Silly Question: License Plate Lights

Based on the fact that part of the appeal of these cars is to make them our own I say do what you like, I tried to keep my car as authentic as possible.

 

A bit of 356 trivia, it was in March 1957 that Porsche decided , two significant changes:  the beehive taillights used since 1953 were replaced by a one-piece teardrop unit on each side while the housing for the license plate light and back-up light was moved from above the license plate ("shine down") to below the license plate ("shine up"). 

 

The other option is to go with a Light from a Beetle or Ghia.. a nice option..

 

Further to your question, can you rotate.. I think the angle would be wrong and it wouldn't sit right...

Great info. Thanks for the post

Definitely two different units.

I LOVE THAT BLUE COUPE

So where does one get a shine-up light if one has a shine-down?

I don't know where you got that picture of the blue coupe, but that license plate light looks suspiciously like one from a Karmann Ghia.

 

As far as I know, the "shine up" and "shine down" lights on Speedsters and other 356's were the same, just flipped, like this (and I'll even show a coupe!):

 

 

But, for you'se Speedstah Guys, here ya go:

 

 

Oh, and these are all original, steel 356's....

That what I thought. Someone thought that the angle would be wrong or something of that nature but I couldn't see the factory spec.ing more than one part.  Mine currently shines down but I want to relocate it to shine up dime I can move the license plate as well as the Porsche emblem and add a 1600 or 1600/super to the rear and have enough room to get it all done and hide all of the existing holes. Thanks to all for the info.
Frank

Frank, the chromed frame of the license plate lights have different mounting angles to flush fit perpendicular to the body's shape at those high and low positions.

 

Joe Reeba, a 356 fanatic and previous owner of Amityville Porsche-Audi, once ground down three mounting edges of a 'shine down' to conform to the flatter body shape required for a 'shine up'...It was for a more authentic 'look' to go along with  retro-fitted bee-hive tail lights on a coupe.

 

 

Carl,
Thank you very much.  That is exactly what I was looking for.  There is always a way to make things work.  Either grinding something or adding a gasket type material to the other side to 'shim' it up to the correct angle.
Regards,
Frank

So, that second pic, of the Speedster, shows a "shine down" light with the teardrop tail lights!  I didn't think that was an authentic factory combination!

 

However, I can imagine the conversation in the Stuttgart factory in early '57 or so:

 

"Hans!  This auto has der new teardrop taillights, but I have no up-shining number plate light, only down-shining ones!  Vas shall I do?"

 

For some reason you only see replicas with that combination.  I've looked on the 'net and can't find beehive taillights or up-shining lights.

 

So down-shining lights with teardrop taillights are proper after all?

The Speedster photo almost looks like a shine-up installed upside-down.

Maybe Marty could post his cool shine down treatment.

 

I have been a little under the weather.  Here is my 550 Spyder shine-down.   

 

I LOVE the wheels on the blue coupe, what are they?

Cole,

Aaa, yes they are delicious!...and I think that they're the identical wheels mounted on Allan Shapiro's 'Ruby'.

 

I believe that there's a good profile view of 'Ruby' in Drewek's recent Corn Daze video clip where you can clearly see those ten circular venting holes on the rim. I really don't understand why 10 circular holes is so much more attractive than the standard 8 oval holes...but they are! 

 

There's also a 2012 clip of speedsters passing in review from the Carlisle Fairgrounds . and my opinion Allan's Ruby - with those flashy wheels - is the "trophy winnah"

Carl-

 

Allan (and I) have Bivens/Coddington wide 5s (5 x 205) AL wheels. The wheels on the blue outlaw coupe are different in several ways-- they are later Porsche 5 (5 x 130) drilling, and are actually 928 spares-- widened if I don't miss my guess.

 

Widened 944 turbo spares, and 928 spares have kind've become the "it" thing, thanks to the Emory outlaws (those guys REALLY have an eye for what's cool). Marty G. had replica 944 turbo spares made by Bivens/Coddington-- they are the wheels he has been showing here and on FB. So, the wheels on the blue car are actually much closer to Marty's new wheels than they are to Allan's

 

They are all really cool wheels, and crazy-pricey.

Here's a '58 Speedster, with COA, tear drop and shine up lights:

I was really interested in the 944/928 spares until I found out they have a 30mm offset.  To fit properly on my IM I'll need something in the 40 to 45mm range.

Thanks for all of the replies.  So what I have so far is this:

 

Its the same light just turned over and

Some folks adapt them to work either way and

There are wheels that look really cool.

 

I ask because the Sierra Madre Collection has rear license plate lights that shine up or down and they are slightly different prices.  Is there a consensus that they really are one in the same or two different fixtures.......

They are two different fixtures.The blue car is an actual pre A. The 944 spares have extra holes drilled in them. Read all about in 356 registry magazine...

Hello Frank,

Here's an addition to an old thread.

 

Notice the 'correct' shine down on the dark speedster with Minnesota plate "MAGIK", and then compare the awkward angle of a 'shine up' light housing that's been flopped to a shine down position on this silver Beck...The Samba #1562606