Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Yellow dot Jack question

  1. #1

    Yellow dot Jack question

    Hello,

    I have a yellow-dot Bilstein jack in my 02/72-built car. My research (and feedback from a few people) suggests that they came in for a short time from early 72 to sometime in 73. The yellow dot is the one featured in the 1973 owner's manual, but there are a lot of different views on those jacks.
    I am sure there are experts here who can help.
    Thank you


    Name:  jack 1.jpg
Views: 197
Size:  131.3 KBName:  jack 2.jpg
Views: 202
Size:  171.7 KBName:  jack 1.jpg
Views: 202
Size:  50.1 KBName:  jack 2.jpg
Views: 195
Size:  55.9 KBName:  jack3.jpg
Views: 193
Size:  72.9 KB

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,024
    It is temping to opine a 2/72 car should have had the earlier lever type jack. And I suspect doubt will be cast regarding yellow up down being incorrect for any 911.

    BUT The one thing we know for sure the jack with up and down lighter ( yellow?) dot certainly appeared in the 911 TES drivers and book photo for model year 73. This is another photo form the drivers owners book 73 which shows the kink shape of the handle to give clearance for knuckles and the peg is of folded design with distinctive curved marks
    Name:  IMG_2008.jpeg
Views: 191
Size:  46.0 KB
    Clearly folded metal not (cast peg) with a curved indentation feature.
    There may even be a lip around the top corresponding to the reddish band yours but the handbook black & white shot makes it hard to be sure

    The picture you show is as in my 72 dated model 73 drivers book and I’ve seen same pictures in other later editions and across country markets for model year 73 handbooks too. While Porsche literature sometimes frugally recycled pictures from prior years thats not the case in this photo as the model 72 publication show the previous very different design jack. So clearly picture was done for model year 73. With lead time to produce print and distribute the publications the photographs would have been taken during calendar 72. Probably professional stages as it has annotations overlaid. What we can deduce from tbe image is that Porsche had made a decision that for the model TES of 73 they would be using a screw type jack. Cheaper / fewer parts ? Economies of scale to use same jack for 914 and 911?

    Perhas some will argue that the green (not yellow dot as shown) are the only correct screw jack for 911 hue I’m not sure what the evidence is for that other than not very common? . I’ve heard it said the yellow is only for 914. However the 911 part number is prefix 914. This photo is from the my 9/72 edition parts binder for 1972 1973 — original hard copy paper with dates in supplements.
    Name:  IMG_0270.jpg
Views: 179
Size:  33.9 KB
    I don’t have the 914 equivalent proper paper parts book but suspect it is exactly the same part number — maybe someone here who has the 914 equivalent will post it? (PET 914 shows the 914 and 911 as having same part but is frankly not too helpful on authenticity matters way the succession is lost and the format of infomation). I suspect your yellow dot jack is marked VW on silver cap and might be a tad shorter than some green dot versions.

    As context on the relevant 72/73 period there was a 50:50 VG sales and marketing joint venture between VW-Porsche through which 911 ( and 914) were sold in many markets around the world. Some things were shared e.g. original paperwork’s for my 72 built 73 RS is branded VW-Porsche in many of its authentic original papers. USA had P+A and with some links to VW of America’s but that wasn’t exactly the same setup and literature over there often has different branding.

    Obviously I don’t (and wouldn’t claim ) know for a fact your jack is correct original and it seems early to have it. The yellow with up/down seems lot less common than the green dot. The green dot in various evolving forms was used from around 1973 through until the eighties so examples we see claiming to be original for 73 some are incorrect — can be seen in details like handle shape, the foot, latter stickers and the cast ( not folded) peg. Parhase part of reason the pattern of jacks is muddied five decades — mathematically a relative small percent of green dot would be ones that actually came with a model 73 car — also being loose accessory and differ south chain approach harder to link tk a car than things bolted to it.

    It would be difficult for anyone to say for sure yours not correct original to a car delivered to customer on latter part of calendar 1972 and early calendar 73. Heck some people believe the cast peg verson is correct for pre impact cars which I double unless (perhaps a few got used late preimpact cars when revised versions for the G model cars was starting to arrive in inventory.


    In summary I’d say even though 2/72 seems early for screw type and unclear green vs yellow … why change if jack came to you in that car. Logically whatever orphan jack you’d source to replace it would certainly a replacement not original for that car! The yellow may or may not be it original. Even if for one conforms to (some) opinions of what patterns generally expect to see. I am sure there will be opinions on ESR but realistically don’t think anyone could actually know for sure it didn’t come with a 911 around then particularly if for some reason the logistics or other reason car was handed to buyer (second part) of calendar 72 and vagaries of theVW-Porsche sales and marketing network management of accessories .


