Correct Dash Pad Color For Ruby Red T2 A Coupe?

[Steve Watson]

I'm in the process of restoring my 1958 A Coupe. Original color was Ruby Red. Interior color was Fawn, kind of a light brown color. The paint on the garnish rails is original and looks to be very close or perhaps is the original Ruby Red paint. Didn't get the original dash pad with the car, so I'm wondering what color it should be? I think a color similar or a bit darker than the color of the garnish rails, correct?

Thanks,
Steve

[Joris Koning]

Same red vinyl as used on cars with a red interior during the period

[C J Murray]

I agree, a red color that blends nicely with the Ruby paint and reduces sun glare.

[Steve Watson]

Thanks guys! Was looking through my photos from last year's Monterey/Pebble Beach classic car events and found this interior photo I took of a Ruby Red T2 sunroof coupe:

https://goo.gl/photos/RiaB1QvtdEsADSWa7

Looks like a red dash pad with red garnish rails and fawn interior.

[Jim Alton]

Neil's Book, The 356A Porsche by Neil Goldberg shows a preserved, original Ruby Red 356A T2 coupe with a beige interior and a red leatherette covered pad on top of the dash,

[Jim Johnston]

I'm going to be changing the color of my '59 Coupe back to its original ruby red. The leatherette was originally black. Should my dash pad be red or black? What about the door caps?

Jim

[Jim Alton]

I'm going to be changing the color of my '59 Coupe back to its original ruby red. The leatherette was originally black. Should my dash pad be red or black? What about the door caps?

Jim

I've also been hoping to take my Cabriolet back to its original Ruby Red so I've tried to research this.

Brett Johnson's The 356 Porsche, A Restorer's Guide to Authenticity says Ruby Red 356A coupes and cabriolets from '57 through '59 had either beige or brown interiors and the cabriolets had red dash tops with both beige and brown interiors. It also says Ruby Red Speesters had tan or black interiors with black dash tops.

Laurence Meredith's Original Porsche 356 Restorer's Guide to all Coupe, Cabriolet, Roadster and Speedster models 1950-65 says Ruby Red 356A coupes and cabriolets from '56 through '58 had either beige or brown interiors and the cabriolets had red dash tops with both beige and brown interiors. It also says Ruby Red Speesters had tan or black interiors with black dash tops.

Laurence Meredith's Original Porsche 356 Restorer's Guide to all Coupe, Cabriolet, Roadster and Speedster models 1950-65 says 1959 356As had light brown or light grey interiors. This book isn't renowned for accuracy.

1958 Prices

Which gives:

Speedster Ruby Red Tan or Black
Cabriolet Ruby Red Beige or Black
Coupé Ruby Red Beige or Brown

So, there's conflict among the sources. But, I do have M&M 131 "The Red 356A" brochure with a picture of a Ruby Red Cabriolet with a black interior:

M&M 131 "The Red 356A" brochure

It looks like a black dash top and ruby red door caps to me.

One last source, Merritt & Miller's Porsche Brochures & Sales Literature: A Source Book 1948-1965 gives the same colors as Laurence Meredith's Original Porsche 356 but with a more likely year range ('57 through '59):

Speedster Ruby Red Tan or Black
Cabriolet Ruby Red Beige or Black
Coupé Ruby Red Beige or Brown

So, while I'm convinced black leather/leatherette was available in cabriolets and Speedsters I can't find a source that admits to black interiors in a 356A T2 coupe. If you have a Kardex that says black (or schwarz) I'd trust that over the books. On the other hand, if your Kardex says Leder oder Kunstleder B that may be the code for brown in a coupe.

[Jim Johnston]

My kardex specifies a schwarz interior in a ruby red '59 Coupe - a German delivery car purchased by a US serviceman in Germany. (He was in the US Army band and his last name was Ferdinand.) All things considered, I guess I will be installing a black dash pad, matching the leatherette elsewhere.

[C J Murray]

My kardex specifies a schwarz interior in a ruby red '59 Coupe - a German delivery car purchased by a US serviceman in Germany. (He was in the US Army band and his last name was Ferdinand.) All things considered, I guess I will be installing a black dash pad, matching the leatherette elsewhere.

Correct.

[Dan Lindsay]

Can't say for sure on an A but my very close to unmolested 64 C is Ruby Red, Black Vinyl, and a black dash.


HTH.

Dan