The Official 356Talk Forum

From information I currently have the Bilstein friction type jack replaced the Vigot (also Bilstein) screw jack at some point between March and October 1955. Even if your car doesn't have a jack, the brackets are very different since the diameter of the jack is. Attached photo is of the bracket from 54205 which has the narrower spacing for the later jack. I need additional data points, if possible around this time.

I have the narrow bracket in my cab #60890 build date 27.7.55
Friction jack. Narrow Brackets are really "offset" not centered as in Neds pictures.

Wide: 53404, 53425, 53427, 53460, 53462, 53662

Narrow: 53694, 53768, 54067

Based on photos, most unrestored.

So this puts in May/June 1955?

Wide bracket in 53449, May 10,1955.

May/June 1955 sounds good -- never realized it was that late. Appreciate the input. If there are later cars, let me know -- especially Speedsters!

54122, finished on 13/9/55, photo done quickly so it's a a bit fuzzy, if you need a better one let me know.
V

53765 Narrow.

Brett, I finally got to the warehouse and looked at Speedster 80493 and it has the narrow clips like the later ones.

Another way to quickly answer this question is observe the placement of the two jack storage clips in relation to the centerline of the body. In pre-A cars originally equipped with a Vigot gearhead jack the left and right jack holders are set roughly equal distance from the centerline of the trunk (see photos below).

In 1955 P-cars originally equipped with a Bilstein friction jack the right side jack holder is normally offset farther away from centerline in the trunk compared to the placement of the storage clip on the left side.
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cab 60748 Feb 14th 1955 wide vigot

Wow Don, how did you figure that out? That looks like something like 1-2cm difference. 8)

James Davies wrote:Wow Don, how did you figure that out? That looks like something like 1-2cm difference. 8)

You are a man of science. You will recall, when 'roughly' measuring an object, or some distance between two objects, the standard maximum allowable error is one inch.

53 363 - Wide Jack Clips (Unrestored in this area)

James Davies wrote:Wow Don, how did you figure that out? That looks like something like 1-2cm difference. 8)

Pre-A Speedster 81221 - - friction jack.
Note the location of the jack holder on the right side. It is offset away from the hood latch pedestal more than the jack holder on the left. Compare with the two photos above showing the jack holder arrangement in earlier 356 cars.
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Speedster 80913 and 81036, October 1955 - - wide clips, Vigot jack