and may not be rebuildable. I suspect that the color is the only difference.
Odd. My son has the original red rear shocks for his 1960 Roadster that my dad bought new. Date stamped 2/60 (per the COA the car rolled off the line 3/23/60) and stamped PORSCHE. They are off the car as they are worn and need a rebuild. I also scored a pair of PORSCHE stamped red front shocks date stamped 2/60 which are not original to the car and added them to the parts package when I gave the car to my son.

Jon Bunin
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Re: Koni red / blue shocks

#6 Post by Jon Bunin »

Harlan Halsey wrote: Thu Mar 09, 2023 4:57 amOriginally, It seemed that Porsche fit blue shocks if ordered at the factory, but also fit the red ones on occasion. Some of the factory supplied shocks were stamped PORSCHE. The after-market shocks were red.
So I suppose the Holy Grail is a numbers matching car with factory blue Konis stamped PORSCHE. (Personally, I wouldn't have anything else.)
Harlan, the factory blue Koni shocks were only fit from Dec '62 -on.

Here's a previous discussion on factory-installed Koni shocks... viewtopic.php?t=36767
It includes documents from Porsche and Koni/Kensington, the US importer.
Jon Bunin

David Nicholls
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Re: Koni red / blue shocks

#7 Post by David Nicholls »

I doubt if anyone could go for a drive in another 356, and be able to tell what brand of Shock Absorbers we’re fitted.
Regards David

Jon Bunin
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Re: Koni red / blue shocks

#8 Post by Jon Bunin »

David Nicholls wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 12:16 am I doubt if anyone could go for a drive in another 356, and be able to tell what brand of Shock Absorbers we’re fitted.
David, I'm sure many people could tell the difference between the various shock brands on their own cars, especially Konis.
Comparing shock brands by driving different 60-year-old cars won't accomplish much, as there would be too many other variables.
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Dick Weiss
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Re: Koni red / blue shocks

#9 Post by Dick Weiss »

The red Konis are rebuildable, but you don't get a warrenty like the NEW Konis.
The blue shocks are NOT rebuildable since they're welded together; Also, they're slightly smaller in dameter.

Years ago, I had a blue set rebuilt and it costed me many bucks; There aren't any existing parts for them.

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