Getting your hands on a classic car brings many benefits of course, but equally it comes with a few persistent drawbacks. This includes accessing the car’s original driver’s manual to help you look after the machine. Sourcing them can be a near-impossible task, given they likely will have long since gone out of print as well as that many of the original copies in existence will be lost or else deteriorated beyond any use.
Yet owners of many classic Porsches have just had this problem solved, as Porsche Classic has reprinted more than 700 original driver’s manuals. In doing so, Porsche has provided first-hand documentation for virtually all of its early models, starting with the Porsche 356 from 1952 and going right the way through to the 996 generation 911. And even if you’re not fortunate enough to have a classic Porsche of your own, the manuals will be captivating reads in their own right as a fascinating step into the past.
The documents are now available from all Porsche dealerships worldwide, and a selection of the technical literature can also be ordered directly from the Porsche Classic online shop. Each reprint matches the up to 67-year-old original in terms of the printing, look and quality. They are detailed too, as the documents include not only the driver’s manual itself, but also extensive technical information, settings and practical tips about the classic Porsche in question. This includes all identification details and positions, illustrated and described in detail, from the radio unit number to the vehicle data carrier, the type plate or paint data plate through to the engine number.
Porsche hasn’t just reprinted the driver’s manuals either, as the reprint in addition includes more than 100 warranty and maintenance booklets as well as the overviews of types, dimensions and tolerances, with intricate information on settings for the engine and chassis, as well as the body dimensions. There are also vehicle servicing and care booklets and instructions, as well as vehicle wallets that are true to the original. The 700-plus driver’s manuals currently available include editions in various languages and in some cases also for different model variants.
Images courtesy of Porsche
