Correct Radio knobs

[NeunElf]

You should also note that--particularly for cars delivered to the USA--a car could leave the factory "radio ready" with a radio to be installed by the dealer. Sometimes there were through Porsche's parts system and had Porsche knobs (or at least had Porsche knobs)--sometimes they had generic or even VW knobs.

Here are photos from a Blaupunkt Brochure (maybe printed July 1067).

Blaupunkt New Yorker in in a 1967[?] 911. Note the radio knobs look like Porsche knobs.

Also note that it's a US band radio (FM goes to 108 MHz) in a European car (250 kph speedometer).

From the same brochure, here's a Frankfurt with generic knobs and bezel.

An interesting case of this was Janis Joplin's 356C. Normally, knobs on 356 radios matched the other 356 knobs, but Janis' car had a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt with generic knobs.

Photo from RM Sotheby's

That might be a 911 cigar lighter, too.

[Jim Morris]

We continue to cite the year of the car the radio is in, rather than the series of the radio in the car, and that continues the confusion. In thread #9 Pergan shows hard plastic knobs and indicates Vintageblau claims these are correct for 1968. Earlier, Mike Fitton shows flat soft rubber knobs arguing they are correct for 1968. Who is right and who is wrong? I tried to argue earlier (unsuccessfully apparently) that a definitive answer can only be had using the Series number of the radio. If the radio in question is a Series Y (mid 67 - early/mid 68) then the hard plastic knobs shown in #9 are correct and would be seen in 1967 & 1968 cars in these ranges (depending on dealer installed vulgarities I mentioned above) If the radio is a series Z, then the soft rubber flat knobs claimed to be correct for 1968 cars by Mike Fitton would be correct starting mid to later 1968. The hard plastic knobs shown in #9 are very rare. If someone has some I'd like to buy them.

[911MRP]

I've got a lot of material on radios from a retired technician in Germany so posted a fair bit of material on radios in the past but can't recall if this was included

It is internal technical material from Bosch Blaupunkt setting out the components that would be added to the base radio unit to configure to the relevant Porsche dash. As the OEM supplier hopefully this reference to their factory part number for use by their network informs when correctness is important

I realise the small parts are not always numbered nor labeled old stock packets but sharing it as reference for those interested in factoids about this era.

This is the Bosch Blaupunkt supplier perspective on what in their range at that time would be condidered appropriate for the Porsche range not necessarily what the factory ordered and received through supply chain and fitted on the line -- aerial maybe case in point.

In aftermarket Base radio units i.e. plain vanilla were separate from the other knob, surrounds, suppression etc components. I've various sets bnib and they don't contain the marque bits and bobs. These are in separate box with separate number and instruction a marque and model specific. The price list back in day show the relevant unit ( Frankfurt, Koln etc ) and separately list a price the add on kits and suppression kits and speakers as additional items Each box was a group of components to tailor the plain Jane unit. What I've pictured on sheet is factual in documenting Blaupunkt OEM suppliers components that would comprise the things required as ancillary for installation and other cosmetic like surround/ knobs to match Porsche dash design - things they could supply to fit on Porsche of period.

Not sure about practices on line back in the day regarding assembling radios and all required ancillaries. Suspect very different to things today that I'm far more familiar with.
In aftermarket the radio, installation kit, suppression kit and speakers were different boxed sets of components with different numbers. In the uk for instance I'm told there was a preferred auto electrician who fitted the radio aerial etc if one not already factory fitted. When I got my 73 car 25 years ago he helped sort out a minor gremlin and iirc correctly by then was self employed chap who lived around he corner of the U.K. importer location. In retrospect should've asked him a few questions.

Probably this all explains variation e.g. in the position of antenna on fender/wings I've seen here in uk. Pretty sure beyond importer each dealership here would've had their equivalent contractor or technician and just ordered in the unit snd the boxed ancillary components as required. Some owners might have used an aftermarket company unrelated to Porsche themselves.

Certainly plenty scope for variation and provided no jarring anachronisms on radio vs car or even worse people being missold expensive parts that could never have been possible in car -- a close enough for government work approach for old radios probably makes sense.



