Interior trim question for Johann or whoever

Trying to finish up minor trim specs for my new IM Speedster which will kinda/sorta replicate my original '56 Speedster and I can't remember the interior trim piping color (they say memory is the first to go, and that was 37 years ago...). Red car, black interior; I think I remember that the original piping trim color on the racing bucket seats, door panels, and dash was white. Anybody know for sure? In the books I have there is no color photo that clearly shows this.
Thanks...

Talked to Palo Alto Speedo today; I think their instruments are a tad overpriced, but they have what I want; oh, well, its only money. Their speedo/tach/combo instruments are also smaller in diameter than the Brazilian VDO replica gauges, so this is a new car option unless you want to do some work on your dash.

(Message Edited 1/3/2003 2:27:20 PM)

George, check Johan's terrific Carrera GT site re photos, or email him direct. He can answer your questions.

I am very interested in all the details you are putting into your car. I am converting my ancient IM into a faux GT. I decided to go through-the-trunk mainly because I don't care about cargo space per se, will use backseat when needed. As far as a spare tire I figured I would gamble with a few cans of Flat Fix, a AAA card and a cell phone. And like I said, my car is long in the tooth so the fill-cap peaking out the trunk lid is a nice touch for my application. If I was having Henry build me a new GT, I don't know if I would use the racer cap or not.

George,

I don't know myself what the correct color for the piping trim is. You can contact Autos International (see www.autosintl.com) to make sure. They are the 356 interior specialists and do most of the interiors, even for the concours cars. You can of course also ask it on the 356 talk forum (subscribe on 356registry.org).

It's nice to hear you want to add some Carrera features. If I understand correct, you are just putting the Carrera badges on the car and a adding a louvered decklid. Are you aiming for a 1956 Carrera GS look with all the side trim and regular bumper deco? I'm sure you know that the louvered decklids were originally only installed on the 1958 and 1959 GT Speedsters (although various GS Speedsters have them nowadays). Why did you chose for these features and did you think about a full GT look, like Erik is planning?

It must be great fun to be able to plan the specification of yet another Speedster!

Johan

Porsche 356 Carrera Speedster Inventory
home.tiscali.be/carrera-speedster

George,

Here is the contact info for:

Autos International, Inc:
1236_B Simpson Way
Escondido, CA 92029

760 737-3565, ask for Agustin Vidaurri

(I got tenax snaps from them.)

Johan, the car will be a '56 but the rear deck louvres are for additional cooling/carburetor air intake fot eh 200 plus BHP 2,387cc engine. There is a picture in Dr. Thiriars Speedster book of a '56 with 5 row louver rear deck lid, but the deck lid is probably a retro-fit.

My car will have side trim and Carrera scripts on fenders and on the rear; wheels will be 4.5"x15" Porsche replicas (Mangel) powder coated silver with "baby moon" hubcaps. Instruments will be 160 MPH speedo and 8,000 RPM with correct faces and warning lights; the combo gauge will be the triple VDO gauge with oil temperature (numbered in F), oil pressure (in PSI), and fuel tank.

I'm looking forward to the result George, have you any idea when the car will be ready?
The red Carrera Speedster GS in Thiriar's book is owned by Hans Reuter. This very friendly man has one of the most interesting Carrera Speedsters around. The louvers are indeed retrofitted. It happend when the car was restored in 1994. The reason at the time was also extra cooling because he had the engine (still the original one!) upgraded to Spyder specification.
The reason this Speedster is special, is that this GS is in fact technically a GT (although the GT designation didn't exist in 1956)! This is one of those very rare GS Carrera Speedsters that came from the factory without heating and with an upgraded engine. It also came with the headlight grilles and a Spyder mirror (uninstalled) when it was delivered to the US in the summer of 1956.

Johan

Porsche 356 Carrera Speedster Inventory
home.tiscali.be/carrera-speedster

Johan, my new car should be finished sometime in late spring; I would guess sometime in May - I'm probably driving Henry a little crazy with the minute detail stuff. The car should look very close to real with the exception of an IM badge below the Reutter badge, a larger diameter shift shaft (901), and an EMPI black rubber "golf ball" shift knob instead of a mushroom.

Engine is a 2,387 with Scat ultra-light flanged 86mm crank and 9 lb. flywheel, Crower titanium rods, special pistons for 11.5 to 1 compression on 92 octane R+M/2 unleaded gas, Web Cam 86b camshaft with 58 gram Scubeck composite lifters, H/D aluminum pushrods, dual Dellorto 48 DRLAs, CNC ported 044 heads with Manley 44 in. /37.5 ex. valves, dual springs with titanium spring retainers, a stainless 1 3/4" merged header (no heater boxes), etc., with a 901 5-speed. Hoping for 215 BHP and 195 ft. lbs. of torque in a reasonably docile street engine.

Outrageous motor, but so much guts and then CNC-ported heads? You didn't spare the change anywhere else??? I half expected to read birals.

Jack, 94mm birals from LN Eng. with cryo'd liners. The CNC 044 heads are working out very well on large displacement engines.