Anyone heard of Woodhead Shocks?

[autobonrun]

Started pulling the rear shocks on my 79SC and discovered they are blue with a W on them. The following numbers are on the shocks:

LP52-8LD
911-333-501-51

I traced the part number to an English company named Woodhead Manufacturing. Anyone had any experience with this shock? Did Porsche use them as an OEM supplier or is this an aftermarket installation? The "911..." number looks like a Porsche part number. Porsche is listed in the "Product Application" link at the bottom of their web page.

http://www.wmc.co.uk/products-menu.htm

[ScotMcLean]

I believe I saw on a previous thread the Woodhead shocks were installed on 912E's as a standard practice, lower cost that Koni. etc. Perhaps search the 911 & 912 boards - I'm sure it was on Pelican.

Scott, 69 & 76 912/E

[osidak]

My 1978 Euro SC Targa has blue shocks as well. I haven't cleaned them off enough to find any markings but I find this interesting. If they are woodhead what can they be replaced with? Do I need to repalce the entire strut or can I drop a Bilstein/Koni right into place?

Osidak
78 911sc Targa
South East Region Area Commander (hey no one else has claimed it)
SCWDP

[silver912e]

Yes, the PET CD lists the manufacturer of the 912E shocks as Woodhead. I checked the 79SC on PET, and it shows only Bilstein & Boge.

[Nickshu]

Yeah, Woodhead is big with the Land Rover and off-roading guys
nowdays. Not sure if they make any car shocks anymore.

Nick.

[John Brandt]

Woodhead's an old timey OEM for the British sportscars. They are pretty good shocks but not necessarily the top choice.
They were Stock on many E-types

[autobonrun]

Originally posted by osidak
My 1978 Euro SC Targa has blue shocks as well. I haven't cleaned them off enough to find any markings but I find this interesting. If they are woodhead what can they be replaced with? Do I need to repalce the entire strut or can I drop a Bilstein/Koni right into place?

Osidak
78 911sc Targa
South East Region Area Commander (hey no one else has claimed it)
SCWDP

My car only has these blue shocks on the rear. I have black Boges on the front. Pretty much any shock will replace the rear. I'm going with Bilstein sport. If you have Woodhead shocks and struts on the front, I don't know which inserts will fit.

[osidak]

To be honest I haven't check the fronts as the engine is still out of my car and the way the car is sitting in the garage makes it hard to jack the front of the up.

I will have to check on that though. The blue rears where really throwing me off.

Osidak
78 911sc Targa
South East Region Area Commander (hey no one else has claimed it)
SCWDP

[safe]

I have found blue shocks on my -77 targa, so I dug up this old thread.

The shocks are all covered in dirt. Where can I expect to find some kind of markings on them? Can I see it without removing them from the car?

[Jeff Alton]

I believe Woodhead is the British version of a Boge.

Jeff

[autobonrun]

It's been a while but I believe the information was on the bottom tube. You will need to clean them well to see it. On mine, there was just a "W" with the model numbers. I believe it was on the lower tube, but you may have to lift the car so more of the bottom tube is exposed. These were only on the rear.

My fronts were Black Boge's. Now I've got Bilstein Sports on all four corners.

[Oldporsche]

I have two pretty new woodhead's that I took off the back of the '75 targa. I read somewhere that they were original equipment on some '74s to 78'. I don't know for sure. I bought a new '77 targa in 1977 and it had woodheads on the rear.

I know for sure that the woodheads that I took off the 75 would not compress as far as the replacement Koni's that I used. I would say that if you are going to use woodheads, don't do it on a lowered car. I read somewhere that Bruce Anderson said that they were made under contract to Boge.

If someone needs some next to new ones, I have them. This would be for a concours type car etc.

David Duffield

[rzepko6194]

I replaced all four Woodhead shocks on a 912E I owned in the early 80's with Koni adjustables. No problems with fit. I imagine you should have no problem fitting these to your 911.

[safe]

Yes, I found the "W" marking in the bottom tube.
I also found the number 911 333 051 52. According to the PET its the standard for the 911 and 911s from 77.

They will probably be gone sometime in the winter in favor for Bilstien sports and 26mm t-bars.