Ever look at the door cutout where it would hit the antenna ? Might not have one...
'52 Cab:
'55 Continental Coupe:
'58 Coupe:
'57 Carrera Coupe:
'59 Coupe:
'60 Cab:
'61 Hardtop Coupe:
"63 Coupe:
'63 Cab:
'63 Cab:
I guess there's a logical explanation for this. Most of the earlier cars don't have the cutout, but not all, and most of the later cars have the cutout, but not all. Maybe different antennas ? All the cars initially came with an antenna, even the one which currently doesn't have one.
Hi Jim, are you talking about the keyhole-shaped hole in the top of the door hinge? As far as I can tell, that started in early 1953 between chassis 50235 and 50270 in ~March 1953. Before that, it was just a plain hole going back to the earliest Reutter cars. All cars got this hole, regardless if there was a factory antenna or not. It was just how the hinge was made.
I think he meant the notched edge of the door for clearance, which I was thinking I had never seen. Then I started to wonder if my car is notched, but didn't check yet. -Added- I just went outside on a snowy Ohio Sunday morning, my B has no notch.
It looks like the 356 through 356A T1 door doesn't have as much overlap underneath the fender, so it doesn't need a notch. I believe the T2 and later doors have a completely different internal structure. Perhaps they increased the overlap on the T2 and later doors to improve weather proofing in this open area.
For what it's worth, my '64 C Karmann-built car has the notch as well. I should note that the notch is on the left side, but not the right. And on my car, the antenna was installed on the passenger side, the side opposite the notch.
