1960 T5 Color and Quantity Question

[Casey J]

I recently purchased a 60 356 coupe and have ha trouble getting an answer on my color code. I ordered the COA, spoke to a few different Porsche resto shops and many forums. My door tag says 609.
Also trying to see if it is possible to see how many of special order car were done, for instance, how many 60's we done with my color/accessory combo? I was also told my car was a euro model, not sure how to tell.

This is my first 356 so im totally new to this.
Any advise?

[356JAGER]

Here are the standard colors for 60 61. Sure it's not 608 with just a weak stamping of the 8 ? You might also look under the dash and inside the doors for the original paint to see if 608 Silver Metallic is correct. Perhaps Heinz had one to many beers for lunch and picked up the 9 stamp instead of the 8. As to Euro model, you'll not have the rear reflectors above the bumper and the engine will have the Euro heating system. Your gauges will also be in metric and KM. As to number of certain color combinations, there is no compilation of that data, only percentages of colors used during certain years. First 6 mos. of 1960, 23% of cars were Silver Metallic, the highest percentage during that period. By the first ten mos. of 62 it had dropped to 5th place and 9 % of cars.
Cheers,
Joel

[Casey J]

Here it is.

[Casey J]

My reflectors are on the bottom and my speedo is in mph. What is different about a euro heater.

[356JAGER]

Top image is Euro heater boxes, bottom US. Your car is a US model from all indications so far.

[Jack Staggs]

I think that "euro" heaters began in '63.

[356JAGER]

Jack,
Thanks for the clarification. I had thought all B and later cars produced for the home market included that system.
Cheers,
Joel

[bbspdstr]

The stamped number sure looks like "609." As models morphed from T-2 A to T-5 B, colors and their numbers were occasionally, ah, "strange".... but if I was really curious, I'd remove the rivets and look underneath that plaque.

If it's silver, it could be as Joel said; a stamping mistake. If it's another color, get back on here and it can be, in corp-speak, "revisited."

Jack is mostly correct about heater systems. What Porsche called the "New heater" was out with the T-6 B in later '62. It was nick-named the "Euro" heating system, but only for the northern or colder countries. Heavier and fairly rare, they were more efficient.

Good luck with your 356 and enjoy this great site as a source of learning and entertainment!

Bruce Baker

[Casey J]

Thank you for the response. Since the plate and rivets are all in good condition, I really don't want to remove them as it may bring up questions of original plate down the road. When we disassemble the car for restoration I plan to look at all if the panels as they are removed. If this car is like most I have seen with repaints from this era, it was not completely dismantled and should still be wearing original paint in places.

[Jbrooks]

I had a similar problem, it might a special paint color. If you look under the dash or behind something like the deck lid hinge that has not been taken apart you can find the original factory color.

If someone ordered a different than standard color, the factory would paint it, and assign a paint code to the non standard color. All my books seem to end in 08 so 09 could be a one off special color. I dont don't think its a stamp error.


GLASURIT only shows three Porsche codes ending with 09
PORSCHE ADRIABLAU 509 1950-1953


PORSCHE SCHWARZ 6609 1964-1964


PORSCHE TERRAKOTTA 5409 1954-1955

look here for the colors, and they are about $250.00 a liter for the original single stage, 22 color line. But it does match the original color 99% I just did part of my 912, matched well but spendy
http://coloronline.glasurit.com/index.php?

[bbspdstr]

"Since the plate and rivets are all in good condition, I really don't want to remove them as it may bring up questions of original plate down the road."

I understand, but disagree.... as I do the plaque removal regularly due to the jamb hinge cover being re-painted and either obviously masked or just painted over. In any case, even if the "original" color is to be redone, the plaque removal is part of a good restoration....or lack of is the sign of a rookie one.

Yes, a car is "only original once"...but you mention an impending restoration......jus' sayin.' BTW, typically, the hinge covers were stamped on their 'back' side bottom with the last digits of the chassis number.

Rivets are readily available and if the original color is to be verified, that area of paint is the most protected and unaffected by UV light and therefore the most credible match. No leaching of tar or rubber carbon, not just "overspray" but a very good rendition of the original color on that 356 with no guessing, no theories.

If done well, the careful removal and reattachment of that plaque can be unintelligible and please believe me, anyone who knows these cars knows the appearance difference between original and repro plaques....and Harbor Freight and German die set fonts....

But hey, it's your car, your choice and your question of what that code means.
"Just trying to help".....

-Bruce
BTW, I would be willing to share my technique for plaque R&I if there is a question of how that's done.