Continental Registry

For those who obsess about exactly how their 356 left the factory!
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Jim Wayman
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Re: Continental Registry

#16 Post by Jim Wayman »

I love the pictures, so definitive. I put them in the Photo Album.
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Spencer Harris
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Re: Continental Registry

#17 Post by Spencer Harris »

Spencer Harris wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 12:35 pm You already show it "parted out 2012".
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Front bulkhead, torsion bar assembly, steering knuckles, steering arm, tie-rods, steering box, passenger door, striker plate, pedal cluster, accelerator pedal assembly, washer pump bracket and handbrake assembly have been recycled to other 356s in the US and Europe. The driver-side hinge cover and chassis plate is hanging in Adam Wright's shop in NY.
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James Davies
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Re: Continental Registry

#18 Post by James Davies »

jim wayman wrote: Tue Aug 10, 2021 6:01 pm Just finished adding the early 1955 model year cars that were delivered thru Hoffman. These are the ones with coupe chassis numbers starting with 52845 and cabriolets starting with 60694 as shown in Johnson's book. All of these cars have 3 piece case engines, but some of them have the 1954 dash which has an extra hole on the right side of the radio area.
FWIW, the following unrestored cars had original holes in the fender for Continental badge:

52846
52853
There is some debate on whether the Continental range started with the 3 piece case engines or with the newer dash that has only one hole to the right of the radio opening or with December 1854 production.
Porsche routinely introduced unrelated changes piecemeal onto the production line during the pre-A period. So the new 3-piece case engines started being used at coupe ~52845, but they continued using the old heating system. They eventually updated that by chassis ~52900. But were also using the old SWF glass washer bottle, which got updated to the bag around the same. But they didn't update to the new 1955 fuel system (new tank, petcock and electric VDO gauge) until 53527, almost half way through the model year.

It was always thus.

Jim Wayman
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Re: Continental Registry

#19 Post by Jim Wayman »

Jim

Last week I added some early Hoffman delivered cars which had 3 piece cases and some 1954 features. That included 52846 and 52853. When you say they updated the heating system at 52900, what updates did they make, was it at the heater knob location?

Jim
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Spencer Harris
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Re: Continental Registry

#20 Post by Spencer Harris »

jim wayman wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 12:57 pmWhen you say they updated the heating system at 52900, what updates did they make, was it at the heater knob location?
I believe James is referring to the change from the old, dash-mounted heater pull cable to the floor-mounted operating system.
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Re: Continental Registry

#21 Post by Jim Wayman »

That's what I thought. You can see the dash control on 54846, the Road Scholars car, which is an example of the transition from the 1954 model to the 1955 model in that it has the dash mounted heater control, the glass windshield washer bottle (this is an assumption on my part as you can't see any evidence of a washer bag in their online photos) and the 3 piece case.
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Spencer Harris
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Re: Continental Registry

#22 Post by Spencer Harris »

I think you mistyped the chassis no. 54846 is not a Porsche chassis. The RS car is chassis no. 52866.
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Jim Wayman
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Re: Continental Registry

#23 Post by Jim Wayman »

Spencer

Good catch. 54846 falls after the end of the 1955 production. My fingers and typing failed me. 52846 is the second 1955 model coupe produced and the first Continental coupe. 52866 is the Road Scholars car.
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James Davies
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Re: Continental Registry

#24 Post by James Davies »

Thanks for filling in the details Spencer. And look, they actually give a chassis number of 52907 for the heater control change. *Adds to notes*

And that change is consistent with existing cars.

I'll also add that there were electrical changes to the loom mid-1955 as well, going from the center-nut fuse box to the offset-nut fuse box, which had different jumper locations, different wiring, and different fuses. Starting at coupe 53276. I believe the wattage of the blinker lights also change (and the lenses). You can decide if this was a late '55 change or an early 356A change. I would argue the former, as they changed the rear light wiring and bulbs again for the 356A. =)

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Re: Continental Registry

#25 Post by John Wurner »

Hi Jim
I dont know if you are still working with this post.
A friend who does not belong to the registry has
VIN 53103, released from the factory 27 July 55. Engine 34249 color 5406 silvergray,
vinyl blue.
I can supply pics of the car if you like.
John 541 673-4061

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Re: Continental Registry

#26 Post by Jim Wayman »

John

I have it as January 27, 1955. Pictures would be appreciated. Send to hiway9999@hotmail.com. I don't have any ownership info on that car. Can you have him fill out the registration form at www.356continentalregistry.com.

Thanks,

Jim
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James Davies
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Re: Continental Registry

#27 Post by James Davies »

Yes, definitely 27.1.55, which is Jan 1955. The 27.7.55 date (July 1955) is the end of the warranty period. Car is now red and has a replaced interior, but it has its original engine and transaxle.

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Re: Continental Registry

#28 Post by Jim Wayman »

I was just re-reading some of the posts about Continentals and noted Spencer's entry from August 10, 2021 about the number of engines that could have been installed in Continentals. The figures quoted from the Spec Book seem to only include the engines produced from November 1954 thru the end of 1954 and did not include the engines produced in 1955 for the 1955 model year cars. If those are included, the totals are: 546/2 - 1890 engines; 528/2 - 999 engines; 506/2 - 245 engines for a grand total of 3134 engines. So far, the Continental Registry lists 48 528/2 delivered cars, 2 506/2 cars and 1 589/2 car, the remaining 516 being 546/2. The Continentals account for about 18% of the total production of those engines.
Jim Wayman

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