How Many of the Early Cars Are Accounted For?

[beh911]

I know there are a few historians and VIN buffs on the site, so please reply or point me to existing research. You know, strut your stuff .

I've also seen the Porsche PR machine stating percentages around 70% of overall production cars are still on the road. I would imagine that average goes up as the production numbers climbed in modern times compared to the 60s and early 70s. We of course have the Registry records from this forum and others.

Well, it's an interesting question. When you look at the Red Book production numbers, you have the baselines for each year. When you add totaled via accident, horrific rusting on the non galvanized years, and the ravages of time, one wonders how many made it to the present.

For example, take 1969. There were roughly 2100 S cars made (across Coupe and Targa), 2700 E's, and 4100 T's. That's around 9000 cars.

Anyone want to take some educated or opinionated guesses on how many are still with us?

[72targa]

For starters...

http://kenik.com/901_info.aspx

The more I look, the rarer these cars become...

And I'm not buying the "70% still on the road" claim...

[beh911]

I agree. I think the real numbers on these early cars is a small fraction of total production. Modern Porsches come off the assembly line(s) at a much faster clip, appealing to a much broader customer base. The numbers are higher, which skews the 'still runnin' claim to the higher as time goes on. But for the actual % I would like to see their sources (obviously).

For 69 (still using my example), the S Registry lists ~200 cars that include T, E, and S. Here's an extrapolation.

That's less than 2% of total production for that year. If you add in the non-dues payers for this wonderful site (shame on them ), let's add another 2%. So we're up to 400 cars, or 4.5% of that model year. Maybe Chuck or someone else has the real numbers of users vs. members (insert plug for paying your dues, Chuck),

Could we argue 50% are gone to the tinworm? 30% to collision beyond salvaging (standards for this have changed recently due to these car's desirability)? So we are down to 20% 'out there'? So that's 1800 cars worldwide, across T,E,S for 69. How does that sound? High? low?

Sounds high to me. Help me adjust it

[beh911]

http://kenik.com/901_info.aspx

Very cool site, btw!

[72targa]

Other reference points...

http://www.911t.org/gallery/pictures.htm
http://www.911e.org/registry.php

It's still a mish mash of info...hopefully to be consolidated one day...

[beh911]

I sent an email to fctruem at verizon dot net with my car info, as I was told when I joined here that he was the keeper for the group. I did not hear back from him. I guess I'll see in the next member's directory published next year...

To your point, Raj, it would be nice to see a running list somewhere on the site, similar to the E Registry and that 914/6 site you shared. People could opt out of sharing particular details for privacy reasons if so inclined. I imagine davep has a nice little database going with all these numbers...

[ajwans]

I get an email once a year with the full registry list from Fred Trueman.
If you're not getting yours you should email him. New members also
receive the list upon joining AFAIK.

andy

[boxster03]

I never received one from Fred. Love to see it posted here.

[72targa]

By all means, contact Fred. I get one every year like clockwork.

It should not be posted currently as no one has ever "opted in" to have all of their info published.

Maybe, in future, some variation could be made public with the proper "opt in" process.

[ajwans]

As far as I'm concerned it's a members only thing. Please DO NOT post it here.

andy