1973 model year question for the experts

[Longballa]

The good news is that there's no wrong or right way to do it. Both the very early 72S's I stripped down were painted inside the smugglers box and one had a black lid and one body color. I like the body color look better and that's what I did on my restoration. You can't buy the gasket anymore so clean it up and don't throw it away. Porsche didn't spray a clear coat in the trunk area if you car is a metallic paint.

Java:
You didn't miss it, I did not post a pic of the bottom of my lid....it's light yellow...body color of the car it came off of

I think we may be able to draw some conclusions:

1. lids were painted both open and closed with body color and it depended if it was Heinz or Fritz that was painting that day.

2. 2 guys painted the body and sometimes, the lids were flipped to the open position or to the closed position 1/2 way through this part of the painting process which accounts for some overspray over the black or vice versa

3. The lids and their rivited hinges were probably initially painted black and installed on the body some time prior to when Heinz and Fritz started spraying away

The reason I started this whole diatribe was...I am restoring my '73S. The original lid on my car went missing when the dealer installed A/C...which is long gone. As such I was trying to figure out how to finish this area in the resto.

I think the answer is to take a closer look at my car and see if it the original lid was painted open or closed by looking at the overspray....follow that as a lead and tell my guy to slam a couple of German beers at lunch and let the paint fly

[Biancaneve]

There was, but Karmann run ended in 1971.

Indeed. What I meant is that you can find two different codes for the place were the paint was applied in 1973 ... (second digit in the paint code): "8" or "9" (e.g. 131-8-2 or 131-9-2). Digit "9" is Porsche factory, digit "8" is somewhere else (old Reutter plant? Werk I? Werk II?). Now, my point is the following: is there any common path depending on the place of application?

M

[911T1971]

Porsche was dipping the bodies in this era, prior to painting them. can't say exactly what processes were used in any given year but it's likely that a dip in a phosphate solution was introduced at some point and e-coating was introduced along the way.
To summarize, I think these things started out black (from pre-paint dipping), got (some) primer paint on them and then possibly also got (some) finish color paint on them.
JR

This video on youtube has been posted before, but for the records worth another look.
The production is 1973.
On 4.44min the 911 has 1973 US DOT bumpers.
On 2.18min the lid appears to be white/body color.
Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVU3Ym8DvCs

0.10min.

1.32

2.18

4.44

[ESully]

I have looked over mine carefully. It was definitely painted in place with the lid closed. Plate is 131' 9' 2, so it was painted at Porsche factory. Compliance sticker is 7/73, production # 1038934. It was a quick and light spray. The paint stops at the gasket line, but the gasket itself is clear of paint. Similar to Cabots photo in post 4. Smugglers box interior has no over spray, just seam sealer over the black. Bottom of cover is standard black.
The last 2 photos in post 2 by Cornpanzer look like someone sprayed later on. I would not think that was original since the black paint that is done over the serial number was over sprayed. The black paint over the serial number would have been applied after the body color was sprayed.

[Dmill]

ESully:

Couple of thoughts:

1. I am pretty sure the doors and hinges were painted black prior to them being installed on the car...I am pretty sure this is the case because there is black paint on the underside of the hinges...ie the part that abudts the car.

2. I think it was up to the individual painter that determined if yhe bottom or top of your lid was painted body color.

3. You can tell if it was painted closed or open by looking at the "shadow" or overspray on the body of the car. If you have overspray / shadow it was painted open and the top of your lid is black.....if it was painted closed, then the bottom of your lid is black and the top is body color

I looked at my 73S (build date 10/72) and it was painted with the door open...ie I have a shadow on the body from the overspray

I guess the bigger question is how do you want to replicate it if you restore a car

1. Try and replicate what the factory did and then have fun explaingning to folks the theories we have put forth here.

2. Paint it the way you want

....I am telling my guy that I want the shadow...in fact I may be able to keep the original shadow...not 100% sure yet...In the world of minutia...I think we have a top 5 with this one......

[Cornpanzer]

Sully, that is a black car to start with, so likely the black highlight on the SN wasnt a concern. I can assure you that this was original paint tho.

Can you share some pics of yours as a data point too? Thanks!

[ESully]

I will try to get some pictures next week. It is obvious from the pictures on this thread that it was definitly up to the painter which way the lid sat, but they were all painted black off the car, then over sprayed after being installed. I can say that my lid was closed, there is a shadow on the hasp that keeps the lid closed where the lid obviously rested on it. Similar to this one. I will say that Klaus was generous with the paint when he did my car. The coverage is more thorough in the trunk than these other pictures, though still light and quick.
Cornpanzer, the only reason I questioned the paint on your car is due to the fact it is the only one that does not have the vin covered in black, as javadog has.
I guess the moral of the story is, just don't paint it too nicely and it will look original.

[Cornpanzer]

Good catch Sully (and thanks for the photos). That is an interesting detail isnt it?
While the black car image is not my car, I still contend that it is original paint simply because I cant imagine that during a resto or repaint that they would have mimicked the original "door open" method of painting. Besides, I know the person who had the car.

[Flieger]

In the world of minutia...I think we have a top 5 with this one......

Most definately!

[Harvey Weidman]

Finally a photo of the inside of the lid. The inside of my lid has a even and thin coat of silver (or maybe primer) with no clear much like the surrounding area. The seal went in after painting. The black mark on the lid is from the old A/C motor foam stablizer.
Maybe the solid colors covered more. But as you said I'm sure it was up to the individual painter.
H