FS: Porsche Dealer sign from the 80s

[jknapp]

More pictures added

[NorthernThrux]

Benco Industries started operation in 1983. Dealership apparently closed in 1980. Doesn't compute.
Benco only obtained the license to the backlit sign patent in November 1979.
The signs are generally standard sizes. Easy enough to find an old junk frame and put a new plastic piece in. It could still be a genuine plastic sign, but the frame isn't original.
Benco eventually became Cummings (still a sign manufacturer) and is a EPA Superfund Site due to toxic waste.

[NorthernThrux]

Do ALL factory signs have this information?

I don't know. I do have a few vintage plastic back-lit signs (Bosch, Michelin, Esso, Shell) for decorating my garage when I redo it someday and every one of them has the sign manufacturer's info on the plastic. But whether that is a universal feature, I have no idea.
For example, the company on the sign I showed earlier (A Porsche Authorized Service sign) is still around and had Porsche as a client. https://www.dualite.com

Any authorized sign would have a R in a circle next to the Porsche logo to indicate registered trademark (bottom right of shield). All my signs have it, but again, not sure if that is universal.

cKo4FbgeRUKgo4bMxVNvSw.jpg

[jknapp]

@NorthernThrux Correct! I just noticed in my own picture that the sign was manufactured March of 1985. So obviously the Porsche dealer in Bernardsville closed sometime after that. I’ll do some more research. I wasn’t there. Must have been at a Flock of Seagulls concert, or maybe Stone Temple Pilots if it was the 90’s. Thanks for the correction.

[nvr2mny]

I don't know. I do have a few vintage plastic back-lit signs (Bosch, Michelin, Esso, Shell) for decorating my garage when I redo it someday and every one of them has the sign manufacturer's info on the plastic. But whether that is a universal feature, I have no idea.
For example, the company on the sign I showed earlier (A Porsche Authorized Service sign) is still around and had Porsche as a client. https://www.dualite.com
Any authorized sign would have a R in a circle next to the Porsche logo to indicate registered trademark (bottom right of shield). All my signs have it, but again, not sure if that is universal.

cKo4FbgeRUKgo4bMxVNvSw.jpg

NOT to hijack this thread, but....

Nice sign NT! Love to see your ‘others’!

[911MRP]

There can be geographic differences. For example before eighties there was a VW-Porsche joint sales company in some regions / countries during part of period of longhood ( earlier than 80s decade thread title admittedly) That arrangement covered 911 sales not just 914. Period signage in dealership at the time reflected that joint venture. Below I’ve posted a picture of such a VW-Porsche sign displayed on the window frontage of the dealership that sold my 73 911 new in October 1972. The (first) image was taken of the window sign in 1972 and sent to me as an original snap to keep with paperwork by the now retired dealer principal who sold the car I own when it new.

B6AFB073-24CC-4A1E-B6D4-454DABDDFC19.jpeg
Also my large genuine original VW-Porsche banner in the Porsche maroon and white dating from that era
85C499EC-2809-47AF-BF9A-FF8B4BB23113.jpeg

Basic equipment lists published by sole importer in U.K. specified the signage type, size, mounting, wording etc to dealers within their network; this was in 72 so long before the current corporate template.

This VW-Porsche signage would’ve been retired and replaced when the JV was dissolved which was well before 80s however such stuff is date appropriate signage for some long hoods particularly those purchased in relevant regions and during the VW-Porsche JV era.

Now having sidetracked but bumped thread ... Fast forward to the eighties FS item ....

Steve

[jknapp]

In 1987, Bernardsville Porsche-Audi split to become Bernardsville Audi, hence the Porsche sign had to go

[NorthernThrux]

VW_Porsche marketing/branding split occured in late '72 in North America. By 1973, the dealer listing handbook was Porsche or Porsche-Audi only in all the major centres, but still a few VW-Porsche or import dealers ones in smaller places for a bit longer I believe.

If the Porsche-Audi Bernardsville ceased being a Porsche dealer in 1987, then it is consistent with the markings on this sign that is FS. The seller originally said in an earlier post that the dealership closed in 1980, which was not consistent with the markings.

In 1981, the Porsche-Audi dealer in Bernardsville, NJ was L&W Porsche-Audi Inc on Morristown road. The same address as Audi of Bernardsville (that has recently moved). So that dealer was a Porsche Audi dealer in 1981. Did those Porsche-Audi dealers have separate branding signs (i.e. for Porsche and Audi) and just share showroom space? Cute building, but wasn't a big dealership by any means. https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/65-M...e-NJ/15418686/

History of the dealership. http://www.bernardsvilleboro.org/_Co...d-B125-L13.pdf

In recent decades, the property has been used almost exclusively as an automobile dealership. This automobile oriented use is consistent with evolving land-use patterns in Bernardsville and Somerset County during this era.
The first identified record that established the property as an auto dealership are minutes from the Bernardsville Board of Adjustment’s meeting on January 20, 1970. These minutes indicate that the property had previously been operated by a dealer and service agent for Pontiac autos, but would be transitioning to a new tenant that would be selling Porsche and Audi vehicles. A letter from the President of L&W Porsche-Audi to a Borough representative in reference to an application for a sign permit, establishes the continuation of this use continued throughout the 1970s.

The next identifiable record indicating property use was a Certificate of Continued Occupancy dated October 11, 1994, with the contractor listed as “Somerset Hills Audi” dated October 11, 1994. A note on this document establishes the prior and proposed use— “Zoning OK- no change in use.” On October 23, 1995, the Borough issued another Certificate of Continued Occupancy noting that the property use was transitioning “from Audi dealer to another Audi dealer.” This document corresponds closely to the start of a lease agreement provided by the Borough between Susan C. Gardner and Audi of Bernardsville, Inc. which ran from October 15, 1995 through October 14th, 2015.


The dealer was called Gardner Porsche prior to 1970 and I'm guessing the Susan Gardner referred to above was the owner's daughter. Long and twisted legal mess. https://www.autonews.com/article/199...out-libel-suit https://caselaw.findlaw.com/nj-super...n/1347363.html

Anyway, the building is now condemned, having been empty since 2015 when it was briefly an antiques dealer. So that sign hung outside or inside once upon a time apparently. I'm just surprised so many of these are coming up for sale and that they are all in pristine condition. All the lighted signs I have are less than perfect and they all have crazed plastic as you would expect of 30-60 year old plastic.

[911MRP]

Straying from eighties so maybe this post belongs elsewhere than this fs thread ....but it does give it another bump.

The 50:50 equal shares arrangement to jointly promote all Porsche and VW-Porsche cars sometimes referred to shorthand as as VG ran from April 1969 to January 1st 1974. Don’t know about North America.

I don't know. I do have a few vintage plastic back-lit signs (Bosch, Michelin, Esso, Shell) for decorating my garage when I redo it someday and every one of them has the sign manufacturer's info on the plastic. But whether that is a universal feature, I have no idea.
For example, the company on the sign I showed earlier (A Porsche Authorized Service sign) is still around and had Porsche as a client. https://www.dualite.com

Any authorized sign would have a R in a circle next to the Porsche logo to indicate registered trademark (bottom right of shield). All my signs have it, but again, not sure if that is universal.

cKo4FbgeRUKgo4bMxVNvSw.jpg

I don’t know for sure either but to me seems unlikely at that stage it would be universal ( my bold on quote ) for Porsch business across its international network; seems more logical that signs got made regionally and as discussed elsewhere e.g. in threads about crests on literature even core brand things like that not yet tightly controlled — so hard to generalise I’d say.



Steve

[jknapp]

Thanks for the research. Interesting