porsche 356 AT1 European Type

[Lucian Mitrea]

Hello! do you know why on the left side are five ribs and on the right side are two ribs? I saw this on my car and i also saw this on a different car on the internet. I am very confused..Both of the cars are European type from 1955. I don't know what part do i have to use to replacement. I will attach the COA of my car and some photos.
the link of the restoration of a very similar car with the same different ribs.
http://deluxecustoms.com/project/1956-p ... ean-coupe/

[Doug McDonnell]

http://www.restoration-design.com/store ... arch=PP106 I am unsure when the change over of type occurred. Your car is a late 55 build. Maybe someone with more knowledge of early cars can give you a better answer. That said Porsche used up parts so maybe they ran out of 2 ribbed drivers side 1st?

[Spencer Harris]

Lucian,
'55 coupes #53070 and #53449 both have two-rib closing panels, left & right.
Likely the factory using up the old parts during the pre-A to A-T1 transition as Doug suggests unless your driver-side closing panel was replaced by a PO. No mention of the change in the '55 or '57 parts books.

[James Davies]

Perhaps the driver side panel is a replacement? I believe chassis 55596 has (original) closing panels with 2 ribs, the photo is not definitive.

[Lucian Mitrea]

i'll try to explain better. my car 55304 european has original panel on driver side with five ribs and the right side with two ribs. first time i was thinging it was a mistake from the factory and i ordered panels with five ribs on both sides but when i was looking on the internet i saw a car almost identical 55348 european with the same issue. i don't know if is the corect factory configuration...most of the catalogs for 356a t1 recommend panel with 5 ribs.
http://deluxecustoms.com/project/1956-p ... ean-coupe/

[Doug McDonnell]

Cars earlier than yours had 2 ribbed panels, and later had 5 ribbed. At some unknown point the panel change occurred at the factory.Not specified in the factory workshop or spare parts books. But Porsche used up their inventory of panels/parts usually resulting in some odd combinations near times of switchover. What I call "Transition cars". Your car could very well have left the factory as it is with one of each type. Your restorer should be able to tell if both panels are original-and they may very well be. A perfect example from the C cars is the tachometer. Mechanical in early 64 then changing mid year to electric tachometer. Running changes were even more common on the earlier cars. Unless someone knows better that is the best explanation I can give.

[Spencer Harris]

Perhaps the driver side panel is a replacement? I believe chassis 55596 has (original) closing panels with 2 ribs, the photo is not definitive.

This is James' photo enlarged, exposure & contrast adjusted and enhanced with a red filter clearly showing only two ribs on the driver's closing panel.

[James Davies]

Thanks for the image processing Spencer! Looks to me like there could be a 3rd rib in there on between your two arrows, which would coincide with what Lucian sees on his car.

And Doug is completely right - switch to new parts on the cars, even at major transitions from 356 to 356A happened in a "fuzzy" manner. =)

[James Davies]

Finally, Lucian, your closing panels look to be in pretty good shape! I always like the idea of keeping as much metal as possible on these old cars. Reproduction panels never fit as well as the originals on your car. Patch and repair where you need to, which is what it looks like you or your bodywork man are doing. Car looks great!

[Lucian Mitrea]

thank you!