Radio face plate discussion

[StephenAcworth]

Mathieu, I read the thread but there was nothing definitive in it - and, as many people on this forum know, many cars came from the factory with radios installed as per their Kardex and as per the options in the accessory catalogue.

And the 912BBS thread is populated, as this, by people with their own opinions - there is nothing definitive in it.

So that's why I questioned its relevance to this conversation.

Enoz05 claims there were NO radios installed and, when asked for his proof, just posted this link to the 912BBS rather than addressing either the question posed to him, or the numerous Kardex documents stating that cars were shipped with radios.

It would be useful to our understanding of the subject to see actual evidence from Enoz05 to support his claim ...

Stephen

That threads states that radios were USUALLY installed at the dealer - but a number of cars ordered with it, came with the radios installed at the factory as the Kardex states their serial numbers. Was the radio in a box to be installed by the dealer, your guess is as good as mine, but it definitely came from the factory.

[enoz05]

No radios were ever installed from the factory. So no face plates either. This was always done at the dealership at the request of the customer

Maybe I'm wrong.....but someone on the 911sregistry once mentioned that no radio was installed from the factory. Hopefully I'll find out who mentioned this

[911MRP]

Along with the Kardex the most compelling hard evidence that the factory fit radio brand, type is on the Fahzeuz-auftrag — where radio was selected as option.

This paper packet was contemporary with physical build. One sheet from the fahzeug-aufrag multi-copy “packet” was actually attached to the chassis as they were being built:



We can see in (example below) where the workers on the line ticked-off items when task was completed — equipment with serial numbers such as motor, transmission (and pertinently where selected as factory option) radios had their serial number written on the form as the installation was completed.



Evidence in black and white that the factory fitted radios when option was selected and this was recorded during the build — not just generic radio brand and type but worker captured its serial number. The Kardex has a role in warranty so also picked up the radio serial number. Kardex probably followed the fahzeug-auftrag which was “frozen” once hold completed — information could be added to a Kardex that is chronologically after the build was finalised but not so with the fahzeug-auftrag ( which was essentially the production order)

If a radio option was not selected by customer (ie no option put on the order) of course in cars at this price point radio likley would get dealer fitted as part of pre-delivery preparation and of course a customer could subsequently have a radio fitted to 911 in the wider aftermarket.

However the radio brand, model and the serial model in such scenario would not appear in the fahzeug-auftag in the way as they did for factory fitted option — handwritten during physical build! Especially unlikely in the paper-based ways of working used in that era!

Delivery transport mode varied by region. Regarding America a market served by sea, this is my rare P+A of New Jersey general managers (stamped) list for model 1973 , note it references the port of entry .


It is widely reported that from mid sixties for next decade or so the were issues with the integrity of supply chains, fur example:
“The Mafia sought to infiltrate labor unions like the ILA, which represented longshoremen, to gain control over waterfront activities and access to valuable goods”

That threads states that radios were USUALLY installed at the dealer - but a number of cars ordered with it, came with the radios installed at the factory as the Kardex states their serial numbers. Was the radio in a box to be installed by the dealer, your guess is as good as mine, but it definitely came from the factory.

Under such light-fingered circumstances highly-improbable Porsche’s operating procedure when it was a factory option was to put an expensive brand new (serialised) Blaupunkt radio in a box (ie without the radio being installed bolted / wired-up in factory ) into car that was being shipped especially and hope that the same serialised radio that they’d already recorded by hand on fahzeug-auftrag at build no less would still be in the car by time reached dealer to be installed. Moreover other factory options eg 440, 441 existed that specified partial equipment like antenna and speaker at factory to more pragmatically cover deferred head unit install at a dealer or by customer aftermarket.

Students of Porsche 911 know which particular Blaupunkt radio models (and which Becker radio models) were offered as factory options in each model year. Lists show the factory option numbers for each (plus in some years other brands and model eg Philips).

So have a good idea which radios were not the radio model the factory fitted even if a Blaupunkt radio model was in product-line from an original equipment supplier contemporary in aftermarket.


Regarding face plate it generally known and accepted Porsche dash architecture used a small chrome plate for example an illustration in my model 73 drivers handbook— an original 9/72 TES booklet for the car as it came tin car together with the uber rare blue Carrera RS Supplement in English:



The 911 dash architecture evolved in the pre-impact era, this is a different earlier example albeit it’s a small chrome faceplate also shown in a Porsche publication.


Publications are not always representative of production but Porsche publications show the similar smaller plate consistently. We see variation - recessed matt finish to silver crossbar of this small plate; not the larger plate type.

While there are no absolutes so some exceptions might exist it is well accepted what was the form of the Blaupunkt face plates the factory used for official factory fitted radio options — OEM’s take time and trouble to design their dash so work with approved equipment or technical partners such as Blaupunkt ( Bosch) on such being aligned with important
aesthetics. Bosch (and Becker) built the installation equipment tailored to the 911 dash architecture that Porsche used and this had to be designed made and supplied for such model interior refresh. Likewise for other OEMs. How we they also bike universal instillation kits for use in after-market.

Not the most fundamental part but on other hand it is quite prominent in centre of dash — authenticity details and such differences did matter, otherwise Porsche would've just used universal faceplates for 911 factory installs!


Steve