1973 Paris Auto Show - Karmann Stand, ......and the Flag Cars Options

[wonkipop]

@JeffBowlsby

good thing i got my 914 out this morning on dawn patrol.
had a great drive down in the docklands wasteland with no nongs in SUVs blocking my various hooligan antics. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

nows its cold/raining this afternoon but i am still in 914 mood/mode.

dragged out the Karmann Stand @ Paris Auto Show 1973 photos i dug up.
i discovered them on a blog about historic car shows.
they were captioned as from the Paris Auto show 1973.

time to check veracity.
image 1 i found.



compare and contrast with image from ludwigson on your can am website (from excellence). checks out. see notes on photos. its from paris 1973 if K L is to be trusted. and normally he can be.



these appear to be the two cars you term Can Am prototype 2 and 3.

from your website.


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which led me to the mystery car on the stand you term protogype 4
and which ludwigson described.



and this other image i dug up from the blog.
its definitely another 914 that was on the stand at the Paris Auto Show.
it was captioned as but additionally the carpet floor tiles on the stand are a match for photo of other 2 cars on stand as are general decor wall colors and graphic thematic.



i conclude two possibilities.
1). this is the image of the third car you seek and K L was mistaken. it did not have drop out side stripes as per porsche turbo on porsche stand. instead it had the earlier form of side stripes. it was not an USA model.
or
2) there was a 4th car on the stand and this is it and the drop out side stripes remains still to be found. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


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additional trivia.

this ones been of interest to me for a while.
the five cars that come under the banner of prototype 1 in your website.
frankfurt auto show cars. the 5 cars with flag themes to do with Can Am.

here is your explanation of the flags and what they represent.




a better clearer picture of the 5 cars in question.




ok i can't see anything french in these graphics or canadian.
i've looked hard.
all that is there is USA, UK and Germany.
no pausible symbols relating to french or canadians.

but i think i cracked it.
there are 5 cars because porsche participated in the CAN AM series for 5 seasons.
1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973.
(winning the series in 72 and 73).
they did not enter in 66, 67 , 68.

and the teams that fielded porsche cars during those five years were from 3 countries.
UK, Germany and USA.

Penske (USA) , J.W.A. (UK) , A G Dean (UK) , Martini Racing (Germany), Porsche-Audi North America. (USA).

its not about the drivers. they came from backgrounds including canada, mexico, brazil and switzerland as well as UK, USA. its just the teams.
thats my theory anyway.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

i wouldn't mind betting there is very specific intentions in the livery that relates each of the 5 cars specifically to each of the teams. but i don't know enough about the particulars of the teams that would be the clue. the english ones are very interesting.
i can see why you thought the one with rondels might have been french. but the french rondel (air force) is a blue dot and red outer ring. thats the UK rondel from the royal air force. its a pointed reference. either J W automotive (john wyer) or A.G. Dean had something to do with the Royal Air Force. same goes for the USA team cars. one of them is very flamboyant.

whoever designed these liveries was really having fun. i think they are very literate as they say in art criticism circles.

[wonkipop]

@JeffBowlsby

re your question whats behind the wall at K stand frankfurt sept 1973.



there are 13 cars.



1. Audi concept by Guigiaro. Asso di Picche concept 1973.
joint venture between Karmann and Guigiaro for a pitch to Audi (VW AG).
(possiblly tha star of the stand?)

2. 914. red with graphics (sent to Paris in October).

3. BMW (sharknose) coupe. built by Karmann.

4. 914. the blue stars and bars flag car.

5. 914. the white UK rondel graphics flag car.

6. 914. the german flag grahics car.

7. 914 (either the white stars and bars or the white union jack, not enough res).

------far corner of stand-------

working back. central section of stand.

8. red karmann beetle cabriolet.

9. metallic green karmann buggy.

10. metallic blue karmann buggy.

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photo 2 - diagonally opposite cnr of stand.



11. orange karmann ghia.

12, 914 metallic green with black graphics (sent to Paris Auto show in October).

13, VW cab beetle. blue and silver. silver paint inside front hood and engine lid.
with VW star steelie sport whees.

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13 is the last car. nothing between 13 and 1.





this is the #13 beetle from frankfurt sept 73 and the third 914 that was sent to Paris in October 73. date of K Post is April 73. cars being prepared then.



#! car. audi concept from karmann post later in 1973 published after frankfurt show.




there would not appear to be an early can am prototype (#1 that were looking for) at Frankfurt apart from the cars you already know about.

what was missing from Frankfurt was one of the five flag cars.
either the UK flag or USA Flag car on white.
also missing was the third car from Paris show with the two black stripes on top and positive porsche side stripes.

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was there something on the Porsche stand at Frankfurt with the Turbo Display prototype.

so far only two photos i can find.
all that shows up is a 914 1.8 euro model.
in what appears to be a non standard special color.
not a can am proto.
there may have been more cars as the porsche stand appears to more be extensive
than photos i can presently find.