Spyder 550 550A

[Porschinelle]

Hi Andrew

Are you sure the above pic was taken at the Reims 12 hours 1956 ?
Indeed the Reims 12 hours 1956 were won by Jaguar doing 1-2 and 3




As you may see Jaguar had race number
24 Mike Hawthorn/Paul Frere 2nd overall
25 Ivor Bueb/Duncan Hamilton 1st
26 Desmond Titterington/Jack Fairmann

A 550 ca

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

Start of the Reims 12 hours race 1954
550 race number 40 Auguste Veuillet/ Gonzague Olivier
550 racenumber 41 Richard von Frankenberg/Helmut Polinsky
Car race number 34 Ferrari 350MM Claeys/Hazet

The Reims 12 hours was raced from 5AM to 5PM which explain the night start

[Porschinelle]

Richard von Frankenberg/Helmut Polensky finish 8th overall but 1st in class 1.5 L

Veuillet/Olivier were 13th

[Porschinelle]

For the small history note that the 2 off 550 of the 1954 Reims 12 Hours had the same number than 2 off the 4 off 550 of the 1954 Le Mans 24 hours




To identify the cars the number 4 of the Reims cars was open on the top when he was closed on the Le Mans car

[Type550]

yes, it is the 1956 Reims race - here is another photo of the start

[Porschinelle]

Hi Andrew

I had difficulties to understand why 2 different cars (aJaguar D type and a 550) could wear the same race number in the same race
Found the answer after checking
The 1956 year is an exeption for 2 reasons :
1)The Reims 12 hours who were normally raced 3 weeks after the Le Mans race, were for the first time raced 3 weeks before : June 30th July 1st Reims, July 28th/July29th for the Le Mans race
The reason for that change was that the Le Mans organisators (The Automobiloe Club de l'Ouest or ACO) were not willing to race the day of the 1st anniversary of the horrible Le Mans accident in 1955
2)Reims with his 2 long straights joigned by a curve taken full speed was the fastest race track in the world making it also a very dangerous racetrack with many many pilots being severly injured or killed
The 1955 Reims 12 hours race was cancelled due to the Le Mans accident
In 1956 in order to reduce the dangerousity of the race it w

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

Andrew
Another question during my search found sources saying that the Reims 12 hours race reserved to the less than 1.5 liter cars was not raced Saturday June 30th but Friday June 29 th
If true Annie Bousquet died June 29th not June 30th as commonly reported

550 race number 26 did finish second is 550 077 Goethals Goethals
The yellow 550 car race number 35 or 36 must be Georges Harris
True ?

[Type550]

You are correct - the accident was on Friday. Harris drove #33 (550-0082)

[vhelmle]

This photo is Palm Springs Nov 1957

Hello Everyone,

Steve Heinrichs has asked me to comment on the photo identified as November 1957 Palm Springs. We are still unsure about the race date for this photo. By August/September 1957, the Edgar team had been sold to Stan Sugarman. In the November 1957 race, we list McAfee with 550A-0116 (start nr. 8 and we list Sugarman himself with 550-0047 (start nr. 18. While the weather in California is monotonous--clear and sunny all the time, this seems more like a summer race than a winter race and we think probably 1956 or early in 1957. Of course, there were several races during those times where McAfee raced with start nr. 188.

Other ideas are welcome.

Regards, Vietta

[Type550]

You are correct - it is therefore highly likely to be Paramount Ranch August 1956

[356]

[356]

[GT3]