body id numbers on pre A

[paul vantol]

I am about to media blast my 1953 Cabriolet. Do these cars have body id numbers on the hood, engine lid, doors, etc. as did the later A and B model cars?

[James Davies]

Hi Paul,

Yes!

- The last two digits of the body number is on the hood hinge bracket (driver's side)
- Two digits on the inside bottom of the dash, plus the number written in grease pencil on the back
- Two digits on the bottom back of each aluminum hinge plate
- Two digits on the aluminum spacers between A pillars and dash, sometimes (if the spacers needed modification to fit)
- Two digits on the rear engine lid rain panel

There's probably some I've forgot.

In addition to stampings, there's lots of yellow grease pencil writing too for assembly - the interior door bracing that holds the window winder and door latch mechanisms, back of firewall padding, bottom of rear seat cushion, bottom of wooden frame on front seats, etc.

Be sure to preserve some original paint under the dash or somewhere else inconspicuous if you can. And make sure you've got all your paint matching and selection done before you've erased everything with a media blast. Or mask areas you don't want your media blast guy to touch. And take lots of photos of the finish in spare tire areas, under the dash, behind the dash, floors, rear bulkhead, inside doors, etc. Once it's gone, it's gone.

Btw, what colors is your '53? My '53 coupe is fish silver grey with a grey and blue interior. I have not media blasted mine yet.

[paul vantol]

It was originally black. I have Cert of Authenticity from Porsche and the engine and trans numbers show them to have come with the car. I have had the car in storage since 1980, believe it or not, and I think I am the third owner. Found it in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Thanks for your help!

[Spencer Harris]

- Two digits on the inside bottom of the dash, plus the number written in grease pencil on the back
- Two digits on the aluminum spacers between A pillars and dash, sometimes (if the spacers needed modification to fit)

Per James' list the inside bottom of the dash should be stamped with the last two chassis no. digits (photo from #60238), but your Cabriolet should have an aluminum wire spacer rather than the Coupes' aluminum plate on each end of the dash - so no numbers there (from the '54 Workshop Manual).

You'll want to try and preserve the three white alignment stripes on your shift linkage when you get around to refurbishing the tunnel area.

[James Davies]

Spencer, I believe only the early '53 cars have the white alignment marks on the shift linkage. At least I think so! Perhaps there are examples of this on later '53 cars? My July '53 car has none.

And Paul, that's great that it's finally getting restored! Mine has been in the garage since 1979 as well, and it is finally getting restored now too.

Here's the stamp on the rear lid. "60" in this case. And the bottoms of the aluminum door hinge covers. Notice the backs of them are not painted body color, just the red oxide primer (the black is overspray from a shoddy repaint).

[James Davies]

There's also yellow or blue grease pencil (or plain pencil) marks on everything, and a lot of the interior bits retain it. Examples are the rear firewall padding board, the bottom of the rear seat cushion, the inner door panels and the bottom of the glove box.

[paul vantol]

Thanks for the input. Yes, found the number on the back of the dash and the aluminum spacers. have to pull out other items and look for the other numbers you have identified. Many thanks!

[Spencer Harris]

Spencer, I believe only the early '53 cars have the white alignment marks on the shift linkage. At least I think so! Perhaps there are examples of this on later '53 cars? My July '53 car has none.

Oh, that's good to know - mine is August '53. I thought I had obliterated the marks when I soaked the shift linkage overnight in the hot tank to remove the mouse droppings!

[James Davies]

Cool Spencer! Yeah, I don't know when they stopped doing that in '53.

The bottom of the front seats have the last two chassis numbers written on them as well.

Makes you think twice about obliterating all the evidence of "made by hand" via complete refinishing, huh? So preserve as much as you can!

[Daryl Bertram]

This is the shift linkage for '54 cab 60441 built early '54 with a 53 body.