galvanized body?

[Mike Kast]

I just snached this from a different thread.

Yep shoping for these older cars is quite enlightening as to what is and is not ok. You need to look at a few to get a feel for what is "normal" and what is not.

BTW. Porsches were not FULLY Galvanized until 1976.


__________________
Harry
Reemployed Engineer
PCA Member
1973.5 911T Targa for fun
Several trusty beaters for work

I thought the same thing until I just read this.

"By 1974 Porsche was working to increase the longevity of its cars by using galvanized steel. According to Porsche, the first parts to be galvanized were on the chassis. By August 1975 all of the chassis used metal that had been processed. However, it was not untill 1980 that all the body parts for all 911's, no matter where they were destined, were being covered. The top and front fenders were the last parts to get the galvanizing treatment."
In 1976 Porsche began offering a warranty from rust damage on the basic chassis, not including fenders, for six years. But this warranty was not applicable for cars destined for North America. Because of the availability of the steel and the newness of the process, Porsche could not be sure all American cars would have the protected steel.
However, many of the cars shipped to the US did have the galvanized steel. Finally in 1980, Porsche offered the six-year warranty, which by this time included the fenders, to North American cars. That warranty was increased to seven years in 1981 and included unlimited mileage. The warranty was increased in 1986 to 10 years.

The 1974-1989 911 Authenticity Series
by Mark S. Haab

The troubling part to me is "However, many of the cars shipped to the US did have the galvanized steel. "
What does that mean exactly? Many? Meaning some had it and some didn't? Does anyone know anything about the actual statistics of "many"?

[marcesq]

Actually, I believe that '77 was the first year the entire body was galvanized, only parts of the '76 were.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[Oldporsche]

I'm always fascinated with the reasoning Porsche uses on some things. You might check out all of the "crash vulnerable" things under the front bumpers of the Cayanne. The front bumpers wont pass any crash test because its not required on Trucks!

There is a diagram floating around in the body section of the red books that shows the galvalnized portions of the body. They are different from the Targa to the Coupe. Its like the doors on one are galvalnized and not on the other. I do believe however that all of the body was galvalnized for the '77 model delivered in Europe.

Good luck,
David Duffield

[Bill Verburg]

As early as '72(earlier may also have been but I know my old '72 had it) the floorpans and inner fender panels were galvanized. As the years progressed more and more panels were galvanized, part of the problem was getting an acceptable finish on the painted surfaces. The final pieces were the exterior double sided galvanized panels made by Thyssen Steel. This was one of the first production uses of fully double sided gavanizing. The year '76 early cars did not have Thyssen steel in the roof sections but by the end of the model run they were 100%. At that time there were a couple of unpainted cars running around that the factory used to demonstrate the superiority of Thyssen.

[Mike Kast]

I should have put this in the original post. I didn't realize I missed it. This is the paragraph before the two on my original post

"By 1974 Porsche was working to increase the longevity of its cars by using galvanized steel. According to Porsche, the first parts to be galvanized were on the chassis. By August 1975 all of the chassis used metal that had been processed. However, it was not untill 1980 that all the body parts for all 911's, no matter where they were destined, were being covered. The top and front fenders were the last parts to get the galvanizing treatment."

It still isn't very clear at all. 4 years of who knows?

[Randy W]

From what I have read, it sounds to me like Marc and Bill are correct. It appears to have been a phased in process, here's the way I understand it: 1970 wheel wells and some floor pan galvanized, 1972 wheel wells and all floorpan galvanized, 1976 additional galvanized body panels, 1978 all body panels galvanized.

[Joeaksa]

Last time I was at the factory they had a 76 or 77 Targa tub sitting there in the open. No paint, in the rain, snow and weather for years now...

No rust and its all due to the zinc coated steel. Very good advertising IMHO.

Joe

[HarryD]

Hmmm..

As Arte Johnson once said: Veddy Eeteresting!

[Mike Kast]

.

Last time I was at the factory they had a 76 or 77 Targa tub sitting there in the open. No paint, in the rain, snow and weather for years now...

what it says in the book is that until 1980 some were and some weren't. Not that they didn't have the ability to do it, but that they didn't do it to all cars. It would be bad advertizing to put one out to rot in front of the factory that wasn't completely galvanized.

76 was the first model year with fully galvanised 911s. Earlier model years were partly galvanised. I think 74/75 models had fully galvanised floor pan.

[Mike Kast]

So what most of you are saying is that this authenticity book I have quoted from is just completely wrong? Because of what you heard and read? This is quoted from a book! I'm sensing a bit of denial here ...lol... And if the book is wrong, I need to send a letter to the author It seems so well written. I am very disappointed.

[Randy W]

Mike, don't be too dissapointed. You read it in a book, we read it in a book. Most books on the 911 have some mistakes in them, even Peter Morgan's "Original 911" and the "Carrera RS" book have a few errors them, and these are held in higher regard than the book you quoted. We are giving you our best information, that's all.

[Mike Kast]

I hear you Randy. Sorry for getting so uppity about it. It sort of freaked me out when I read it since I have a 79. And it got me thinking how many times I have read posts where people said they looked at an SC that had spots of rust on them and the replies being "rust on a galvanized body? Run away!" It seemed to make sense that if they weren't completely galvanized there would be rust. I have read in all the books I have that at some point they became galvanized. This was the first time I read that it was a fazing in. It seems like an odd mistake to make by an author of an 911 authenticity book but I'm sure it's possible.