Spyder 550 550A

[356]

Great point Andrew, Buyer beware for sure.

Is this an old pic of 02 as well?

[Type550]

Yes it is 550-02 and here it is without roof...

[356]

So strange to see it without the roof. It seems like it was built backwards and the steering wheel should be facing the other way...at least from this vantage.
~Vance

[356]

[Type550]

550-0030 at Santa Barbara in Sept 1955 driven by Jack McAfee

[356]

Awesome Andrew

[Porschinelle]

[356]

[356]

[356]

Andrew, in the above photo Jack Staggs believes that might be James Dean in his Speedster but its up against a 550A. Was he killed before these began competing? By the way I recognize it as such due only to your tutelage.
~Vance

Is this 550-03 here in 1953?

[Type550]

Hi Vance - you are correct that it is a 550A which was released in 1956, so after the death of Dean. Jean Pierre Kunstle always raced under #118, but after his 550-0069, he bought the red 550A-0104. It is thought that he raced that car until the end of the '58 season, but he also drove the silver 550A-0133 which was entered into the 1958 12 h Sebring #45 with Ken Miles.



The following race at Palm Springs you can still see the Sebring number under the #118



The cowl had a Swiss flag sticker on it which indicates that it was Kunstle's car.

The race with the white 356 #24 I believe was at Pomona in October 1957 and the 356 was raced by Ed Baker who finished 9th. Kunstle finished 2nd

[Type550]

Now that I look at my photos, I don't think he raced 550A-0104 at all. All the red spyders are an RS, not a 550A, so 550A-0133 was probably the only 550A he raced!

[Porschinelle]

Hi Andrew some silly questions you will answer easily

550-01/02/03 and 04 raced in 1953 with a push rod engine

Correct ?
Cf 550

[Porschinelle]

55O-05 was displayed at the Paris Carshow in October 1953 with a 4 cams Fuhrmann




idem for 550-06 at New York in October 1953


Questions early spiders had huge body modifications were at the same time their push rod engine replaced by 4 cams ? and if so when ?
Do you know if original 550 push rod engine delivering 98 HP still exist to day and if so where ?

[Carrera GT]

550-03 was first to be fit with the 4-cam engine.
Engine no. 547-1. Production finish date - July 1953.

Michael Doyle