Porsche Pre-A Questions

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James Davies
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#16 Post by James Davies »

Victor, here's some photos of unrestored, very original cars from 1953. As far as I know, these were used on all bent-window cars with steel garnish rails.

The 1954 Service Manual also mentions the Phillips screws for the garnish rails on page B15.
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Victor Ingram
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#17 Post by Victor Ingram »

Josh,

James is absolutely correct again!
And I should know better then challenge his knowledge on pre-a's.

While I was restoring my 55 cab I wanted to make sure I got it all correct when I put the car back together.
I remembered I had some pictures I got from Tom Scott many years ago, so I dug them up.
They are pictures of an original 55 Cabriolet, everything was untouched, unmolested.

But I did not catch that detail, I guess I will be changing out the screws today.
Doesn't it make you ask "why those screws?"
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James Davies
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#18 Post by James Davies »

Cool old photos Victor! Would love to see more of them. =)

James

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Victor Ingram
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#19 Post by Victor Ingram »

I think I made a mistake, I believe this cab is a 54.

This may be interesting to cab guys, notice the slotted screws that attach the headliner to the upright where the window
would meet the top.
One shot of the top up, the other with the top down.
Also the 55 had a chrome strip that went vertical around this area, did it replace the screws to hold the headliner?
These pictures are really washed out but the top frame was also painted the color of the car.
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Victor Ingram
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#20 Post by Victor Ingram »

Another reason I think this car is a 54, look at the placement of the tenax faster for the tonneau cover.
55 that particular tenax was moved up where it would not be seen until the top was lowered.
It is to the far top left of the picture.
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Victor Ingram
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#21 Post by Victor Ingram »

Hirshman red tip aerial.
Wish I could read the serial number! That would be most helpful.
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Victor Ingram
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#22 Post by Victor Ingram »

Interesting use of the spare tire strap????
Point of interest, the carpet is screwed down over the headliner to hold it in place.
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Victor Ingram
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#23 Post by Victor Ingram »

Someone was consciencous about safety.....a seatbelt!
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Victor Ingram
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#24 Post by Victor Ingram »

Its all about the details, notice tack placement.
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Josh Matthew
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#25 Post by Josh Matthew »

Tons of great information Victor & James! Thank you both for posting all this!

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Spencer Harris
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#26 Post by Spencer Harris »

Victor Ingram wrote:Doesn't it make you ask "why those screws?"
I'll bet it was since they were for installing a painted part. If the flat blade slipped someone was in the paint booth instead of having bratwurst & beer with the team during lunch. Much less chance of a slip & a scratch with the Phillips screws.
Spencer Harris
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David Green
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#27 Post by David Green »

I think Robert Brocker in Amsterdam makes the proper exhaust for you car. He made a proper twin, flat tip for my '53 1500 and recall he makes a single tip version. He's a regular at the March LA Lit show and Swap Meet.
His email is r.brocker <at symbol> planet.nl
David Green
Edit: The red car is not mine but I had the photo in my file and included it here only to show a single, flat tip exhaust.
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James Davies
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#28 Post by James Davies »

Thanks for sharing Victor! Nice photos.

Yeah, top frames were typically painted body color on pre-As. The frame was built into the car before it went to the paint booth at Reutter.

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Spencer Harris
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#29 Post by Spencer Harris »

James Davies wrote: Yeah, top frames were typically painted body color on pre-As. The frame was built into the car before it went to the paint booth at Reutter.
FYI, I found my '53 cab top frame to have body color on the forward bows and braces and a beige color (primer?) on the rear bows. Original car color was black which I found underneath the strawberry red when I hand stripped and then media blasted the frame. Perhaps done this way because only portions of the forward frame components can be seen when raising or lowering the top. Cost saving idea :?:
It's all black now!
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James Davies
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Re: Porsche Pre-A Questions

#30 Post by James Davies »

Very interesting Spencer! Was there beige primer elsewhere on your car? Or did yours have the red oxide primer?

Some parts at Reutter were made and primed separately from the rest of the car. The inner door frame is one example.

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