Carrera book comments and questions

[jacques]

Thanks Gerry and MD
The impression I get is that it was a marketing rather than an identification of the engine. since as built they should be identified as 547/0 vs 547/1GT but then it would detract from the 550 marketing.
j

[Carrera GT]

Michael - the Carrera book lists my Speedster (#83780) as "lighten chassis". After seeing the book info, Jim Newton noticed from a picture I have of the cars first race, that there were no side spears nor trim under the doors BUT there were no holes either. Jim suspects the car came that way from the factory as a lighten chassis element as the first owner probably didn't have time to do body work before the first race.

Also, as Gerry stated about going gaga, I was such an owner when I found the original engine block, called a GT, and later confirmed by Gerry. The motor is in the car now.

Jerry

Hi Jerry,

Your September 1957 Carrera GT Speedster - 83 780 - is for sure a lightweight chassis "Gran Tourismo" model - and originally fit with GT motor number 90 896.

On the early-first "all steel bodied" Carrera GT models, the hand written Reutter Book build codes, a first line item would state - using your GT as example: "Erl. Car." an abbreviation in German meaning "Erleichtern Carrosserie" - translated meaning "Lightened Chassis".

The observations mentioned by you and your friend - with the early very first race picture - back up this fact with the car not meant to have lower rocker deco strips, nor fender side spears. Bumpers would be fit with aluminum strip decos only - many times simply just removed for a race. Also, your no. 608 Silver Carrera GT Speedster came with no thick undercoating (black semi-gloss paint only) with full front to rear Reutter no. 367 crushed Black Vinyl floor covering (no carpet) - all part of the "lightweight" GT model. And seat shell inserts were trimmed in no. 704 Beige Corduroy...quite common with the GT models.

Congrat's on locating and fitting the original GT motor to your car - a gaga moment - like this new Carrera Book that Steve Heinrichs and Rolf Springer produced with Porsche Archive/Museum...not an easy thing to do!

Michael Doyle

[a57356]

Thanks!

Jerry

[gerrymc547]

Steve:
With regard to page 221 discribing the Solex PII-4 as used on the 547 and 547/1 engines, this is incorrect.
All 547, and 547/1 engines up to about P90780 used PII carbs, the so-called "4 bolt" unit. There are 2 still earlier versions of the PII, found on first 6 prototype engines. Thus, the "4 bolt" could be called the "PII-3". The "PII-1" and "PII-2 carbs can be recognized by the 4 cover-retaining bolts that screw upward, with the threads in the cover, not the body. -1 uses a cork float, -2 a brass float. The bodies are also a different shape. They are terrible carburetors! Thus the 1954 LeMans engines used Weber DCM carbs. Also note that certain "friends of Porsche" were able to buy Weber 40 DCM carbs for their 550, not the best Weber ever made, but better than the PII.

[Type550]

Steve,

You have 550-0077 listed as Silver with Blue interior and was featured at the 1956 Brussels Auto show.

Here is the Spyder which was on the stand.

[Steve Heinrichs]

We'll look into it of course but this may not be the 1956 show pic. Check production dates---no white cars in this time frame and records indicate 0077 was show car.

Steve Heinrichs
www.biglakemedia.com

[Steve Heinrichs]

re 24232

Gerry see also page 274 and motor pages toward back. I think we have it correct although without some additional detail you provide...which is cool stuff.

Where is the text wrong?

Steve Heinrichs
www.biglakemedia.com

[alan hall]

Steve,
Regarding carburetors, Gerry is correct. Regarding page 274 the type 547 motors were equipped with Solex 40PII carburetors. The type 547-1 motors through early 1957 were also equipped with 40PII carbs and after early 1957 were equipped with Solex 40PII-4 carbs. As Gerry said these are substantially different carbs.

Page 275 is correct as far as it goes, but has no data on the earlier 40PII carbs. It might also clarify the table to indicate that the first column of data for the 547-1 40PII-4 carburetors is for a GS motor and the second column of data for 547-1 40PII-4 is for a GT motor.

Also on page 275, listing of "mischrohr" translates as "carburetor throat". I don't know if the German term is correct but we typically call this item the "emmulsion tube" in English.

Alan

[Steve Heinrichs]

Gerry/Alan,

I do not disagree. We could have added more detail and will consider should there be a second edition. I appreciate the input very much.

Steve Heinrichs
www.biglakemedia.com

[alan hall]

Steve, In terms of the errata sheet, you can be correct if you change, on page 274, the "40PII-4" under the 547 motors to "40PII". Agreed the other details could wait. Similarly on page 221 change "...used the Solex 40 PII-4 double.." to "...used the Solex 40 PII and later the 40 PII-4 double...."

Another thing to note is that on page 221 the Solex diagram is for a diecast 40PII-4 which was never used on 4-cam motors. The version of 40PII-4 used on 4-cam motors was the sandcast version which is quite different in terms of the exploded drawing.
Alan

[Steve Heinrichs]

Great suggestion, Alan.

We'll do this.

Steve Heinrichs
www.biglakemedia.com

[alan hall]

Steve, I know some of this stuff seems pretty minor, but in a work this significant and monumental it seems important to get as much correct as possible to avoid confusion in the future. I want to thank you again for undertaking this effort!
Alan

[Steve Heinrichs]

Alan,

As you know I'm sure, I take all of this stuff seriously and do not consider the items minor. The trick is finding the proper balance in terms of the errata sheet and thoughts for a second edition, if ever.

There are many long stories related to the book---in the motor area and everywhere else. We wanted this to be as comprehensive as possible but more detail always is better, I think.

I'm hopeful that as we go through the issues of what is noted as incorrect, that we'll also be able to fill in some blanks. Some primarily 550s and 718s do not have color info and about 200 of the 7,900 race, etc. entries are not identified as to specific chassis numbers---I hope many of these can finally be found.

Serious thanks to you, Gerry, Jacques, Andrew and others for the comments.

Steve Heinrichs
www.biglakemedia.com

[jacques]

Hi Alan
the die cast 40 Solexs were used on the 587/1 i am not sure of what was used on the 692/2 the 44(692/3a) on the next page were die cast also. as you know there are 2 versions of the sand cast one the 4 hole and the predecessor to the die cast which used the 5 hole.
j

[alan hall]

Jacques,
I think you are correct that the diecast 40's were used on the 587/1. The 44PII-4 carbs were all diecast and I believe were used on the 692/3A and the 587/2. As far as the 692/2 motors, my notes indicate they used the sandcast 40PII-4 carbs but that could be incorrect. What did the early 904 motors (587/3) use...I show some using 44PII-4 carbs but I have no information on jetting?
Alan