I see them both ways, on high quality, low-mile, original 914s.

Which is correct and original?

This first car is George's 10K mile 1974 car.

The 1974 Mark Donohue car

VIN 4732914926

VIN 4732915240

VIN 4732919787

VIN 4732926357

from my best knowledge, these should be bright orange

I'll check out some marketing brochures to see if I could find a photo where you can see them new ...

Gustl

VIN 4742904459

VIN 4742905929

VIN 4752901443

VIN 4752903075

I am inclined to think they are bright orange too but find little evidence. The 1973-74 brochures are euro cars...different receivers. Only one photo in a 1975 brochure shows it as orange. If they are to be orange, then they must fade pretty easily for even the best 914s to have them fade.

This from 1973 brochure:

74 brochure

75 brochure

very bright orange. We had them made and have many exact self stick ones on the shelf.

Hey Jeff, after we talked about this at your place back at the end of April, at your suggestion I did go back & look up into the recess of the "press" button & sure enough saw a tiny relic of the orange neon color! I'll bet it's the same for the others you've pictured above.

4732901954 - actually is Orange up inside -
Click to view attachment

This "PRESS" discussion reminds me of the old 3 Stooges episode where they took the knobs off of the old 20's- 30's truck to use as "Press Badges" to get into some event -
PRESS - PRESS & Curly with PULL

As an adjunct to this topic, I found this source online for replacement & rebuilt 914 seatbelts, has anyone used them & are they any good, CW or DD quality, etc.?

http://www.peparts.com/Categories.bok?cate...BELTS%3APorsche

They are VERY bright, neon orange. Many were destroyed by usage, or lost the color due to ultraviolet exposure.

Easily replaced. Call George.
Pat

Apparently there are several sources out there for these, in a wide range of prices $2.50 - $9+, but I can't speak for quality on any of them (listed in ascending price).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Porsche-911...=item439f815182 (he may be member here? "Valy"??)

http://www.peparts.com/Detail.bok?no=120 (same group as repl. seatbelts I noted above)

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=67091 (member vendor)

http://www.autoatlanta.org/detail.lasso?Pa...l_number=206039 - AA (as noted by others) - member/advertiser here

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PORSCHE-914...sQ5fAccessories

.

There may be other sources too?

Jeff - that neon orange fades pretty quickly for some reason. As a kid I made a plywood skim board & painted it neon orange, which faded to almost white within a year or two of use in the sun on the beach.

The 73 brochure pic may be the same seatbealt receiver as USA (same round silver plunger), but without the "press" label installed - i.e.: just the black plastic inner button of the assy. showing. IIRC they went to the retractable belts for 73 MY, so maybe they shot this pic before the interior design was finalized.

I suggest this, because this same brochure also shows the center console OT gauge with numbers/ticks instead of the final wide red band OT gauge face, as below -

Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

Tom, the bright orange decals were exclusive to the 914 2.0 "S" models.

My "73 1.7 has them. They're faded now.

any evidence for this "theory"

same for my '74 1.8 ...

Hardy, Har, Har Tod! In the words of the great Moe ..... "Why I oughtta!....."

Wolfgang & Wind4fun, he's just fun at me!

Just for that Tod, I'm going to start a "914S Registry"!
.... hmmmmmmm ......

Tom, rumor has it, the "S" designation on the 73 2.0 model year cars were made of the same material as the seat belt decal. Over time they faded, and hence an enigma.

Little known fact here - the decals were neon green on the LE Grasshopper edition.
Pat (TIC)

Well shoot! ... then I guess I'd better not use that 914-S badge I just got anodized neon orange!
Maybe I can get it re-anodized neon green for Pat?

Hey Pat, they had a matching 914-LE badge in neon green too!


Poor Jeff was trying to have a serious originality topic here, & in come the clowns!

OK, let's get serious here! They were neon orange on the Grasshopper too!

Now, as to the original spin. Here's the deal on fluoro printing. Got this from the original patent holder back in 1970 (the chemist who developed it & made millions from it).

Fluorescent backgrounds are cute, but significantly compromised by UV and fluorescent lighting. The life span is very short before they start changing to different shades. Particularly if your 914 is parked in the sun. Or, if you have high levels of fluoro lighting in your garage.

Talk to the retailers who typically use the colors on markdowm products. They begin fading in 2 weeks. Change from orande to yellow. Because they are surrouned by fkourescent lighting.

There are a couple of guys who have remaunufatered these pieces & they are good. But, expect them to fade quickly too. Two years tops in the sun.

Have some, but will wait to put them on.
Pat

Great info Pat! Sounds about the same color-life as the spray can florescent-orange I used on my skim board back in the 60's. I'm waiting to do labels on mine for the same reason, not to mention a boat-load of other stuff to do first!

Are the new labels you guys purchased precut or do they come on a sheet?

This NOS receiver was just placed on ebay.

OMG Jeff - The Holy Grail of PRESSing issues!
... wonder what that will go for?

The tougher thing to find/keep in good condition IMHO is the belt on the reel, since it moves through the metal bits & gets frayed over time.

Tod - I haven't bought anything as yet, so I can't speak to your question above.
... maybe others can speak up as to who, what, where for the best quality on the lables, & since they fade so fast, it's probably a good idea to buy 2 sets, so you don't have to hunt when the new ones fade, as Pat said so eloquently!

Happy 4th!