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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 6:50 pm Post subject: Need some info about 1963 356's |
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So I've been doing a refresh on my 63 S coupe and I've come across some interesting things and there are some other things I needed to know. I figured you folks would be the people to ask since you've been very helpful in the past.
First set of questions...
Does anyone know what the production numbers for the 356's in 1963 were? Is there anyplace I can find this documented?
The reason I ask this is I am trying to find out how many cars like mine there were produced. My car was built in July 1962 and was Heron Grey with a Blue interior. From everything I can figure this was a custom order car because the color combo doesn't seem to be a "on the lot" type of choice. I know they did this type of thing back then so it doesn't surprise me. I also know that 13% of the cars produced in 63 were Heron Grey, but I can't find the total production numbers.
I also think I have a few options installed. I have the fresh air blower system and seat belts which according to the documentation I can find were not standard until August 1962.
I am the third owner of the car. It was first owned by a General stationed at the "presidio". Then the second owner repainted the car in its original color in the 90's with a very nice lacquer paint. The car is about as good as it gets short of going into a full concourse style restoration and is a fantastic driver. Door jambs in are still the original paint. I've also scouted out all the numbers and all the parts are original to the car. The motor, trans, doors, and hood latch are all stamped. I can't find two of the numbers. The one on the welded bracket on the hood and the one inside the vent area on the deck lid, although there are areas you can see the original paint on both pieces and they are both Heron Grey.
Are there exceptions to the numbers being stamped on these parts? In any case I'm going to take some pics of it and I'll put them up here. One last question I have is does anyone know where I can find a full color wiring diagram for the car? I have a black and white one out of the technical manual I have for it, but I'm trying to find a full color one I can work off of.
Thanks,
Jason _________________ Jason
My 64 1500 S Notchback project here
My 58 sedan project here
My 63 Ghia here |
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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Pat KG Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 180 Location: VA
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:14 am Post subject: |
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What is the vin number on your car? My 63 356B is 121123 and was made in July 62 also. You can find a lot of info on the 356 Registry website about production numbers, etc. Are you familiar with the Registry?
Also theSamba has a lot of info. Use the technical tab at the top. Here are the VIN numbers.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/chassisdating.php _________________ Pat Daily
74 Ghia Cabriolet (bought it in 74 new)
63 356 B Coupe
2005 BMW 325i
2008 BMW 328 convertible
2007 Dodge Ram Hemi
2005 Honda Odyssey |
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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:19 am Post subject: |
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The vin on my car is 210912, something else I forgot to include is my car is one of the cars that was built at the karmann plant in Osnabruck. _________________ Jason
My 64 1500 S Notchback project here
My 58 sedan project here
My 63 Ghia here |
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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 10:38 am Post subject: |
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Nothing? So I'm assuming you guys don't really know either. I looked on the registry as suggested and I can't find anything about per year production numbers. So maybe that info was lost to history... As far as the tech section here I was unaware of it containing anything about 356's and after looking I still don't see it. I've used it before for my Ghia and my 58 sedan. I do wish there were a site out there for 356's that was as well organized as Everett has made this site. If anyone knows please chime in, if not I guess I'll post it here if I find it. _________________ Jason
My 64 1500 S Notchback project here
My 58 sedan project here
My 63 Ghia here |
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fcampbell356 Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2007 Posts: 217 Location: Pensacola, Florida
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 11:08 am Post subject: |
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Lawn Guy:
See if you can hook up with Steve Heinrichs in the memberlist. If anyone can help you he can. He has connections with the Factory.
Frank |
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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you Frank. _________________ Jason
My 64 1500 S Notchback project here
My 58 sedan project here
My 63 Ghia here |
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Pat KG Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 180 Location: VA
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Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 6:49 am Post subject: |
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That information exists--just can't recall where. Will look for it. Basically 77000 356s were made from 1948-1965 with a few Police car versions made in 1966. _________________ Pat Daily
74 Ghia Cabriolet (bought it in 74 new)
63 356 B Coupe
2005 BMW 325i
2008 BMW 328 convertible
2007 Dodge Ram Hemi
2005 Honda Odyssey |
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Pat KG Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 180 Location: VA
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Pat KG Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 180 Location: VA
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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the help Pat I appreciate it. _________________ Jason
My 64 1500 S Notchback project here
My 58 sedan project here
My 63 Ghia here |
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Jerry Havel Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2010 Posts: 3 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 11:52 am Post subject: |
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Hi there, and sorry for the belated reply;
Chassis serial #'s listed in the Porsche "Spec's Please" booklet for 1963 coupes are 123304 to 125239, and 212172 to 214400, these latter ones for Karmann coupes. There is a bit of uncertainty about whether all these numbers were used, or simply decided on prior to production end, with some numbers possibly unused. Your #, 210912, sets your car's production for July of '62 and makes it one of the very first '63 B coupes. The production #'s for cars built in July of 1962 for "63" Karmann coupes are 210900 to 212171.
