Painted Dash.Which is correct.

[mycarrera2.7rs]

I have seen two types of "painted dash"
one is where the complete dash is painted the same color as the car:




and then another where only the instrument cluster is painted,
which is correct for a car built 10/65?
many thanks,
JP

[JT912]

The top photo is correct for a true painted dash 912. The lower knee pad is a dead give-away for the originality. The later black dash with the brushed panels has a different shaped knee pad. I think the change over was around VIN 451600. Pictures on 912vin.com have 451583 with a painted dash and 451624 with the black dash.

[fbarrett]

912 #451326, factory-delivered August '65, matches the upper photo 'cept it's light ivory.

Frank

[mycarrera2.7rs]

I understand that the upper picture painted dash correctly identifies the first part of the 65 production run till August. However I was informed that there were a few transition cars with the two tone dash, as exhibited by the 2nd picture, before going all black, and I have seen several two tone dashes over the years. Any thoughts??

[JT912]

Can't speak with certainty on this but I too have seen many painted dash cars that had the brushed metal lower section. All were cars the owners had monkey's with. I'd imagine it is possible there is an overlap in styles. Seams like I've seen that lower picture before on a car that was for sale not too terribly long ago and there were some questions as to the authenticity.

[JT912]

After looking at the bottom picture on a screen bigger than my phones, I see the bottom picture has a portion that has been painted black. I doubt Porsche would have taken the time to paint it black and then mask off the area around the instruments and then paint that body color. Too time consuming.

Posted a link to this over at the 912bbs

Painted dash question

[mycarrera2.7rs]

Don't like the thought of Porsche being lazy in those days.
Remember this model was built the same year that they were building the 356,
and we all know how time consuming that was with hand fitting each numbered door, hood and engine lid all done by hand, by real craftsmen.
Definitely nothing lazy about that.
Now, how they make their cars today is another story......

Anyway found another version of a "painted (lady) dash" here,
so there must be quite a few apes out there playing with them.

[JT912]

I guess I was thinking more along the lines of efficiency rather than laziness. What are the VIN of the cars in the pictures? What is the VIN you are inquiring about? There is a pretty short amount of cars between the transition and maybe yours falls into that group?

[mycarrera2.7rs]

Yet another variation,
surely someone out there has definitive info..

[JT912]

I will stand by my thoughts that there isn't a third option. Each of those pictures that were posted showing the painted dash w/ metal have a different paint scheme. The first has the paint wrapping around the edge of the instrument panel. The second has the body colored paint only on the face of the instrument panel and the third has the full dash area painted body color.

[mycarrera2.7rs]

agreed,
there are several variants shown here.
However logically there has never been a reason in the 912 history to warrant people
doing this to their cars, as the effort involved in far in excess of any financial or estetic
gains.
There has to be another expanation..

[JT912]

Good thread from the 912BBS. #24 is of particular interest.

When did the dashes stop getting painted ?

[Unobtanium-inc]

Originally Posted by mycarrera2.7rs

agreed,
However logically there has never been a reason in the 912 history to warrant people
doing this to their cars, as the effort involved in far in excess of any financial or estetic
gains.
There has to be another expanation..

I side strongly with the two variations theory. Actually, it's not a theory, I think it's fact. We've seen lots of 912s with weird colored dashes that were later cars. Like the previous poster said, all had been monkeyed. with. In response to what mycarrera2.7rs stated above, it's actually very easy to "paint" the dash around your instruments with body color. The black paint can be carefully stripped away revealing a nice, thick coat of body color paint underneath. It's the same thickness and spray on the exterior, only it's been protected under a layer of flat black antiglare since new. It's in perfect shape and can be buffed to a shine. That's how most people have done the later painted dash thing.

There's an argument going on right now on the 912 and 356 boards where a certain individual is convinced he has a painted dash '66. Little by little the details were stacked up against him until he stopped. The painted dash stopped early in production, and that's the end of it, no matter how much some people really, really, really want to believe that there was a colored dash later. -- Matt

[Porschenutt]

Originally Posted by mycarrera2.7rs

Yet another variation,
surely someone out there has definitive info..

I have a 912 with this EXACT paint configuration, looks original to me, I am currently taking the entire car apart...will let you know if I find any evidence that this was not done by the factory...VIN #452877

[JesseA]

I own #451752 and it does not have a painted dash.

Or to be correct, the dash was painted body color but afterwards painted satin black at the factory.

The transition is somewhere around 4517XX from what I know. (For karmann bodied cars)

[ol porsche guy]

The image posted is a photograph I took of #451234. It was featured on the cover of the fall winter "912 Registry" magazine recently. The car is still original and unrestored, with the paint code of 6405, Champaign Yellow.
The original "Porsche Certificate" has the car build date of 7/20/1965, and was then imported by Porsche of America Corp., to Teaneck NJ.
It has all matching numbers with motor# 740590 (earliest known USA spec engine) and transmission#160091 (91st 4 speed built).
It may well be the car Porsche of America Corp. used to photograph for 1965publications like "Porsche Strasse".
I am the third registered owner.

[Unobtanium-inc]

Originally Posted by ol porsche guy

The image posted is a photograph I took of #451234. It was featured on the cover of the fall winter "912 Registry" magazine recently. The car is still original and unrestored, with the paint code of 6405, Champaign Yellow.
The original "Porsche Certificate" has the car build date of 7/20/1965, and was then imported by Porsche of America Corp., to Teaneck NJ.
It has all matching numbers with motor# 740590 (earliest known USA spec engine) and transmission#160091 (91st 4 speed built).
It may well be the car Porsche of America Corp. used to photograph for 1965publications like "Porsche Strasse".
I am the third registered owner.

I've learned the hard way that there are no concrete rules when it comes to Porsche production, but the car in the photo has aluminum trim and the later knee guard with its painted dash. From everything we know, this doesn't make sense as being original. Based on the production date you gave, it could very well have been an original painted dash car that was modified with aluminum trim and the later knee guard. Somebody definitely cut a DIN size radio hole in the dash so calling the car completely original or unmolested is out of the question. I don't think the steering wheel and carpet will fit into the original categories, either. I have a very original 451518 chassis painted 6404 Light Ivory with painted dash. But it has a large ebonite wheel, small knee guard and no dash trim. The car is believed to be the last painted dash Karmann produced 912. - Matt

[Davethefroggie]

Originally Posted by mycarrera2.7rs

Yet another variation,
surely someone out there has definitive info..

Gents, quite surprised to see a picture of the car I have now been owning for the last 3 years.

I did not get any history purchasing this car, so anyone who would have some is welcome !

Tks, David

[mycarrera2.7rs]

my car was the second picture, so cannot throw any light on the yellow car,
good luck with your search