Special early 1964 features on 1965 cars

[NeunElf]

I took some photos of 300824 at Carparc USA's open house at the LitMeet:



If it can't be read on the website, it says "Production completion date, April 2, 1965"

It has luggage hooks in the front trunk:




I think this is the short grill:

[earlyaircooled]

My car #717 is an earlier number but was finished later, the spare wheel is dated 1-65.

[earlyaircooled]

Four more features that may be unique to early cars. 1. I think the front calipers are a bit different, Eric Shea said they are more like 356C calipers, which makes sense. 2. Also the area behind the horn grills seems to have a different shape and the cut out and area where the 4 holes for the 4 hole grill go are very crude. 3. I think the way the door locks are actuated from inside the car are different, there are double wires, almost like piano wire in a plastic tube. 4.The threshold step plate the part you step into to get into the car when you take the rubber threshold plate off I see rectangular depression, and on my car they were filled in with what looked like plaster like one would use for lath and plaster in an old house, I'm not sure body filler/bondo was invented by 1965? If not then they may have used plaster back then?

[earlyaircooled]

the brake calipers dont say ATE on them like the later ones do

[John Straub]

Good info...

John

[1st]

Adding some photos to distinguish features of the 6 piece and 5 piece wood dash.

It would be a very good thing to define the change-over between car 567 and 835, (but 270 or so cars at approximately 15 cars per day is a 3.5 week window in March 1965). Nice work. Your list is getting very good information.

The difference on the simplified dash eliminated not only the seam but the metal tab and wood nub that held the tab.

Hi Bob,

For reference my highly original '65 built in RHD has a 5 piece wood dash. Given we know of about a dozen RHD '65s this is likely a piece made to order in small quantities for the batches of RHD cars made; I heard from Alan Hamilton that the first four cars were literally hand made in the Werks dept in two batches of two starting Feb '65 (he was apprenticing at the factory at this time and saw the RHD's being built, including what became his car), which may explain why the early pattern ( but reversed !) was used for the wood dash.

[earlyaircooled]

My car #717 has a 5 piece dash, door attaching bolts not allen heads, Here is a close up of the door lock mechanism



cloth trimmed carpet



door bolts



rocker running board area

[Bobs 67S]

EarlyAC,

let us know if your "Karro" bolts holding the door hinges are 14mm across the flat, they sure look to be the original thing.
It's looking like your rocker panels have original indent stampings.

Show us the two part carpet clips that snap onto the floor. How many on the front carpet, rear carpet and the tunnel carpet?

Your car is showing some real fun parts. Good stuff.

[earlyaircooled]

My doors are held on with 14mm Karro bolts

Here are pictures of the floor matt snaps there are 4 on each side for a total of 8





small gas door release knob



rear deck lid release in round hole



front hood release, please note unique board that it goes through, held on with two screws

[pss]

Hi Jim and earlyAC, many thanks for yr info.

Early AC, have added yr info below. Can you check the open items also, or even better send more great pictures? Would be fantastic. Your info is crucial to me personally as my car 700 is the same color and very close to yours. I now know for example that it should be black under the grill.
I also have the same door release cables, but I have not seen the floor mat mounts before.
What material is the air vent water collection tray under the wipers (grey plastic or some orange/brown fiber with resin) and do you have a short or long front vent drain tube (see post 101)?
Cheers, Jacques