1954 pre a

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Jeff Kutz
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1954 pre a

#1 Post by Jeff Kutz »

Hello , I have a 1954 pre a sunroof coupe with the VIN 23792, this is in highly legible in two places, in the front trunk normal place and in the data plate passenger side by the fuel tank. I realize this VIN may not make any sense on a KARDEX or "normal" ways . My question is does anyone have an idea how this may have received this number. It has not been changed / altered in my 20+ years of ownership. And I cannot understand why anyone would go thru the effort to change it?? as this vehicle was of little value years ago Head Scratcher for me. Thanks Jeff
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Tom Coughlin
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Re: 1954 pre a

#2 Post by Tom Coughlin »

You say ...."may not make sense on a KARDEX..." which leads me to ask did you ever try to get a COA?

One SWAG is that some error happened in production.
Last edited by Tom Coughlin on Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Tom Tate
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Re: 1954 pre a

#3 Post by Tom Tate »

Very strange. On the data plate the 195 should have a 4 at the end (as in 1954), it looks blank. My '57 coupe has a 1957 there. You don't indicate where you are located but I do remember a story from years ago that said that in the early '50's some cars were shipped to Australia as parts and assembled there. Like 10-15 cars. They were assigned vin when completed. Unfounded rumor? More info about the car might help, history, etc.

Kevin Wills
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Re: 1954 pre a

#4 Post by Kevin Wills »

Tom, the 4 is there if you look close. It is stamped.

Alfred Knittel
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Re: 1954 pre a

#5 Post by Alfred Knittel »

That’s is strange vin number, Seems to me that Porsche numbered there car order of cars production. My 54 is 52500. Motor 33379. One would think that your car should have a 5++++ number
1954 coup
1959 Cab
1959 super coup
1970 240z first year
1971 240z

Brad Ripley
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Re: 1954 pre a

#6 Post by Brad Ripley »

Tom questions if this was an assembled car in Australia. There are a couple a cars right now assembled in South Africa -- here what one seller is saying -- pretty much the story I've heard also:
This 1963 356 B Cabriolet T6 has a very unique history. In the early 1960’s, Lindsay Saker, the then agents for Porsche in South Africa finalized an agreement to assemble semi knock down Porsches locally.57 units were dispatched from the factory but 7 fell off the ship in the Suez Canal! The rest made their way safely to Johannesburg. The cars were primed body shells, which meant clients could spec their cars. Clients could select the color of their cars as well as interior trim. Other local content included the battery, tyres and the windscreen. These 50 Porsche 356 cars were the only Porsches assembled by a Porsche Importer anywhere in the world outside of Germany!

Does anybody know what chassis numbers were used on those cars? Know for sure? And how about Australia? Anybody seen a published story of those cars.

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Tom Tate
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Re: 1954 pre a

#7 Post by Tom Tate »

Thanks Brad, at least I had a few facts correct. Very few. So it was early '60's and South Africa, not '50's and Australia. There must be someone that can fill in some of those spaces. Let's see if they will chime in...

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James Davies
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Re: 1954 pre a

#8 Post by James Davies »

Hi Jeff, very interesting! What does the rest of the Porsche KG tag say? 356/1500?

Also, have some photos of the car itself and some of the stampings? The last 2 or 3 digits of the chassis number are all over the car. Under the dash, on the doors, hood hinge, back of door hinge cover plates, bottom of seats, rear deck lid rain cover.

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Greg Riddel
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Re: 1954 pre a

#9 Post by Greg Riddel »

Hi Guys
No cars assembled in Australia, I'm afraid. There were only 2 delivered in 1951 and probably 2 in 1952. In 1953 none, and in 1954 - 6.
So no need to assemble any here. There were strict import regulations in force though.
We didn't get any real numbers until the A's in 1956, and then it was only 51.
This information from an article in the Aust Register magazine in 1990, compiled by Phil Schudmak, and researched by Paul Lang in California.

Greg
Qld, Australia

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Jules Dielen
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Re: 1954 pre a

#10 Post by Jules Dielen »

Unless there is some truth to the SA ckd story, no replacement bodies in that range either i know of.

As james said. Please post some photos of the vin stamps in the various areas, so we can help you solve this mystery
Jules

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Re: 1954 pre a

#11 Post by Jeff Kutz »

Jules Dielen wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:26 am Unless there is some truth to the SA ckd story, no replacement bodies in that range either i know of.

As james said. Please post some photos of the vin stamps in the various areas, so we can help you solve this mystery
Thanks everyone for their good effort and knowledge and I will be happy to provide additional information.. Can you tell me where the stamping on the dash may be located? that seems to me may be in location that is not molested, Also in a COA as mentioned earlier I have not requested one ,,,Should I ????? I'm sorta "green" to this research and really apricate everyone's input Jeff

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Jules Dielen
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Re: 1954 pre a

#12 Post by Jules Dielen »

look through the hole where the radio would be, it is stamped on the bottom, inside. should be the last 2 digits of your VIN.

I highly doubt you will get anything when you request a CoA (PSS?), since it is derived from information from the Kardex.
Jules

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Spencer Harris
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Re: 1954 pre a

#13 Post by Spencer Harris »

August '53 cabriolet:
DSC_0977 (Large).JPG
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DSC_0982 (Large).JPG
DSC_0982 (Large).JPG (213.05 KiB) Viewed 1436 times
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Donald Zingg
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Re: 1954 pre a

#14 Post by Donald Zingg »

Brad Ripley wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 3:14 pm Tom questions if this was an assembled car in Australia. There are a couple a cars right now assembled in South Africa -- here what one seller is saying -- pretty much the story I've heard also:
This 1963 356 B Cabriolet T6 has a very unique history. In the early 1960’s, Lindsay Saker, the then agents for Porsche in South Africa finalized an agreement to assemble semi knock down Porsches locally.57 units were dispatched from the factory but 7 fell off the ship in the Suez Canal! The rest made their way safely to Johannesburg. The cars were primed body shells, which meant clients could spec their cars. Clients could select the color of their cars as well as interior trim. Other local content included the battery, tyres and the windscreen. These 50 Porsche 356 cars were the only Porsches assembled by a Porsche Importer anywhere in the world outside of Germany!

Does anybody know what chassis numbers were used on those cars? Know for sure? And how about Australia? Anybody seen a published story of those cars.
This topic jogged my memory of a photo in Dr. Michel Thiriar's Speedster book. Mechanics are shown assembling a T-2 Speedster at a workshop in the Belgian Congo. The importer was Difco (D'Ieteren Freres Congo). According to the 356 Porsche Yearly Sales list at the back of Brett Johnson's 356 Porsche Restorer's Guide to Authenticity, only one new Porsche was sent to the Congo in 1958. This Speedster must be it - - - - - -
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Jeff Kutz
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Re: 1954 pre a

#15 Post by Jeff Kutz »

James Davies wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 8:30 pm Hi Jeff, very interesting! What does the rest of the Porsche KG tag say? 356/1500?

Also, have some photos of the car itself and some of the stampings? The last 2 or 3 digits of the chassis number are all over the car. Under the dash, on the doors, hood hinge, back of door hinge cover plates, bottom of seats, rear deck lid rain cover.
The other numbers on this tag are 356/1500 and below that 1200 and below the 1200 is 525. Can you look at the rivets on this plate?. to my eye these would be hard to replicate.. Judging by the crud and visual inspection. My guess this is original with the car. Do you feel that it may be possible this whole trunk is a replacement do to collision or other trauma I'm looking for chassis numbers.. thanks Jeff

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