What are the differences between LWB and SWB models?

[Deankat]

Also are all 912's SWB?
Cheers

[msort81]

No I think 68 or 67 was the year it changed. The 912 was still available in 1969

[chris_seven]

B Programme cars were the first LWB cars and are 1969 Model Year.

The 912 was available as a B Programme car and hence late cars are LWB.

There is also the 1976 912E which was an I Programme car and was one year only - also LWB.

Apart from the obvious Wheelbase change the 1969 cars had the same basic hull but different front and rear fenders and turn signal lamps.

There are many detailed suspension control arm and front strut differences as well.

[pors1968]

Chris-seven describe well 65-68 swb 69 and 1976E LWB .

[Evans, Marv]

I guess this is a decent place to ask this question again. Is there a difference between SWB & LWB front fenders. The reason I ask is I had fenders to replace the rusted ones on my '69. When the driver side fender was bolted up, the rear of the wheel arch bowed out. It seemed the inside fender support that bolted up vertically to the body beneath the A pillar was too far back and caused the rear of the fender arch to bow outward. I had another fender that fit right which I had put on the car. Don't mean to slightly hijack this thread, but I've asked this a couple of times and read it asked a couple of times by others without any answers. The only thing I could think of was maybe the one I originally had installed was for a SWB car. And yes, the '69 912s were LWB like the 911s.

[chris_seven]

The fenders are different but should interchange if they are not damaged and out of shape.

There are several small differences.

The turn signal boxes and horn grille mountings differ between SWB and LWB and don't interchange. Very early SWB fenders had 4 hole Horn Grilles and later SWB cars had a 2 hole mounting both are different in size to the LWB part.

The fender flare is much more pronounced on the LWB fender compared to the SWB fender.

They should, however, interchange on a bodyshell as long as there has been no pervious damage.

Very early SWB Fenders were, however, fitted to individual bodyshells on the early production line (some imagination is needed to qualify this term).

Fenders were often significantly re-shaped by cutting and welding and then lead loading to suit a specific body as jigging was not always good in the early days.

The Fenders treated in this way were stamped in the headlamp bowl with the last 3 digits of the chassis number so they could be re-fitted to the correct shell after paint.

I would not be surprised that a fender from this generation of panel could be a dreadful fit on any bodyshell that it had not been modified to suit as it is possible that the A post was fitted poorly on early production bodies. It was easier to adjust the fender than the shell.

Early Doors, bonnets and engine lids were all treated in a similar manner and they can all be a pain to fit to another body.

By the start of the B Programme things were much better and panel fit had improved greatly but still nothing like modern standards and even new panels from Porsche Classic will need work.

[RSS]

Originally Posted by chris_seven

Fenders were often significantly re-shaped by cutting and welding and then lead loading to suit a specific body as jigging was not always good in the early days.

The Fenders treated in this way were stamped in the headlamp bowl with the last 3 digits of the chassis number so they could be re-fitted to the correct shell after paint.

Chris, interesting point you are making so let me see if I understand what your saying. I am restoring my 66' 911 right now and have stripped the paint off the original front fenders and headlight buckets. To my dismay, the 3 digits of the chassis are not stamped into the headlight buckets. I know these are the original fenders and headlight buckets. The last 3 digits are stamped into the doors but not the HB. Is this because my front fenders were not re-shaped to fit my car specifically?
Thanks.

[djdsc]

Remember that the '68 front fender is a one-year-only with very distinct differences from all the other long hood years. Well documented with a search. From '65-73 there are 4 distinct front fenders.

[RSS]

I believe the only difference with the 68' is that the fender lip is cut away for the larger wheels/tires.

[Tschlag09]

Originally Posted by chris_seven

The fender flare is much more pronounced on the LWB fender compared to the SWB fender.

They should, however, interchange on a bodyshell as long as there has been no pervious damage.

This may be a stupid question as I'm assuming it won't work, but will 1969 911 quarter panels fit on a 1966 912? I'm really wanting that more pronounced rear flare on my 912. Thanks in advance.

[djpateman]

Since you will have to cut and weld your rear quarters, you can choose any flare you want back there; SC, ST, RS, RSR