Spyder 550 550A

[Type550]

[Type550]

Does anyone have details on this photo - there is a red 550 hidden beside the bobtail cooper

[356]

Cheers Andrew!

[Type550]

I will do 550-0042 on a lazy Sunday arvo...

I don't have much of a race history of this car - need to skim the Carrera book!

Originally a French blue spyder with white darts and yellow interior, this was the last of the Weinsberg frames before the new Wendler frames were used for the rest of the builds.

The car has been through many modifications in its life in both shape and colour, but last time it was seen it was restored back to the original shape and bare metal.

[JTR70]

Chad, Thanks for posting that photo but it was clearly marked copyrighted under Getty images and both they and another company called Corbis are notorious for suing unwitting websites for infringement over unauthorized display. Its a whole shake-down they've got going so please watch out for those watermarked images. Thanks again you guys! Justin

[356]

[Type550]

Well, here we go with 550-0043...

Some may say the car didn't exist as a real Wendler built car, but as a spare frame with the body of 550-07 grafted on it, but I have always thought otherwise.

550-0043 was built specifically for Annie Bousquet to race and perform speed records in. It had a full Wendler built body on the first of the Wendler frames with additional race
options requested by Annie. The full story can be readily found elsewhere on this forum, or here - http://type550.com/10861/annie-bousquet-and-550-0043/

In a slightly darker shade of blue than the French racing blue, it saw track time very briefly before it became a wreck killing Annie. It was restored and then involved in another accident where it was severely damaged in a crash and fire.

It is currently being restored back the the original #32 livery.

[JTR70]

Awesome re-body! Is Joe Cavelgery(SP) doing this one as well? Thanks Andrew!

[Type550]

Not this time!

[Steve Heinrichs]

Hi Andrew,

Yep---not all agree. The test pages show 0043 as "umbau for Annie B.". The list of cars exported shows clearly 07 entered just before the fatal race as Annie picked up the car at the factory.

She earlier also had 07 as her mother brought it in for repair/service.

0043 was, yes,the first of the Wendler frames but Porsche always considered this car a repaired 07 and it was treated that was after the fatal accident as well and the hillclimb burn.

The Spyder alu stuff went to another Blendel car. Virtually zero is left of 07 and 0043 or the combo.

Steve Heinrichs

[Type550]

Just one of those things we will have to agree to disagree on Steve!

Yes, 550-07 came back into the country, but as 550-0043 with the 07 plate welded over the top.

[Steve Heinrichs]

I guess so. Note that the car had both the 07 dataplate and frame plate during the fatal accident.
Porsche never sold an
0043 Spyder.

Steve Heinrichs

[Type550]

I know this is a good discussion as always and I am truly open to good logic in regards to these particular 550s, but so much still doesn't make sense.

The 0043 spyder is fitted with a Wendler body - there really is no question about that - it is not the body from 07.

I still think Annie drove 05 based on the body of the car, not 07.

Why would Porsche go from a lift back rear that was the evolution and first used on 07, change it back to a fixed rear the same as 05 and then change it back to a lift back when supposedly mounted to 0043 chassis?

[Type550]

1956 Pan Pacific car show in Los Angeles

[Steve Heinrichs]

05 vs. 07:

Well....05 was out of the country, no Porsche documentation exists re Annie in 05. Annie's mother brought in 07 for repair.

Regardless of 07 various configurations, Porsche never sold an 0043.

Steve Heinrichs