Speedster Spare Tire Belts

[Chuck House]

As promised here are some photos. The first two are from Speedster 80160 and the cloth was definitely originally tan. The last two are from an original ConvD (also note the gray hood handle seal). Note also the different tip on this one, yet another variation.

[Brad Ripley]

Now we have documented:

Oilve color or Wehrmacht
Tan color or North Aftrican Campaign

End tip - with hollow rivet
End tip - with solid rivet
Rivet in the web - black
Rivet in the web - silver or zinc

buckle is according to DIN 5292 still made by several German companies, most of them exist from before WWII.

Chassis numbers are somewhere in late '57 - '58 .

[Chuck House]

Brad,

Regarding chassis numbers, 80160 was built in Dec '54 so I think it's fairly safe to say that cloth straps, with a few variations, were standard on all Speedsters and into the ConvD production.

[Jon Bunin]

Feldflasche, Deutsches Afrikakorps

[Brad Ripley]

Many of us have been involved with 356's most of our adult life. Bob Campbell seems to have seen the most of the so-called Speedster tire straps.

I've seen only about five in my life. Did most of them just get thrown away because the fell apart and then replace them with a leather one? Or in later days, guys threw them away and replaced them with leather ones because cloth ones were not available.

Why were the web belts only in Speedsters and Conv D? All the cars were finished at Porsche where the cars received the side curtains, etc.

[Chuck House]

Brad,

Gee, it's hard to answer where they all went but I think they are like the pickle fork wipers. Every bonafide original car I've seen from '56 through '58 had pickle fork wipers. Where are they all now? They seem to be like hen's teeth.

The cloth belts are more fragile with age than the leather ones, especially if they got wet.

As to why only on Speedsters? Speculation would be that the cloth belt was cheaper than a leather one and they tried to squeeze all the costs they could from this $2995 loss leader. The army surplus store in Stuttgart must have gave them a good deal.

Here are a few more photos...

[Brad Ripley]

Chuck, years ago Icouldn't hardly find an original bungee cord to copy. Everyone told me they were in all the A cars with a rear seat back. Got the bungee done and since then have sold hundreds. (Bungee is shown in the workshop manual.)

Gee, now I'll have to set my sights on reproductions of the tire strap plus pickle fork wipers. I must not have been looking, but I have yet to find a pickle fork BLADE. Seen quite a few of the ARMS over the years, seen only one blade. I've got to get out to the swap meets more often!

Note: someone in southern California is producing the web tire strap. His price is $300.

[Chuck House]

Brad,

You are the undisputed Parts Meister, without doubt!. But the problem is that when you are at the swap meets, you are behind the table selling your well researched reproductions and parts instead of rummaging through the back row old parts boxes for trinkets like the rest of us idiots

NOS pickle fork blades...

[Brad Ripley]

My computer digitizer is busy at work creating a file of those wiper blades in your photo "for reproductive purposes" . Gee, I can get at least $300. a piece for those beauties.

Just kidding.

[Cal Ensor]

Tom
In 2001 Kendal Kreig of Sammamish,Wa had a price list offering "T0 Speedster Tire Strap Concurs" $75 . I had him replate my buckle and replace my damaged tan strap complete with metal tip. He also made other Speedster and Cabriolet parts. If he is still with us would be a valuable resource.

[Tom Scott]

Hi Cal,

Do you have any information for contacting Kendal?

Thanks,

Tom

[Alan Hall]

When were pickle fork wiper arms and blades used? Also I have seen 2 different length pickle fork arms, what length goes with what model? Similarly is there only one length of pickle fork blades?
Thanks,
Alan

[Dick Weiss]

Allan,

My GS Speedster still has the original 'pickle-fork' wipers and the arm length is 220mm
center-to-center; I'd assume the arms would be a little longer for a cp or cab, or the blades would be longer w/the short arms. I don't recall if I ever worked on either one having the longer wiper assemblies.

Dick

[Alan Hall]

Thanks Dick for the information. I have a mis-matched pair of pickle fork arms, one is 220mm and the other is 270mm. I would guess my cab would use the 270mm length. I only have one blade which is 10 inches and has a replacement rubber I don't recognize. The rubber blade has a series of patent numbers molded into the side of the blade and a reference to a Canadian patent pending.

[Mike Wilson]

I didn't see this in any of the postings: does anyone have the dimensions of the Speedster webbed spare tire strap: length and width?

Thanks...

Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe