Round stalk turn signal switch

[911GP]

Hello,
When I bought my late 73 car it had a round stalk turn signal switch. My restorer asked me to source a folded steel stalk version believing the round stalk was a replacement. I have seen a couple of very original 73 cars with a round stalks and am wondering if the round stalk version was original to my car. If so, when were the round stalk version introduced at the factory?

Thanks
Gitesh

[NorthernThrux]

Round is G-body onwards. If you see a round one, it was a replacement for a switch that went bad at some point along the way. Both sides should be the stamped steel handles.

Ravi

[edmayo]

both my original 68 and 72 are folded,,,fyi

[911GP]

Thanks for replying guys. I agree on the earlier cars having the folded steel arm but I have seen many late 73 cars with the round arm and too many to believe they all had replacements. It would seem that the last F series cars had the round arm as the factory transitioned to the G body. Here are some low mileage examples of 73 cars with the round arm:

post 3 on here: https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...l-Miles-189-5k

post 11 on this RS number 1201 from April 1973 build: https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...3-RS-471/page2

Gitesh

[edmayo]

Then your round arm is correct. Leave it.

[911GP]

I think so, Ed. I have done some more investigating and pretty sure it is right. Hard to tell when the round stalk was introduced but seems like Q1 ‘73.
Kind regards,
Gitesh

[NorthernThrux]

I find it very hard to believe Porsche would make the left hand stalk round and keep the stamped one on the right side as both those links you posted show.
I think its more likely that the turn signal one wears out faster than the wiper stalk, and so those are the ones that got replaced more frequently. Of course the mystery is why that ultra low mileage 1973.5 T car has round on one side and square on the other since nothing should have worn out. So who knows?

Ravi

[Simonjjb]

The stalks on my early 1973 are both folded

[911GP]

Hi Simon- yes, I have seen mostly folded ones on early 73. The round arm seems to be more common later in mid 73 cars. I guess they just picked what they had on the shelf so either would be used until the folded type ran out.

Hi Ravi- all the later 73 original cars I have seen with the round arm for turn signal have the folded steel arm for the wiper stalk. Also, my round arm has stamping ending 72, which may be the manufacturing date stamp. Both turn signal and wiper were manufactured by SWF so not really “Porsche” manufactured.