The Official 356Talk Forum

I have begun to notice a trend that cars without rocket trim are also missing bumper guards. Was this a combined trim package? Were bumper guards and rocker trim a US thing? In 1955 it seems that most Continental cars had both bumper guards and rocker trim while ‘non-Continental’ cars had bare rockers and no bumper guards. Again, is this a US vs ROW thing considering only US cars bore the Continental badge?

Rocker trim debuted with the 1954 speedster, and then on all the 1955 cars.

I've read that the rocker trim was put on coupes and cabs sometime in the 1955 model run. My car has a May production date and based on pictures that I have from the 1950's, mine didn't come with rocker trim. Tom

Tom, was your car first delivered in Europe? I have noticed that non-continental (ROW) cars did not seem to have the rocker trim.

Hi Jonathan,

Your'e on to something.

All cars from Oct 1952 onward had bumper guards. No exceptions. People restoring the cars often choose not to put them on for some reason.

As for rocker trim, as Vic said, all Speedsters got it, and it was an option in 1955 for coupes and cabs. Most of the Continentals imported to the USA had it. At least this is what period photos show. But I would not be surprised if some did not. There are lots of period photos of 1955 cars without rocker trim in Europe, including two of the Carrera RS coupes. But some European cars had it. It was an option, just as were turbo rings, chrome wheels, radios, etc.

Jonathan: No delivery information is listed on the Kardex or COA but I was told by the second owner that he believed the car was delivered through Glockler. He says there was a Glockler badge below the Reutter badge and in the period photo there is something there which could be that badge.