As far as what options the car left the factory with, the best way is to request a Certificate of Authenticity for the serial # from Porsche. Porsche will send you (for a price of course) a cert listing details of the car - colors, both interior and exterior, options, and so on. Porsche had color sheets for each year of production, showing available exterior and interior colors, and I don't believe that the factory strayed from that. You picked from the available combinations. If you care, see if anyone has a copy of those charts for 1962 and '63.
I happen to have a 1963 S-90 coupe, delivered in late June of '63, with a serial # of 214229. I have been trying to find out if it was the last S-90 delivered, but have had no success. If the factory does have such records, they don't seem to be willing to take the time to figure it out. Assigning the various models for '63, the Normal, S and S-90 versions, to the listed chassis #s nor to the engine serial #s isn't provided in the "Spec's Please" booklet, and that, combined with the uncertainty of whether the final chassis #s were actually delivered makes the task somewhat daunting.
If you still would like a color wiring diagram, let me know. I have the factory poster of the wiring diagram, in color, and will try to take a decent picture and send it to you. It may not work out, the poster is about 2 feet by 3 feet, but I will give it a go, just let me have your e-mail address.
regards, Jerry, [email protected] |
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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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Jerry,
Thanks for the reply. I did manage to find a full color wiring diagram. I've since printed it out and laminated it so I have a hard copy to work with in the garage. I've also managed to sort out all my little electrical problems and I got everything but the oil pressure gauge to work. I just ordered new relays for the car so I should be able to get those in next week.
If anyone has any idea about my pressure gauge clue me in. I know I have a good pressure switch and the signal from there to the gauge is there but the needle just pegs as soon as I start the car.
I did order a COA from PCNA and I should be getting it in a couple of weeks. I've spoken with a lady there and she is the one that told me the original engine and trans numbers and the color and interior. We'll see what else I get on the COA when it shows up. So far it seems that all my numbers match.
If anyone has the color sheets let me know. I have found some online and it doesn't seem the blue interior was an option for the heron grey but I have been assured by PCNA that this is how the car came originally. _________________ Jason
My 64 1500 S Notchback project here
My 58 sedan project here
My 63 Ghia here |
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Jon Schmid Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2012 Posts: 2034 Location: Southern California
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 6:44 pm Post subject: Need some info about 1963 356's |
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"it doesn't seem the blue interior was an option for the heron grey"
I have a 1964 356C with COA confirmed silver metallic (paint code 6206) paint so anything is possible if it was ordered as such by the original owner, which I am not on this car. |
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badsix Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2007 Posts: 228 Location: coos bay or.
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:07 am Post subject: porsche |
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go to the Porsche 356ABCGT site, lots of friendly people there with a knowledge of the 356's
Jay D. |
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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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Jon,
That was my thought on it too. It doesn't seem it was available to just purchase but I know you were always able to order whatever you wanted. I do believe my car to be an order car and not bought off the lot. _________________ Jason
My 64 1500 S Notchback project here
My 58 sedan project here
My 63 Ghia here |
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Pat KG Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 180 Location: VA
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Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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My car, 121123 made in June-July of 62, was Heron Grey with a blue interior. _________________ Pat Daily
74 Ghia Cabriolet (bought it in 74 new)
63 356 B Coupe
2005 BMW 325i
2008 BMW 328 convertible
2007 Dodge Ram Hemi
2005 Honda Odyssey |
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lawn ninja Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2006 Posts: 1009 Location: Round Rock, TX
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Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2015 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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Pat KG wrote: |
My car, 121123 made in June-July of 62, was Heron Grey with a blue interior. |
Pat, I'm not saying they don't exist and mine is a one off. I'm saying that according to all the documentation that is available, that I've seen, that color combo was not offered. I know with VW you could order a car to be built specifically the way you wanted it from the factory. There are also instances of dealers switching stuff on the lots. My thought is my car was ordered specifically by the original owner. _________________ Jason
My 64 1500 S Notchback project here
My 58 sedan project here
My 63 Ghia here |
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Outlaw 356 Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2015 Posts: 13 Location: NC
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 6:39 pm Post subject: Re: Need some info about 1963 356's |
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Lawn,
You really do need to join and support the 356 Registry! Great group of 356 people!!
Conrad
North Carolina |
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jay abrams Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2012 Posts: 4 Location: Coronado Ca
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 8:05 am Post subject: Re: Need some info about 1963 356's |
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Jason,
The oil pressure gauge is nothing more than the green light on the combo gauge. The oil needle is a temperature indicator. Of course you may have an aftermarket gauge somewhere on the dash that a PO installed.
Jay |
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