Availability/Price Check for early lenses

[JPP]

Hi all,
I'm restoring a '65 sunroof 912 which shares many parts with their 6 cylinder syblings. My original taillight lenses are weathered and cracked and I've been offered a pair of N.O.S. correct lenses for the project but they are expensive at $350/each. Is this a reasonable price for these? I know there are 'copies' out there, but I suspect they would not pass muster under scrutiny ..

Thanks in advance. I've gotten many questions answered here just from hanging around and I appreciate all the great knowledge you folks share.

JP

[edmayo]

J P, as I'm sure you're aware, the early cars did not originally have separate lenses, when you needed a lens back then you got to buy the whole light housing assembly (they used to be all of $60, outrageous!) so what are you being offered for $350? The whole housing, then yes, being as rare as they are that may be what the market is.

[JPP]

J P, as I'm sure you're aware, the early cars did not originally have separate lenses, when you needed a lens back then you got to buy the whole light housing assembly (they used to be all of $60, outrageous!) so what are you being offered for $350? The whole housing, then yes, being as rare as they are that may be what the market is.

Thanks Ed,
Yes, sorry I wasn't clear. These are the entire housing assembly, N.O.S. in the factory boxes with the ruby colored, semi-translucent lenses attached. Since posting here, I've been told that used lens assemblies in good driver condition when you can find them are $200 and evidently a set was offered here recently for $1000 so these are looking better and I've decided to go forward. The car will be shown so it's important, here's the car just after paint and heading for assembly in it's original Dolphin Grey livery.

[MarkS]

Car looking good. That's a heck of a good price, I would be all over those like a wet suit.

[JPP]

Car looking good. That's a heck of a good price, I would be all over those like a wet suit.

Thanks, that's good to hear. Knowledge is power, eh?

[Soterik]

Who is doing your restoration in Seattle? Looks like it's coming along very nicely....

cheers,
Eric

[JPP]

Who is doing your restoration in Seattle? Looks like it's coming along very nicely....

cheers,
Eric

Hi Eric, p.m. sent.

[edmayo]

Very nice looking project, will you keep us up to date with reassembly pictures I hope! At first glance the white dash threw me, then realized its a three gauge car. That's becoming real rare.

[67softieS]

I use to pay $250 each side 20 years ago for NOS.

$350 sounds pretty good nowadays.

[JPP]

Very nice looking project, will you keep us up to date with reassembly pictures I hope! At first glance the white dash threw me, then realized its a three gauge car. That's becoming real rare.

Actually, the dash is Dolphin Grey body color, the exposure settings of some of these pictures was a little washed out. I'll certainly post progress shots as she comes together since there is interest. The car is actually pretty interesting as a piece of Porsche history of the transition from 356 to 901 as this was a fairly early production car, Ruetter Chassis number 350442 built 07/22/1965 and is numbers matching on every panel and engine/902/1 5 speed transmission as delivered.
CoA states options as Sunroof, Ventilated Chrome Wheels, Antenna, Loudspeaker, RF Suppression Material, Dunlop Tires and Interior is 356 material Black Leatherette w/Mouse Grey Corduroy Inserts/(B/C). The seats are the late C type and many knobs and bits are leftovers from the 356 line and of course the engine is the early 912 which is really an SC motor with european heat exchangers. According to the second owner, the car was one of the 'loaded' showroom cars Porsche built to introduce the 912 to the public and a U.S. serviceman stationed in Germany bought the car through Ogner P/A in Woodland Hills, CA before it was shipped, and picked it up in Germany. Still has the Ogner plate rings front and rear from when he returned to the states after service. My friend and I found the car just in time and decided it had to be saved. Third owner had painted it 'Pearlescent White' in the '80's (remember the Gruppe B car?) but just the exterior panels, all the jams, dash etc. were still original paint and everything in the interior was original, untouched and in very good condition. When we stripped the body, it was fairly pristine, just a couple of bumps with small bits of filler done before the white re-spray so we were really lucky all of the PO's had garaged the car and it had spent most of it's life in CA.

I use to pay $250 each side 20 years ago for NOS.

$350 sounds pretty good nowadays.

Thanks, its always a struggle to keep on budget with a project like this, but it's sounding more and more like this is a decent deal.