Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

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Dr Oliver Strobel
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Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#1 Post by Dr Oliver Strobel »

It would be very interesting to know up to which VIN the first Continental vehicles with rounded hood handles were delivered. It started with VIN 52845, according to B. Johnson. I got the photo from his new book. Only the first ones should have it. My 52943 has a pointy handle, but someone could have replaced it in the past.
Olli
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Ned Gorski
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#2 Post by Ned Gorski »

my car was the 24th cab off the production line, cab 60748. when i found the car the handle was missing but you could clearly see from road rash it had a non pointed handle. no doubt in my mind it originally came with a Blunt. next time i come across the road rash picture prior to restoration i will post it .

Regards Ned

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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#3 Post by Jim Wayman »

Dr. Strobel

My car (52979) has the rounded handle and it is original. It was produced December 27. 1954. Of the Continentals, the latest one I have found so far is 53140 produced on February 1, 1955, which is well within the time frame Johnson's book states. I have put out a request to Continental owners (and others) regarding whether their 1955 model year cars came with the blunt handle, but have not gotten many responses.
Jim Wayman

Sid Wilde
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#4 Post by Sid Wilde »

I have a ‘54 Speedster #80059 which came with a blunt hood handle
 

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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#5 Post by Jim Wayman »

53301 has a blunt hood handle. Built March 1, 1955.
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Spencer Harris
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#6 Post by Spencer Harris »

bil brown wrote: Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:10 pm I`m trying to find the change from the `54 Speedster 'round nose" hood handle to the more pointed handle.
Spencer Harris wrote: Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:07 pm According to Brett's research for Authenticity IV the forging was revised from blunt-nose to pointy-nose in April of 1955. My '55 coupe (53449, Hoffman, May 10, 1955) had the blunt-nose version - which I'm sure they used until they ran out. Several differences in the crest on the blunt-nose handles: bold Porsche lettering; no R on the back and no gold plating. I'm not sure when the reinforcement ridge came about.
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James Davies wrote: Sat Feb 29, 2020 6:11 am The reinforced ridge started to be used when 356A cars went into production (shortly after). These handles had a new badge as well.
You can always tell the pre-A handles. They are always twisted or wavy. It's no wonder they put a strengthening ridge in for the 356A. Also, they all had that same 5-digit number on the underside, blunt and pointed. Same supplier, same mold.
Spencer Harris
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Kent Malone
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#7 Post by Kent Malone »

My car was built April 28 of '55 and has the pointed handle. Can't says absolutely that it's original to the car, but it corresponds to the blunt/point changeover being in April per Johnson's book. The crest is clearly wrong and so is the seal. Currently looking for the correct crest and discovering the minute differences between a really nice reproduction and the originals.
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Bob Kierejczyk
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#8 Post by Bob Kierejczyk »

Speedster #80087 - November 15th, '54 - Blunt Handle

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Bil Brown
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#9 Post by Bil Brown »

My old 54 Speedster #80100 had its original blunt nose handle.
Bill Brown

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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#10 Post by Kent Malone »

Kent Malone wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 3:10 pm My car was built April 28 of '55 and has the pointed handle. Can't says absolutely that it's original to the car, but it corresponds to the blunt/point changeover being in April per Johnson's book. The crest is clearly wrong and so is the seal. Currently looking for the correct crest and discovering the minute differences between a really nice reproduction and the originals.
Now that I have removed the handle to install an original crest, I know for sure the handle is a replacement. Also, the original style crest fits poorly in the reproduction handle's recess for the crest. So I'm trying to narrow down if my car would have had a blunt or pointed handle. There are several cars on the registry database with build dates on April 28, 1955 and it would be great if anyone with an April 28 (or even 27) would chime in with what their car has. At any rate, Here's my reproduction handle that now holds my original crest.
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#11 Post by Jim Wayman »

Kent

I am not aware of any dimensional differences between the crests used on blunt hood handles and pointed ones, so I don't think that is going to be relevant to determining whether your car had a blunt or pointed handle. If you give me your car's serial number, I can identify some cars for you that were produced on the same date or within a day or two. You can PM me at hiway9999@hotmail.com
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James Davies
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#12 Post by James Davies »

Kent, I would give high probability to your car having a pointed hood handle. The following well preserved coupes appear to have their original pointed hood handles:

53308
53340
53390
53403
53404
53409
53425
53434 <--
53437
53458 (including period photos showing it pointed)
53528

Kent Malone
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#13 Post by Kent Malone »

jim wayman wrote: Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:20 pm Kent

I am not aware of any dimensional differences between the crests used on blunt hood handles and pointed ones, so I don't think that is going to be relevant to determining whether your car had a blunt or pointed handle. If you give me your car's serial number, I can identify some cars for you that were produced on the same date or within a day or two. You can PM me at hiway9999@hotmail.com
Right. I don't think there are dimensional differences in the crest either. I just have a crappy reproduction handle. I'm buying a Stoddard reproduction in the hope that's it better than what I have and will seat the crest better. My serial # is 53434.
Last edited by Kent Malone on Thu Feb 03, 2022 9:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

Kent Malone
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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#14 Post by Kent Malone »

James Davies wrote: Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:07 am Kent, I would give high probability to your car having a pointed hood handle. The following well preserved coupes appear to have their original pointed hood handles:

53308
53340
53390
53403
53404
53409
53425
53434 <--
53437
53458 (including period photos showing it pointed)
53528
I agree. I think the probability of mine having a pointed handle far exceeds the possibility of it being blunt. I've decided to go with the pointed style in my hunt for a really nice original. Stoddard reproduction in the interim.

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Re: Rounded Hood Handle (First Continentals)

#15 Post by Jim Wayman »

Kent

Here are cars produced on the same date as yours, 4/28/1955.
53427, 53433, 53439, 53440, 53441, 53442, 53448, 53453, 53460, 53465 & 53477.
If you can find the owners of any of these cars, it might help in your search.
Jim Wayman

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