Correct Replacement Soft Top Color--1987 Cab?

arcom · 06:54 AM

I'm looking at what is so far a very nice 1987 Cabriolet in diamond blue metallic (L697) with burgundy interior (LX). The boot cover closely matches the interior (more brown the burgundy) but the top, which is reported to be a factory replacement some years ago, is black. My question is did the car come from the factory with a black top or a top more like the boot cover's color? Is there a code somewhere that would indicate which top color the car was built with?

I've narrowed my search down to two cars and am trying to sort out all the little things. PPI on this one will be Friday via Franz Blaum.

Thanks very much!

ETA: I just found this car was bumped up today from an original for sale post dating back to 10/2015: 1987 911 G50 Cab, rare colors and options

javadog · 01-06-2016, 07:11 AM

Ask the dealer for the paint color code. F6 V5 would indicate it came with a burgundy top, F6 V9 would indicate it came with a black top. If that's the original cover, as claimed, my guess is that the previous owner changed the top color when the top was replaced, as they should have matched from the factory. While you're at it, verify that it's the correct factory top.

JR

arcom · 07:47 AM

Thanks javadog.

At this point, all I have is the paint no. (L697) and interior no. (LX) from the options label on the bonnet. I have a good photo of it and so far have been able to decipher the 15 listed options and the paint no. (L697) but not the interior no. (LX) plus I'm not sure about a lot of the other numbers.
ps--I won't physically see the car until Friday during the PPI.

javadog · 01-06-2016, 08:29 AM

LX is Burgundy partial leather. Ask the dealer to look at the paint code sticker and see what it says.

JR

arcom · 01-06-2016, 08:41 AM

Thanks again. Sent an email requesting a picture of the paint code sticker.

javadog · 01-06-2016, 09:39 AM

Thinking on this some more, the paint code sticker probably won't help. It will probably just say 697, the code for diamond blue metallic.

What we need is the order code for the color. Porsche is inconsistent in its option stickers over the years. Sometimes they give you the color code, sometimes the order code, sometime a mix of both.

To break down the numbers the " 6" in the type 640 you see is the body type for a cab. A coupe would have been 3, a targa 4. Paint color order codes were 4 digits, two for the bottom of the car, two for the top. In a coupe, the colors were the same so you would see something like F6 F6 (F6 being the color code for that color.) Targas would have been F6 V9, the V9 indicating a black top, which was typical of all targas. Cabs had a choice of 4 or 5 different top colors, so there was V5, V6, V8, V9, etc.

That sticker has the paint color code and the interior order code.

At least you know that it was delivered from the factory with a tonneau cover (option 070.)

My money is on the possibility the top was replaced with an aftermarket top that might not have been available in an exact match to the factory color.

JR

arcom · 01-06-2016, 09:59 AM

At least you know that it was delivered from the factory with a tonneau cover (option 070.)
except the tonneau is no longer with the car. :-[
My money is on the possibility the top was replaced with an aftermarket top that might not have been available in an exact match to the factory color.
I tend to agree.

Would a COA have all the build info?

You've been a great help!

javadog · 01-06-2016, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcom

except the tonneau is no longer with the car.

Would a COA have all the build info?

What I am calling the tonneau cover is what they are calling the boot cover on their web site and it's pictured on the car, so I assume it is still with the car. In any event, it's burgundy.

I've never bought a COA for a cab, so I don't know how it will list the color for a cab.

You might give the VIN to a Porsche dealer parts department and see what information it pulls up.

JR

arcom · 01-06-2016, 10:39 AM

Called a Porsche dealer in Raleigh and was they couldn't do it over the phone. There's a couple more but they're all like 100 miles away.
Here's a pic of the paint sticker:

BE911SC · 01-06-2016, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by javadog

What I am calling the tonneau cover is what they are calling the boot cover on their web site and it's pictured on the car, so I assume it is still with the car. In any event, it's burgundy.

I've never bought a COA for a cab, so I don't know how it will list the color for a cab.

You might give the VIN to a Porsche dealer parts department and see what information it pulls up.

JR

Two covers often come with Cabs. One to cover only the folded-down top and allows rear jump-seat use and the other "tonneau" cover that covers the front seats as well and snaps onto the dash at front with a zipper up the middle. Used when parking top down. The front seats need to be reclined to use the full tonneau cover.

BE911SC · 01-06-2016, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcom

At least you know that it was delivered from the factory with a tonneau cover (option 070.)
except the tonneau is no longer with the car. :-[
My money is on the possibility the top was replaced with an aftermarket top that might not have been available in an exact match to the factory color.
I tend to agree.

Would a COA have all the build info?

You've been a great help!

My '84 Cab's COA does not mention top color, only exterior color and interior color. My COA does not mention the tonneau cover. Should it?

javadog · 01-06-2016, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcom

Would a COA have all the build info?