    Steve
    Last edited by 911MRP; 01-17-2025 at 09:40 PM.

  3. #3
    Thank you,

    Based on this parts catalogue, the 911 and 914 share the jacks at least until 74. This is very interesting, even if we will never find out the correct answer. I'll keep it in the car, it's neither right nor wrong, so I can live with it, and it is rarer than those multitudes of green dots!


    Name:  parts2.jpg
Views: 180
Size:  108.7 KB

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,024
    Thanks for PET image. Seeing the “proper” hard maroon spare parts binder page for the 914 ideally with the page supplement edition and date (rather than PET) would be of interest. I expect somone here has the relevant paper page?

    I suspect it will be the same 914 prefix part a 914.721.011.10 For 911 and 914 but as explained perviously PET, while handy to have online for quick check, isn’t always ideal for checking period authenticity matters. Occasionally the maroon ring binders with loose paper have anomalies — a few errors exist but likely due to lead time to produce such extensive documents ans update the old school way. I have a few different paper ones for 911 with different supplement. Helps build picture if how parts evolved when comparing the supplement edoaron sared packs. See bottom small print. My later edition of parts binder has the same 914 part as 9/72

    I recently was told by an esteemed member here that they have a yellow jack in an 911 around that era 72. We have ldoacissed things. Some detail ( sad but that’s how we roll) maybe they will chip in. I suspect for whatever reason some 911 got the yellow with up down and kinked handle but as said don’t know that for a documented fact and certainly not as common as the green used in various forms for next decade or two. I’m pretty certain the green dots we see in pre impact bumper cars aren’t always the correct original for the car because — very evidently when looked some in claines are later ones. Cars oeg, stickers with late car, etc etc. Being a loose accessory its harder to get actual evidence s someting integral to a car but rather like tools there are empirical “patterns” that’s emerge or woukd of it was looked into with the same zeal and quantity of posts as the monster tool refence thread. The way those things toolkits jacks etc were distributed and how goe put in specific cars at new means that will always be some randomness. With toolkits there are photos occasionally in magazine road tests but the handbooks (with the usual caveats of how representative image are of final production and rhe frugal reuse of older images nktwitsandong ) seem to be one of the few places would have been photographed in period. That’s why it’s neat the photo is clear enough to see the lighter colour and the up down script. While there is no doubt green dot �� became the accepted one i don’t recall seeing a picture of a 911 with a green dot in a reliable period 1973 source. So this handbook photo that I’ve zoomed cropped with the lighter ( yellow) up down wording as well as the lip shown with 911 ( not 914) that corresponds to the red band are pertinent
    Name:  IMG_0726.jpg
Views: 176
Size:  76.4 KB
    Name:  IMG_2008.jpeg
Views: 171
Size:  46.0 KB
    Plus the part number 914.721.011.10 in the 72/72 spare parts ring binder 9/72 being this
    Name:  IMG_2009.jpeg
Views: 168
Size:  37.8 KB

    Taken together and some examples being found in some 911 around make it difficult to say never used in 911 even if not so common and even if only is a certain short period apparently on calendar 72.

    Be interesting to see if beyond the drivers book images can and spare parts page there are other pictures of 911 jacks in photos taken in 1972/1973 from verifiably when car was new ideally factory sources. I personally wouldn’t put much credence in what loose accessory is found in the luggage compartment 50 years on but have little doubt the green dot (with kinked lollipop handle) is the variant most appropriate for 911. I certainly wouldn’t rule out the distinctive yellow dot verson l being put in some 911 at some point in 72 when the screw type superseded the lever type vacate they existed were normally in sock I. vw-Porsche dealer and if anyone cared to looks the jack were shown pretty clearly ain the driver owner books. Maintenance books for each car had a perforated tear out “postcard” with address that was meant to be signed and retuned showing the first customer had received the “loose” accessories, it lists toolkit, jack etc specifically. I have the one from my cars papers as it was never filled-in and returned.

    Steve
    Last edited by 911MRP; 01-18-2025 at 07:56 AM.

