Authenticity of my early Karmann 356C parts

[Mike Bitossi]

My Coupe is number 215130, with a production completion date of Sept 6,1963 which makes it a very early C from the Karmann works.

When I got it it came with a Ponto Stabil mirror, hubcaps with no Porsche crest on them, and the voltage regulator is the larger black unit that was used on T6 B's.

I have a photograph from a previous owner taken in 1973 that verifies that the mirror and hubcaps that I received with the car were indeed the ones that were fitted at that time so are likely to have been factory original.

My question is whether the factory may have "used up" the B model mirror and regulators on the very early C's like mine and if I should leave those as "original"

The hubcaps are pretty dented and need restoring, which looks like being a major mission, also could anyone provide some advice on that please.

Cheers

[Vic Skirmants]

Porsche definitely used the large regulators well into C production.
Sounds like a topic for research as to how long they were used.

[Michael Doyle]

I wouldn't bother trying to restore your dented up plain C hubcaps, as you can find nice originals for a reasonable cost (like $25 each or so). -MD-

[Richard Milstead]

Relative to Vic's comment on the use of large box regualtors during the "C" production, my German delivery C Cab, 161215 which was manufactured in the September '64 time frame had a large box regulator as manufactured based upon the mounting holes which were sized for that unit rather than the smaller box version. I have always believed that this was an anamoly. My presumption, since there is no evidence of later modification, is that they ran out of the later versions of the back panel in the engine and used an earlier T6 version to keep the line going until the guys in the stampings room made more of the later style ("use up the old stock"). Actually who knows but the panel is original to the car and has never been modified. There does not seem to have been a different part number used in the C production period from the T6 period based upon the Parts books.
Dick Milstead

[Jim Breazeale]

Relative to Vic's comment on the use of large box regualtors during the "C" production, my German delivery C Cab, 161215 which was manufactured in the September '64 time frame had a large box regulator as manufactured based upon the mounting holes which were sized for that unit rather than the smaller box version. I have always believed that this was an anamoly. My presumption, since there is no evidence of later modification, is that they ran out of the later versions of the back panel in the engine and used an earlier T6 version to keep the line going until the guys in the stampings room made more of the later style ("use up the old stock"). Actually who knows but the panel is original to the car and has never been modified. There does not seem to have been a different part number used in the C production period from the T6 period based upon the Parts books.
Dick Milstead

Dick

Your car is not an anomaly. Vic is correct. Thousands of C's used the large regulator.

Regards

[Mike Bitossi]

Thanks guys for the helpful comments, I am happy that the car has the original regulator fitted.

Regarding the exterior mirror, I now have a repro Durant on the car (which I don't like very much as it's too low for decent vision, especially when driving a left hand steering car on the left side of the road.

Should I fit a Ponto Stabil on the car and if so are the presently available repros as good as the originals? (The original mirror glass is completely cloudy)

[Bill Block]

My '65/'64 cab #161564 has the mounts for the big box Bosch but also has two metal strips on to which to mount the little box. The strips are not simple flat pieces of metal -- I think these were initially used to adapt the cheaper small boxes.
bill

[Ned Hamlin]

Mike,

My C coupe, 218579, came with a later Ponto-Stabil mirror, made by Talbot. All that's left of it is the base. I have fitted a repro Durant mirror on it that I don't like. so I'm looking for another Ponto-Stabil.

Ned

[Bob Kittel]

I also have an early 64 coupe delivered Oct. 63. The regulator is the smaller version. The hubcaps without the crests and the mirror is an aero. I have been told that the mirrors were dealer installed and that whatever was on the shelf was used. Perhaps this is true for the early cars delivered in 1963 and then as production stepped up the Durants become standard installed.

[Vic Skirmants]

I worked at Erhard Motors in Detroit in the summer of '65. The mirrors and radios were installed there.

[Charlie White]

Regarding mounting mirrors...............here is a piece from Christophorus Magazine #28, July 1960, regarding factory policy on outside rear view mirrors:

CW