What year is this car

Gus Berges · 12-19-2003, 06:00 AM

Its the first pic I have of myself with a 911 (I am the kid!). This was taken on Feb. 1979. I know its a pre 74, but nothing else. Any of the experts here can help me? I notice the rear quarter glass opens and there seems to be an antenna on the driver side fender. I know the tail is an add on... Any guesses?

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

Only thing I can make out of it is that it's pre 72 since it has the round sideview mirror. I can't even be sure it's a longwheelbase car.

MarkP · 12-19-2003, 07:32 AM

Looks interesting - who's car was it?

rear wing is an update and it looks like either the rear fenders were rolled out or this was an RS prototype.

Guessing here - I think it's a long wheel base with early trim which would put it in the 69-71 range.

Gus Berges · 12-19-2003, 07:41 AM

The car used to belong to a local Dominican race car driver by the name of Luis Manuel Mendez. He was often confused with Luis Rafael Mendez, an ex IMSA GTO champion that used to race RSRs. The picture was taken by my father as he used to be the organizer of the races down in the Dominican Republic.

I seriously doubt it was a RS prototype. Perhaps the fenders were rolled out instead. The tail reminds me of a Euro Carrera or the early Turbo tail. Can´t make it from the pic and is the only one I have.

rpiper · 12-19-2003, 07:43 AM

Looks like a 68 to me- short wheelbase anyways (I think I can see the torsion bar cover).

12-19-2003, 07:52 AM

pwd72s · 12-19-2003, 09:25 AM

The round mirror leads me away from a short wheelbase car...I'm guessing '69 - '71...wish I could see the door handle. The paint scheme also follows late 60's, early 70's...

trj911 · trj911's Garage

Is that Ernie from "My Three Sons"?

901/05 · 901/05's Garage

I look at swb cars alot. That one is not a swb, with the fixed side vent window and 4.5" durant mirror...it's a 69 - 71 car.

You guys are good.

Shawn.

don911 · don911's Garage

I'm no help. My only comment is that the side window does not look fixed and looks open in the pix.

rpiper · 12-19-2003, 11:12 AM

Ahhh- the fixed side vent window. I didn't notice that! So 69-71 then.

Jack Olsen · 12-19-2003, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by don911
I'm no help. My only comment is that the side window does not look fixed and looks open in the pix.

Not the rear quarter side window, the vent windows on the leading edge of the door.

The rear lens looks like it might have the chrome edge, which would make it a 72, right? But all the race mods probably means many of the parts were swapped in out of convenience, rather than correctness.

Nice picture.

limble · 12-19-2003, 03:17 PM

With the rear quarter and the vent windows if they are native to the car 69-71. My 70 also has the same mirror. Your clothes match the color scheme of the car.
Any thoughts on the trim under the door? It doesn't look to be "S" trim.
But the bumper drim does.

The head rests look to be about 69-70 also.

Kevin G. · 12-19-2003, 03:51 PM

That looks like one of the world champion decals in the right wing window - does that help anyone?

Typical Fish · Typical Fish's Garage

Diggin' the paint job...

901/05 · 901/05's Garage

S trim on the bumpers, and only standard side deco under the doors. (or door) The S deco may have been removed to provide easier access to the rear torsions, but replacing with the standard trim seems odd. Cool though. (they look funny without)

I thought that was an R Gruppe decal in the rear quarter glass.

Gus, why are you frowning?

Shawn.

Gus Berges · 12-19-2003, 09:46 PM

Hi guys, thanks for taking the time to help me out. I am trying to see if I can bring some nostalgia back and see if I can track this car down, or duplicate it (duplicating a RSR like the one my hero back then, Luis Manuel Mendez, would be into the hundreds of thousands!).

Umm about the frowning. heck, I was not even 7 years old! By the way, I have been hooked on Porsche ever since. I am 31 now. My M Coupe is for sale (not aggresively) to change it for a Mark I 911 GT3. Again, thanks for the replies. Looking forward to see if anybody can see something that can nail down the year and model of the car.

Those are 15" Fuchs, correct? What width? and that tail, any guesses as to which it is. Recall this was back in Feb. 1979.

901/05 · 901/05's Garage

it appears that you really wish to find the production year of that car. Well, I hope to help.

I33t9eek is correct about the pre 72 durant side mirrors. However, those mirrors were still allowed outside of the US after 72. Something about US requirements for larger mirror surface area demanded the new square ones for import. Just an item of note.

Assuming that the front 6JX15 fuchs are original to the car, the wheel finish indicates that they are not early deep wheels, but rather, the later shallow 6's. These changed mid production in 1971.

Soooo, with the help of the porsche sepia brown paint representative (Tim) , and the early wheel (and everything porsche really) guru Jim Schrager...I'm going with a 1971 911 coupe.

Betting before the river card. Shawn.

Aussie · Aussie's Garage

I would say its a 1971 or 72 (because of the weltmeister decal which were on some 71 and 72 cars), and the rear turn signal trim is silver.

It's missing the "S" side strip, so its likely a T or E, more chance a T, as they were favoured rally cars, as the "E"s had soft front suspension.

The photo was taken after 1979 as there is a series 1 Mazda RX-7 in the photo.

Aussie · Aussie's Garage

Yes but chrome turn signal + decal means it must be 71-72

About 27 celcius, humid in Melbourne Australia