DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Hello guys, strange one here...so I received the Kardex for my 356 but on the colour section it indicates "5706 Schwarz"

Now, looking at various online resources, 5706 should be Silber Metallic for a 1957 car...but then I don't understand why it says "Schwarz" next to it...

Any idea?

The person typing up the Kardex made an error. Schwarz should be in the "Polsterung" box, and is the upholstery colour.

Hi Dave, thanks for your input.

As I've seen quite a few Kardex where next to the colour code there was indicated the name of the colour, and many others where the interior colour was missing, what if the mistake was on the code?

Don't think it is that straightforward...no?

It could be because (I think) black wasn't a std colour for the upholstery in a 356A - Silver Coupes usually came with red or green interiors.

Lightweight_911 wrote:It could be because (I think) black wasn't a std colour for the upholstery in a 356A - Silver Coupes usually came with red or green interiors.

Very good point Andy!

It will be interesting to see what the CoA will say on that regard...I just ordered it!

Usually, if the paint code has a code letter next to it (say A B C D) then it is the code for the interior colour. Then the actual colour is spelled out in the upholstery box. Looking over the many 356 Kardex I have the information is often absent or in differing forms. Especially for Hoffman delivered cars, the information is sparse. Generally, I don't see many errors in the data on the Kardex, but I do see it missing or typed in something other than the correct format. For your Kardex I would want to see [Farbe: 5706 B silbermetall][Polsterung: Kunstl. Schwarz].
Or perhaps Leder instead of Kunst-leder. Even 5706 B/C with Leder schwarz for black leather with corduroy inserts. Unfortunately, the typist did not spend much time filling the data in correctly, hence the wide variety in the kardex we look at. Collecting the Kardex is a lot of fun, and it does help to see the variety of ways they are filled in, and the variations in the card layouts over the years.
Not sure why you are bothering with the COA since they are almost always prepared by taking selected information from the Kardex. I've never seen a COA with more info than the Kardex, often with less information, and sometimes with poor or bad translations.

Dave is correct

Remember that the people filling in these cards were just clerks not Porsche enthusiasts
No one thought that anybody would want to look at these things 40 years on
We are bloody lucky that they still exist

I appreciate that those guys made a lot of errors back then...but what about the fact that there was no black interior in 1957 available for a Silver car? The letters after the colour code were only introduced in 1958 if I'm not mistaken?

It is clear that there has been a mistake in that Kardex but questionable what the mistake was...easier for someone to write the correct colour and wrong code if they have the car in front of them.

I will take it as a free option to have the car either Silver or Black without feeling bad either way! :D

That is a bit of buggers muddle (so to speak). Assuming you're restoring it, whether or not you care about originality someone down the line will. Hence needing to get some sort of landing on colour.

I reckon the CoA is your best bet. I appreciate the people at Porsche will produce this certificate based on the information you already have. However, whatever they come up with (assuming they don't just put "Information not available") will lend some authenticity to the colour the car left the factory. Whether that's correct or not and whether or not that's important to you.

As to the interior, assuming the car was silver could it have been special order black interior? Or was that not something Porsche offered. I saw from this link the was the only model Speedster that came with a black interior.

http://cprclassic.com/reference/colorcharts/5706.html

Interested to see what the CoA says...

Surely there must be somewhere on the car showing original paint? Peel back my carpets and the inner sills are light ivory, as are the foot well side panels, same with the rear seat pans and the inside of the engine bay behind the soundproofing? Every single car I've ever restored has had a little piece somewhere of original paint. Even sandblasted ones...

simon james wrote:Surely there must be somewhere on the car showing original paint? Peel back my carpets and the inner sills are light ivory, as are the foot well side panels, same with the rear seat pans and the inside of the engine bay behind the soundproofing? Every single car I've ever restored has had a little piece somewhere of original paint. Even sandblasted ones...

The car went through a nut and bolt restoration, I guess the option of finding some original paint anywhere is sadly gone.

Restorer said the car was black originally...if he got the impression because of some finding or because of some other document I don't know at the moment, I'll try to figure it out or to look at the restoration book as soon as I get it.

Hi Max , I thought this was an outlaw and painted to the colour you wanted rather than a car as delivered by the factory !

As Mike Smith has pointed out , getting a CoA from Porsche does not guarantee any better information than the Kardex .

Hope to see it when it arrives in SW7 !

oldtimer wrote:Hi Max , I thought this was an outlaw and painted to the colour you wanted rather than a car as delivered by the factory !

As Mike Smith has pointed out , getting a CoA from Porsche does not guarantee any better information than the Kardex .

Hope to see it when it arrives in SW7 !

Hey buddy! Yes, it is a mild outlaw and to be honest I would have painted it black anyway...it would be just good to know that my favourite colour was the factory original colour too!

But in the end...who cares when the end result is this??

That looks just spot on. Lovely.

that's just stunning