Steve

[NeunElf]

We continue to cite the year of the car the radio is in, rather than the series of the radio in the car, and that continues the confusion. In thread #9 Pergan shows hard plastic knobs and indicates Vintageblau claims these are correct for 1968. Earlier, Mike Fitton shows flat soft rubber knobs arguing they are correct for 1968. Who is right and who is wrong? I tried to argue earlier (unsuccessfully apparently) that a definitive answer can only be had using the Series number of the radio. If the radio in question is a Series Y (mid 67 - early/mid 68) then the hard plastic knobs shown in #9 are correct and would be seen in 1967 & 1968 cars in these ranges (depending on dealer installed vulgarities I mentioned above) If the radio is a series Z, then the soft rubber flat knobs claimed to be correct for 1968 cars by Mike Fitton would be correct starting mid to later 1968. The hard plastic knobs shown in #9 are very rare. If someone has some I'd like to buy them.

It's a good point, but I don't think the radio year necessarily controlled the knobs.

First of all, the radio year probably aligned pretty well with the car model year. 1968 Model Year Porsche 911s & 912s were built in calendar years 1967 & 1968. "Y" code Blaupunkt radios were built in calendar years 1967 & 1968.

Second, radios intended for Porsches had Porsche knobs--not generic Blaupunkt knobs. When the folks at the Porsche factory started putting 1968 knobs on all the cars' switches after the 1967 summer break they probably put 1968 knobs on the radios.

If a dealer installed a radio in a model year 1968 Porsche, the dealer probably had access to 1968 Porsche radio knobs.

There were surely cases where it didn't all go to plan. If somebody has a '68 Porsche and the Kardex or CofA saying it was shipped radio ready, and it has an "X" code (1966/1967) or "Y" code radio (1967/1968) radio with older knobs, there's a really good chance those are the original knobs in that car.

[mfitton]

We continue to cite the year of the car the radio is in, rather than the series of the radio in the car, and that continues the confusion. In thread #9 Pergan shows hard plastic knobs and indicates Vintageblau claims these are correct for 1968. Earlier, Mike Fitton shows flat soft rubber knobs arguing they are correct for 1968. Who is right and who is wrong? I tried to argue earlier (unsuccessfully apparently) that a definitive answer can only be had using the Series number of the radio. If the radio in question is a Series Y (mid 67 - early/mid 68) then the hard plastic knobs shown in #9 are correct and would be seen in 1967 & 1968 cars in these ranges (depending on dealer installed vulgarities I mentioned above) If the radio is a series Z, then the soft rubber flat knobs claimed to be correct for 1968 cars by Mike Fitton would be correct starting mid to later 1968. The hard plastic knobs shown in #9 are very rare. If someone has some I'd like to buy them.

+1. 1968 was a transition year for radios, could be Y or Z from factory. Who knows what dealer installed. Here is a '67 radio with the knobs in post #9.

[mfitton]

Post #9 could be knobs for '68 Becker radio also.

[rcnagel]

Trying to revive this old thread. After reading it a couple of times, I'm still not sure what is correct?

I'm restoring 10-12 Frankfurts model V, X, Y & Z. I've reproduced the knobs #1 and #2 in plastic with the brass insert and slotted set screw.

I may have #1 and #2 reversed. I also may have the rubber knobs on #3 and #4 reversed.

Maybe 65' used the black 356 knob and no chrome knob under?

[swcarroll]

Trying to revive this old thread. After reading it a couple of times, I'm still not sure what is correct?

I'm restoring 10-12 Frankfurts model V, X, Y & Z. I've reproduced the knobs #1 and #2 in plastic with the brass insert and slotted set screw.

I may have #1 and #2 reversed. I also may have the rubber knobs on #3 and #4 reversed.

Maybe 65' used the black 356 knob and no chrome knob under?

Reproducing those knobs must be a labor of love. Kudos to you for approaching this detail with careful attention.

I'm not sure about the '65-'66 knobs but I think you've got the rubber portion of the '68-'69 knobs reversed. Since '68 was the first year of the rubber knobs, I believe they used a diameter closer to the earlier years. When they increased the rubber diameter in '69, the tab on the tone control would have given better access to it.

I have a bunch of old Blaupunkts in my shop but many are missing knobs, or the knobs may have been swapped at some point. I'll see if there are any clues there.