correct original radio for 911 Carrera 1988

[Diamond911]

Hi guys, I'm curious as to the period correct original radio for my ROW 1987/1988 Commemorative Edition 911 please?

I purchased the car 7 years ago with an aftermarket CD player in place but the PO gave me the "original" radio that came out of the car. What he gave me was a Blaupunkt Becker Grand Prix 612 radio cassette. I would like to confirm that this was the correct radio cassette keeping in mind my car was an Australian delivered ROW car.

I have read some other threads where a CE owner stated that the MY CE brochure lists the Blaupunkt ''Charleston" as the standard equipment am/fm radio and that the "Reno" is listed as the optional unit. This is at odds with my Blaupunkt Becker Grand Prix 612.

My Certificate from Porsche does not shed any light as to which radio it was delivered with.

My 911 is mint condition multiple concours winner and I would like to restore the correct radio.

Your comments appreciated, thankyou.

[NY65912]

Give this a try.

Porsche Radios // www.turbosition.com

[porsche boy]

No photo = car does not exist

[wayne robson]

Hi Diamond 911, thought i would let you know,when i lived in California fifteen years ago
i owned a 1984 Mercedes 300 Diesel , it had a factory Blaupunkt Becker Grand Prix 612
it was correct for that car as i meet other Merc owners with same radio, and i purchased
my car from original owner,for memory it had the words Electronic along the bottom ,
so i think that perhaps your radio may not be correct for your Porsche.--this may help you. regards.

[Vereeken]

Does your CoA from Porsche state M441 ?

It is not always obvious to know what would be correct. It would take well into the 90s before cars where equipped with standard Radio's produced with no brand name on the front.

In Europa the dealer would often install the radio before picking it up.

If you want to be "correct" you need to establish if the radio you have would be available for installation at the time of delivery of your car. And it needs to be Becker/Blaupunkt....anything else would be not right.

[JFK713]

According to my window sticker, my '87 was delivered with a Blaupunkt Reno.

[Vereeken]

OP states a ROW car, most euro countries did not do Window stickers. (we don't do stickers even today ;o)

Surprised to see the Window stickers where already present in 87.

When did this start in the US?

[Diamond911]

As Vereeken picked up, my car is Australian delivered therefore ROW with no window sticker.
The sticker under the front bonnet states the following codes (along with my interpretation):
L697 = Diamond Blue paint colour;
C23 = Australia
243 = Short shift
425 = rear wiper
454 = cruise control
490 = Hi-Fi
498 = Delete rear badge
559 = air cond
650 = sunroof
975 = velour carpet luggage
980 = Raf leather

So it mentions Hi-fi but not which model of radio.
The COA only states "Rear Wiper, Cruise Control, Air Conditioner, Sun Roof" and no mention of the model of the radio.

According to site that NY65912 linked (turbosition) the Blaupunkt Reno was only a US available stereo model. Assuming the turbosition site is correct and excluding the US only models, the Blaupunkt possibilities for 1987/1988 could be:
Boston SQM 23 (M688), Bremen SQR 46 (M328), Ludwigsburg SQM 26 (M686), Toronto SQR 46 (M330) or Berlin IQR 87 (M326).

I can't see how I can tell which one though....

oh and photos are shown in my garage page porsche boy:
Diamond911's Garage :: 1988 Porsche 911 3.2L

[Vereeken]

Ok so you have 490 not 441. So in that case it remains dubious but I would venture a guess on Bremen or Toronto.

The Ludwigsburg is ruled out it comes with its own specific arial.

The Toronto SQR is super rare and found in 944s.

I would venture a guess that the Bremen is the one for you.

[javadog]

According to PET, thoe choices would have been:

Berlin IQR 88
Ludwigsburg SQM 26
Bremen SQR 46
Toronto SQR 46

No idea how to narrow it down from there, except to maybe look for old magazine road tests from that year, or old sales brochures, etc.

JR

[Diamond911]

Thanks guys.

It appears that the Bremen SQR 46 seems to be the same or at least very similar to the Reno SQR 46.

[javadog]

US radios had an FM band that extended to 108 MHz. I think that in Europe, they only used up to 104 MHz. No idea what Australia used but that may be one difference in the radios. Odd or even station frequecy centers may be another difference.

JR

[Vereeken]

I believe that is what IQR vs SQR defines.

SQR is half teh IQR which is the interquartile range. ....

A Euro Radio works in US and the other way around but you can miss certain stations.
But we do not have 1.000 stations on our FM band ;o)

[Diamond911]

I just did a quick check and it appears that the frequency range for FM broadcasting in Australia is 88 – 108MHz.

[Vereeken]

Same in Europe

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by javadog

According to PET, thoe choices would have been:

Berlin IQR 88
Ludwigsburg SQM 26
Bremen SQR 46
Toronto SQR 46

No idea how to narrow it down from there, except to maybe look for old magazine road tests from that year, or old sales brochures, etc.

JR

Hi, the most common radios in North America were:
'86 - Monterey
'87 - Reno
'88 - Toronto.
As previously mentioned, there were four choices of radio's for a '88. A fellow I know in Boston has a '88 with a 'Toronto'

The 1988 'Commemorative Edition' had the same radio as a 1988 Carrera.
The build sheet fort the car shows it being registered in 1988 by Dingle Garages Ltd in Gwynedd..

Standard Equipment on this particular car was:
Celebration Model (with Sport Equipment)
Deletion of model designation
Sunroof
Special Leather Interior
Shortened gear lever
Recoil bumpers
Blaupunkt Toronto stereo radio cassette (now replaced by CD player)

[azhodge]

my 88 had the reno as "optional equipment". why in the world is it important to put an antique radio in your car.

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by azhodge

my 88 had the reno as "optional equipment". why in the world is it important to put an antique radio in your car.

I agree; they are not even a good radio at that 'but' I have left mine in for two reasons.

#1. I have 'Collectors Plates' and my insurance is invalid 'if' there is any thing that is not a stock option installed.

#2. Our car is a very clean, low mileage car that continues to appreciate in value. Hence a stock radio is desired if sold in the future. If I could put a Pioneer 'or' in I would but I would still want the stock radio for resale... Only my 2 cents worth.

[spyerx]

My 89 has a Reno. I think it's a Reno. With the hifi and amp. Anyway it kinda sucks but I keep it because it completes the 80s vibe. Goes with the whale tail. And it does work fine.

[pc100porsche]

The radios fitted in Australian delivered Porsches around that time were not the Blaupunkt units seen in the USA cars ... probably due to different radio frequency increments being utilized in Australia especially on the AM band.
A buddy of mine has an Australian delivered 89 Speedster in Sydney, which came new with an Eurovox radio cassette, with the word PORSCHE on the cassette door.
If you talk to someone who has been around for awhile, at Porsche Australia in Melbourne they may be able to point you in the right direction.