Below are a couple pics of the radio in my '73 2.0. This radio was in the car when the original owner purchased it from the showroom in '73. Clearly looks to me like a dealer install. Is it typical, however that the faceplate would not have the same vinyl weave as the rest of the dash? Is the standard blaupunt radio installed at the time?

Are there by vinyl weave original faceplates to be found?

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The faceplate is a separate piece since radios were a dealer install item. There are a variety of 'correct' options. Most likely the faceplate you have was reupholstered by a shop and they couldn't find the correct basketweave material. So, no it's not correct.

As far as I can tell your radio looks period correct. Generally speaking radios were not installed @ the factory & are either dealer or owner installed. The material used on yours for the faceplate is not common & can easily be replaced with material that matches the rest of your dash. Pelican parts, Auto Atlanta & 914 rubber are good sources for the proper material.

Thanks, interestingly, I've spoken with the original owner and he said this is the way the radio was when he bought it off the showroom in '73

I have an original (I think) un cut, radio plate with basket weave. The steel is punched for a radio but the vinyl in un cut. Still has the original double stick tape on the back.

My guess is the dealer messed up the basket weave during the radio install and had to find a suitable replacement with available vinyl in order to get it on the show room floor.

Since the 914 had little respect until recently, this would be acceptable for cheap ass want-a-be Porsche owners.

Don't shoot me....but

AA has the plates, in both styles of basketweave. its a metal plate with the vinyl glued to it.

I noticed all your threshold parts are black. My 73 is silver. Is your 73 a late build?

Mine was built in 11/72. I know the 74's went with black.

914Rubber has dash material:

http://shop.914rubber.com/Basketweave-Dash...inyl-914DFV.htm

The Blue Dot Blaupunkt radio was also used in early 911's, with the smooth vinyl. Dealer probably used the same material on your car. You can easily change to the basket weave vinyl.

I'm not up on build dates but yes I would say mine is a later build. 04/73 and sold in July '73. interestingly it has what appear to both early and late pieces. It has the white headlight surrounds which I think were early and the plastic threshold covers which were later as I recall.

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Mike, I'd be interested if you are looking to sell the original plate that you have.

Here is what it looks like. There is a single hole drilled in it by someone. The galvanized steel is stuck with glue/tape over the radio bezel hole for rigidity? Cardboard covers the shaft holes for the same reason.

It looks mostly original but I'm no concourse guy. Seriously, I'm not.

You could peal the stuff off the back and cut the vinyl with a razor and it should be all good, save for the small hole.

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I lifted one piece of the steel here. You can barely see the cutout of the plate, just bigger than the cardboard shape underneath.
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$20 shipped in the lower 48 if you want it. PM me for details.

I would use the original faceplate because it has already been cut out for your radio. Remove incorrect vinyl and glue correct vinyl from 914Rubber.

I don't mean to ruin Mike's potential sale, but this is what you need to find for your car:
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My car came with a plastic plate that had a matching basketweave molded into the plastic. Years and years ago, I cut it up to fit a DIN (big Square hole, no knobs) style radio in. The weaved vinyl matched the rest of the dash so much better, I think I have the original one somewhere. Maybe I'll find it while I'm looking for the black nuts that hold the windshield wipers on. I put them somewhere....

That one's pretty!

Don't bother me any. I can put it back on the shelf. I don't sell parts for money, I'm a horder...

Yes that's odd but not unheard of. I recall another thread where a member owned a car built after mine ... I think it was actually a very early '74 model, and he claimed that his white headlight surrounds were factory original. My car was built in 6/73 and has the black surrounds along with the black threshold plates.

Your car must have been one of the first to receive the black threshold covers and one of the last to receive the white headlight surrounds.

Change over on the small stuff was not very definitive. Porsche used up what they had and went right into the new stuff. On major components such as brakes, they noted the chassis number change.

Yup, parts bin mixing as they transitioned early to late. My 8/31/72 build 2.0 had the 70-72 chrome window cranks (roundel was chrome) & chrome door handle surrounds (with small black plastic finger cup) & late front + early rear brake calipers.

Steve, Dave is correct on these plastic basketweave radio faceplates, & the OO's selling dealer should've had one of these for that Blaupunct, unless it was a 911/912 style kit - then they would've made-up this smooth/grained vinyl leatherette covered faceplate in your 914 from a steel radio mounting faceplate.

When I put that response about the faceplate in your other post about the windowsticker - I thought you meant basketweave vinyl - but the same comments there apply.

Most 914s with either the leatherette or basketweave or brickweave on the steel mounting faceplate were a result of the dealers using the 911/912 kit in stock - instead of ordering a proper 914 kit with the molded plastic faceplate.

Since you have the documentation on the original fitment, you can now either keep yours as is & point out the documentation at Parade etc. as the original, or buy one of the NOS ones specifically meant for your Blaupunct model when in a 914 & install that.

I could personally go either way on it if it were my 914 cuz those plasti-chrome control surrounds on the Blaupunct units do look sweet in the black 914 dash!

Even the Parade CdE judges should NOT be gigging for the vinyl covered one in there now, when proven as original by your latest docs from the OO. Protest it if you do get dinged!

Cheers!
Tom
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Thanks Tom, Helpful info as always. I did not realize that the original basket weave plate was plastic. I may look for one but I even if I do find one, I just may keep it as it is since that is the way it was originally delivered.

Steve