Spyder 550 550A

[Type550]

The tonneau was originally yellow, but today it is blue - they should correct...

[Porschinelle]

Thanks again Andrew
A last question re 550-045 for you when you awake tomorrow morning




Gert Kaiser seen here in 1955 at the start of his attempt to beat the Sweden speed record which he push to 210 KM/H
Questions :
Was this 550 already 550-045 ?
If so why a different plate number ? (in this case A 1253)
Last question is 550-045 still own by State of Art ?
As I know they sold at least one of their 550

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

1956 was the 40th edition of that race who at that time was not part of the sport cars world championship
Depending upon the years three different track were raced



In 1956 the race was 10 turns of the piccolo circuito of 72 kilometers ie a total distance of 720 km to be covered the quickest as possible
The winning car the white 550 spyder race number 84 driven by Umberto Maglioli cover the 720 Km in 7 hours 54 minutes and 52 seconds this total time of course include the pit stop for refueling and maintenance

[Porschinelle]

If Porsche haad already entered several 550 and 356 into the Mille Miglia, they had never do so into the Targa Florio only a private French 356 cab achieved a 20 overall into the 1953 Targa Florio
Nothing before
Nothing in 1954 and even in 1955 where a private Italian 550 enter the race but did not even took the start
In 1956 Huschke von Hanstein the Porsche race and marketing director had the idea to offer to a famous Italian pilot Umberto Maglioli a factory car
Umberto Maglioli won the 1953 Targa Florio with a Lancia and also achieve several victories for Ferrari
The final idea being to boost Porsche notority in Italy
As training Umberto Maglioli was offered to share the wheel of 550-038 with Wolfgang Berg von Trips into the 1956 Nurburgring 1000 Km race
They did very well finishing 4th overall ahead of many more powerfull cars

The major problem for Porsche was that the Nurburgring 1000 km were raced May 27th, when the Targa Florio was due to be raced June 12th ie a mere two weeks between the 2 races
The Nurburgring 1000 km being part of the World sport cars championship not less than 10 of 550 were entered
550-015
550-018
550-031
550-033
550-038
550-041
550-077
550-081
550-0102
and another one not identified

[Porschinelle]

550-102 race number 20 driven by Richard von Frankenberg and Hans Hermann finish 6th overall


Richard von Frankenberg (standing) discussing with Wolfgang Von Trips


Richard von Frankenberg, Hans Hermann and Wolfgang von Trips, were all interested in driving a 550 in the Targa Florio, but it was impossible for Porsche to free 3 off spyders
Only 550-0101 was sent in Sicilia
Richard von Frankenberg gave up, not Wolfgang von Trips who obtain the wheel of a factory Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing and Hans Hermann who did the same with a factory Ferrari that he took to the 4th place with the help of Olivier Gendebien

[Porschinelle]

Huschke von Hanstein did all the paperwork for the race, the idea being that he will help Umberto Maglioli during the race
Unfortunately he forgot to add his name on the starting list, and Umberto had to drive alone the whole race
Also for an unknown reason for me, Umberto Maglioli and Huschke von Hanstein painted the 550 by hands in white before the race
Imagine the finish quality
Why in white ?
Protection against the warm sun ?
May be Andrew know the truth
Now all the pics I found

[Porschinelle]

Huschhke von Hanstein and Vicenzo Florio



Huschke von Hanstein and Umberto Maglioli

Umberto Maglioli receiving his victory price from a nice lady

Umberto Maglioli after the rarrival
note the heavy dust on his face


Interesting pic of Umberto Maglioli with the 550-0101 before the race who may explain why the car was pa

[Porschinelle]

why the car was painted in white
On this pic the body appear to be un painted aluminium
Of course that victory was celebrated by a Porsche poster



and several scale models were edited

[Porschinelle]

A last pic who did not post with the others

[Porschinelle]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnemIindEPQ

[Porschinelle]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFeP3EpYY1M

[Type550]

Thanks again Andrew
A last question re 550-045 for you when you awake tomorrow morning




Gert Kaiser seen here in 1955 at the start of his attempt to beat the Sweden speed record which he push to 210 KM/H
Questions :
Was this 550 already 550-045 ?
If so why a different plate number ? (in this case A 1253)
Last question is 550-045 still own by State of Art ?
As I know they sold at least one of their 550

Kaiser always raced 550-0045, so all photos are of the car. I am not sure how the registration works in Sweden, but the car is documented with at least 3 licence plates. Westerman sold both 0045 and 0089. 0045 is now owned by a Swedish collector.

[Type550]

It is documented in Excellence was Expected - 'With brushes and paint pot, von Hanstein and driver Maglioli had personally given their Spyder a crude coat of German racing white and had added an Italian flag design on the hood in recognition of Maglioli's nationality.'

[JOP]

Kaisers 550 number plates is Swedish.
The plate with A or B combined with numbers is Stockholm City and Stockholm County signs.
If Kaiser sold it to me in Lund, South Sweden before 1973 it would get a M + numbers since the Porsche changed county.
The other number plates look like interim they were on a red background with white numbers.