  5. #5
    Thank you for this very thorough information! I also know of 1 other person with the yellow dot red crest jack in their 72, and whilst there is no way of knowing for sure, I think it is important to keep it in the conversation (particularly considering it is actually the only one featured in the owner's manual). I would have expected that more Porsche owners would be interested in knowing more considering most of us are quite detail focused!

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,024
    I have come across a few reports of yellow dot jack thought possibly original in 911. As said impossible to know for sure.

    Curious to know which country was your car with the yellow dot jack first delivered at new? Is 2/72 the factory build completion month or date car first registered and handed to customer — jacks toolkits and the like were typically put in xar at dealership soon before handover to first customer. It is said the practice was to have loose accessory items such as tool kits ( and perhaps jack's) shipped separate to the car itself to minimise theft of loose of accessories by light-fingered workers at the ports etc.

    So could be some while before some cars got sold in slow times and some had long delivery logistics to far flung parts of world. Gap before got jack and other factors bring variability to what used. There would be one jack per car (roughly) so volumes are probably easy to figure. The spare parts books give a rough indication of when the part number changed albeit with lead time for production is hard cio binders and dated supplements making it dad frm exact . Within the part numbers the design changes. Sometimes big change liver to screw bit others quite small ways shake of handles, pegs etc


    Although those ones I’ve heard reports of were said to have been in calendar 72 or very early calendar 73 delivered 911. So perhaps there was a small time window where some supplied before the commonly seen green dot similar ones swamped any pattern due to being being used in various forms for nearly two decades.

    It is generally accepted the 2,7 Carrera G series had a bright blue jack for a short while when there were reportedly supply issues with green dot so what’s the chance those yellow dot — the exact type we know weee around in 72 from being shown in model 73 handbook that began to be printed in middle of 72 – being supplied in some 911 for whatever reason? Likely not in used in great numbers as not send much compared to the ubiquitous similar green dot ones but since they clearly existed it seems unlikely it was zero? Especially when it was the same 914 jack part being sold through the VW-Porsche alliance network. The deletion general manager who sold my RS when launched on 72 kindly sent me photo of him on the forcourt outside that UK dealership it taken in 972 — the signage in background is clearly VW-Porsche.

    The evolution of the various jacks used in 911 over the years has come up occasionally as discussion topic on this forum but my sense is jacks have never attracted the same level of interest or analysis as other topics … vitally important things such as size of font or presence milled ends on toolkit wrenches are much more interesting to post about therefore perhaps better understood?

    Steve
    Last edited by 911MRP; 01-19-2025 at 06:44 AM.

  7. #7
    Yes, it's surprising to me that the milling on the spanner is such a big topic of conversation! I've seen many tool kits with unmilled ends. Are they all replacements?

    My car was built in February but delivered in April 72. Unfortunately, the dealership has long been closed, so information is scarce since the new privacy laws were introduced.

    I'm curious how scarce those jacks are and whether that's one of the reasons no one seems to care, even if it clearly is the one featured in the manual.

    I appreciate your expertise on this, and as we talked about, let me know about your 72 kit!

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,024
    I don’t know where JM66AU’s car was first sold but would be interesting to know where it was first sold to have a Yellow dot jack. In my experience the green dot are the commonly seen authentic the 73 model jack but can’t rule our some 911 cars didn’t get yellow dot with the distinctive up/down marking like shown in the handbooks. While Porsche handbooks aren’t always representative of final production perhaps some were put in cars in calendar 72 which the parts book tells us is when the 914.721.011.10 was superseding the prior lever type jack used to that point

  9. #9
    It is a UK car Steve, seems to be that only cars with them are UK cars so far...interesting.
    Clyde Boyer





    1973 2.4E Coupe RHD Aussie 5 speed
    1973 2.4E Coupe RHD Aussie 5 speed my first ever 911 (1995)







    Early S Registry Member #294
    First Aussie R Gruppe Member #366
    TYP 901 Register Inc #6

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Message Board Disclaimer and Terms of Use
This is a public forum. Messages posted here can be viewed by the public. The Early 911S Registry is not responsible for messages posted in its online forums, and any message will express the views of the author and not the Early 911S Registry. Use of online forums shall constitute the agreement of the user not to post anything of religious or political content, false and defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise to violate the law and the further agreement of the user to be solely responsible for and hold the Early 911S Registry harmless in the event of any claim based on their message. Any viewer who finds a message objectionable should contact us immediately by email. The Early 911S Registry has the ability to remove objectionable messages and we will make every effort to do so, within a reasonable time frame, if we determine that removal is necessary.