I looked up a few COA's and they don't seem to list the top color. All I see are references to the optional tonneau cover and "tonneau cover in same color as top."

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcom

Here's a pic of the paint sticker:

As feared, it just has half of the color order code, F5, for the painted parts. I have F6 for Diamnond Blue, which must be an error in my documentation. I think F5 is the right one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BE911SC

Two covers often come with Cabs. One to cover only the folded-down top and allows rear jump-seat use and the other "tonneau" cover that covers the front seats as well and snaps onto the dash at front with a zipper up the middle. Used when parking top down. The front seats need to be reclined to use the full tonneau cover.

Yeah, I'm not as famiiar with cabs as I am with coupes and targas. A friend has 3 covers for his; the basic cover for the top when retracted, a tonneau cover like you describe, plus another one that is similar to the full cover but differs in some detail that I can't remember. Did the basic cover for the retracted top come with all cabs in that year for free? Was the 070 optional tonneau cover the full one?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BE911SC

My '84 Cab's COA does not mention top color, only exterior color and interior color. My COA does not mention the tonneau cover. Should it?

I'm not the expert on cabs but I'm guessing your COA won't show it if it wasn't ordered with the car.

I'm starting to think the only way to figure this out is to call a parts guy, tell him you want price and availability on a new top and give him the VIN to see if he can sort it out. If you tell him the top has been replaced once, so you don't know the original color, maybe that would motivate him to do it over the phone. Maybe buying a burgundy top would be an option for you, if you'd rather the car be original. I like that top color better on that car and you could always sell the black one to recoup some of your money.

JR

arcom · 01-06-2016, 11:24 AM

Thanks everybody.

Bones to chew.

javadog · 01-06-2016, 11:49 AM

Ahh, it gets worse...

I called a dealer I know and had him run the VIN. The full color order code comes up as F5 V5, which is Diamond Blue metallic with a Burgundy top. About what I expected...

Then he says under that, it lists the color description as "Diamond Blue metallic with a Black top. Crapola...

V9 is black, always has been.... not V5.

At this point I'm 99% sure that it came with a Burgundy top. But not 100%... as there is an error in the system somewhere. Maybe the dealer has a copy of the window sticker in the documentation, or maybe the original owner's name is in there somewhere and he can be tracked down. I'm sure he'd know, if nothing else.

FWIW, I don't think an original top is available from Porsche for that car in that color.

JR

arcom · 01-06-2016, 12:20 PM

Thank you for all the time you put into this. I believe the seller has receipts for a new top installation in 2003. I, too, would prefer it in burgundy but an internet search could find no one that has it in that color... which may be why the replacement is black The closest color I could find is a dark brown,

Bargaining chips.

javadog · 12:25 PM

You try GAAH? I think they have a burgundy top.

You might also inquire with Lakewell in Belgium. They don't show burgundy as a color option but I know they can supply materials not listed on their site and I think they buy cabrio top material from the original supplier to Porsche.

JR

megerian · megerian's Garage

GAAH has Maroon, which may be the same as burgundy.

Also, the boot cover was generally included. This may be called a tonneau cover, but its not. This cover is used when the top is open, and you want to snap it over the retracted top while you drive. It also came with a square vinyl case.

The actual tonneau cover, which would be used to cover the entire car when the top is open, is (as far as I know) NOT generally included with the new car.

My 88 cabrio has the boot cover and the square vinyl carrying case for the boot cover, but does not have a tonneau cover.

megerian · megerian's Garage

Boot cover

Tonneau cover

arcom · 01-06-2016, 03:47 PM

According to a somewhat nearby Porsche dealership, boots came with cabriolets but tonneau covers were an option (code 070). GAAH has a maroon top for $800 + shipping compared to a black Sonnderkind (sp?) for around $400-$500 available from a couple places.

Here's a pic of the car with the black top in the up position:

famoroso · 01-06-2016, 04:38 PM

What Magerian said.

In Porsche Parlance, the "covering boot" covers just the soft-top in it's folded / stowed position. All cabrios came with the covering boot (it was not an optional item). In fact, the owner's manual counsels the driver not to operate the vehicle with the top down without the "covering boot" installed. In my experience, these usually are with the vehicle when purchased pre-owned. Mine didn't come with the storage bag though. Furthermore, I have no idea how best to fold said covering boot for storage!

In Porsche Parlance, as mentioned above, the optional "tonneau cover", (option 070), covers the entire interior, when the top is down, via the same male Tenax fasteners in the rear, as used by the "covering boot," as well as the male Tenax fasteners along the tops of the doors, and finally atop the dash via the male Tenax fasteners located there (which originally came with plastic, acorn shaped covers). In my experience the Tonneau Cover gets misplaced / forgotten by a previous owner (bulky to store combined with infrequent use probably means there are a lot of orphan tonneau covers in garages and basements out there). Shame too. It was an $871 option in 1988.