Bumper Button Color, Perhaps Ultimate CW Trivia Question Options

[Pat Garvey]

I reiterate - body color! Been there.
Pat

White? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)
Think you meant to say bumper, Pat (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Jeez, "you suck one....."
Pat

[Pat Garvey]

Here are some more opics I found:

Its pretty clear to me that all chrome bumper cars were to have chrome tow hole plugs and black bumper cars had black plugs. I found no pics of body colored bumpers (with plugs), so your guess is as good as anyones. George should have a box full of various body-colored plugs if they were painted to match the bumpers. They would have been for 1970-73 cars only.

The earliest cars, apparently did not have rear tow eyes or plugs, including the prototypes.

Jeff may have a point, though I find it curious.

Back when I was on a waiting list for a 240Z, I started shopping for 914's (used - it was 1972). I found two on the lot of a Cincy dealer called Rally Motors. Both were almost new cars (72's). One was irish Green, the other white. Neither had appearance group on them, but they both had plugs painted to match.

The Z came in in the wrong color (orange) & I got my deposit back & went to Classic Porsche/Audi in Cincy to pick a 914 in red. They had no app grp cars in stock, but plenty of other colors in non-app grp config. ALL had plugs painted to match - no black.

I put my order in for an app grp car & got it within a month.

So, I'm curious - was this a 72 thing?

Paul Naberhaus! Your 914 has just been delivered. Can you shed any light on this, since yours is a 70? Sorry, his screen name eludes me.
Pat

[Porsche Rescue]

Seems probable as Jeff's pics show that LE's had black.
No question that chrome had silver/chrome buttons.
Problem is that all non-silver replacements were black. So any car with black could simply have a replacement plug that was not painted to match.
So far we have Pat and George saying plugs, at least on non-LE cars, should be painted to match.

Of course the later ('73-74) non-appearance cars had black bumpers so black plugs would be appropriate.

[MDG]

Pat, your memory is NOT failing you; nor is George's expertise. The early cars that had body colour painted bumpers had the tow hole plug painted to match. Chrome bumpers had chrome plugs regardless of year.

The LE's, with their accent paints, had black jack post covers and black bumper plugs. This was when the non-app. cars had black bumpers as well.

Jim's car - early non-appearance Irish Green (mmmmm!) had body matched bumpers and the plug should be painted L60E to match.

George, I think you need to break out the lacquer thinners and clean off your LEs plug (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

m.

[Johny Blackstain]

Jeez, "you suck one....."
Pat

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[Pat Garvey]

Jeez, "you suck one....."
Pat

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

Glad that two of us are old enough to remember that joke!

[Pat Garvey]

I don't deny that LE's had black plugs. I do deny that earlier 914's had black plugs if they didn't have the AG option. Never seen one on an original early car. All were painyed to match.
Anyone out there with an original 70-72 car that had no app grp, but a black plug?
Pat

[MDG]

not sure what you mean, Pat? I think every one here agrees the early non app. cars that had body color bumpers had the plugs painted to match (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Jim's '70 Irish Green should have a green plug . . .

[Pat Garvey]

not sure what you mean, Pat? I think every one here agrees the early non app. cars that had body color bumpers had the plugs painted to match (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Jim's '70 Irish Green should have a green plug . . .

Don't quite understand the confusion, so I'll state it again.

Early 914's, without the Appearance Group, had body colored bumper plugs, as the bumpers were painted the same color as the body.

Later 914's without the Appearance Group, had black painted bumpers. Of course, those cars would have had black bumper plugs.
Does this help?
Pat

[MDG]

not sure what you mean, Pat? I think every one here agrees the early non app. cars that had body color bumpers had the plugs painted to match (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Jim's '70 Irish Green should have a green plug . . .

Don't quite understand the confusion, so I'll state it again.

Early 914's, without the Appearance Group, had body colored bumper plugs, as the bumpers were painted the same color as the body.

Later 914's without the Appearance Group, had black painted bumpers. Of course, those cars would have had black bumper plugs.
Does this help?
Pat

um, yes. See my post (#24). That's exactly what I said . . .

so we agree.

again.

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

paint to match yes. green!!!!

George- why did you leave my LE plug black? Is it supposed to be Phoenix Red?

yes it should be phoenix red.

[Porsche Rescue]

I just happened on to a picture of the '71 painted bumper car I once owned.
It was one owner until I bought it in 2002. Bumper plug is black!

Of course, it could be a replacement since apparently Porsche only provided replacements in black and silver. Does make me wonder though.

Now can we find someone with a car they have owned since new and never replaced the plug? Fat chance!!!

[Jasfsmith]

I just happened on to a picture of the '71 painted bumper car I once owned.
It was one owner until I bought it in 2002. Bumper plug is black!

Of course, it could be a replacement since apparently Porsche only provided replacements in black and silver. Does make me wonder though.

Now can we find someone with a car they have owned since new and never replaced the plug? Fat chance!!!

My '70 "plain Jane 4" has painted bumper with matching plug both in Signal Orange. Though I am the second owner (1973), I have photos of the car from the previous Owner that he had taken upon delivery at the dealership.

I've never seen a black plug on any of the early non-appearance group 4's. All were the color of the bumpers, as were the grilles were the fog lights would go.

[Porsche Rescue]

That's close enough for me!

[Johny Blackstain]

George- why did you leave my LE plug black? Is it supposed to be Phoenix Red?

yes it should be phoenix red.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[Porsche Rescue]

Although Mr. Smith is very convincing, I am still wondering.......... as I prepare to paint my rear bumper it occurred to me that I must paint the plug as a separate component. If I were to insert it in the bumper and paint, it would be painted in place and likely chip surrounding paint when removed.
So did Porsche really paint plugs separately in a dozen or more colors? Or did they paint it in place, inserted into the bumper hole? Seems like using a black plug would make far more sense. And the PET does list only chrome and black. Of course paint to match is not unheard of for replacement parts.
Maybe some guy had the job of "plug painter", providing a steady source of supply to the assembly line. Just wondering..............

[MDG]

Maybe some guy had the job of "plug painter", providing a steady source of supply to the assembly line. Just wondering..............

. . . . I think that was Heinie's job