Spyder 550 550A

[356]

[356]

[Porschinelle]

Hi Vance

Back in the race and as usual will put some history around the 2 last pics posted above
To start with the white 550 race number 84 above is 550-0101 winner of the 1956 Targa Florio race driven by a the famous Italian pilot Umberto Maglioli (1928/1999)
As you certainly remember the 2 most famous Italian car races were the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio a 1000 kilometers long race in the very narrow and winding Sicilian island roads
The first official Porsche KG entry was done in 1956 encouraged by the Mercedes benz victory in the 1955 edition
For this first attempt only one car was entered by Huscke von Hanstein, Porsche race director for himself as co-pilot of Umberto Maglioli an already famous pilot in Italy who had already won the Targa Florio in 1953 at the wheel of a Lancia
Huscke von Hanstein did a mistake filling the registration papers and was not allowed to relay Umberto Maglioli who drove for the full race
This first entry crowned by a victory made Porsche famous all over Europe

[Porschinelle]

https://www.youtubhe.com/watch?v=oE3ym95ABt8

[Porschinelle]

Sorry made a typing error

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE3ym95ABt8

[Porschinelle]

[356]

Thank you Gerard. Very much miss your tutorials.
~Vance

[356]

Any ideas about this one? Seems like it might have been a 550 at some point.
~Vance

[Trevor]

http://forum.porsche356registry.org/viewtopic.php?t=33478

[356]

Thank you Trevor, this answers my question. ~Vance

Nurburgring 1957

[alan hall]

[JTR70]

How I envy you Alan, You've had a lot of amazing Porsches! What a time to be around when these where just old cars and attainable. That VIN tag of yours; just more proof of all the chicanery going on these days. Thanks for sharing the story and the info!
Justin

[Type550]

Thanks for the prompt Justin to join the flock again. Lots been happening lately but still following the history of these beasts. Great insight Alan and I know who I would believe between you and an auction house. I have become very disillusioned by the way these cars are marketed and sold, and the Carrera book is not a great resource as it is so infested with errors that the BS sticks and is used against the uninformed buyer. Unfortunately there is no way now these errors can be corrected as the book will never be republished. It is not what you are told about these cars, it is what you are not told, and auction houses are the kings of spin.

Funny you have the build plate, as the one in the car looks so original!


I also have a photo from 2004 when a 550A went to auction - the roll bar looks very similar to the one in your photo and not the standard design as the 550A which had a roll bar under the driver's faring - maybe this is the same car..?

[JTR70]

Hey Andrew, so good to see you back. I thought Alan's post might be of interest to you in particular. Just from these two posts, your stock has gone up my friend. So much fraud going on a potential buyer would be very foolish to buy one of these old racers without consulting with you first.

[alan hall]

Interesting! I didn't realize people were making repro s/n plates these days! Seems to me Spyders were more fun back when they were not worth much.

[alan hall]

I agree Andrew there are a number of errors in Heinrich's book. At one time there were errata sheets being put together by Steve and his editor, Vietta. Does anyone know if there was a final version of the errata sheet?

[JTR70]

I'll reach out to Vietta and see what's going on if anything.

[Type550]

I have found in excess of 1000 errors in the book and they continue to arise. There was no final errata sheet and there never will be, seeing that Vietta is not funded any more to review it. As these cars increase in value, everything gets reproduced to make them look new again. I have reviewed many spyders for owners, buyers and auction houses and a number of reports I have written will never see the light of day because of what I revealed. Have you ever noticed how miraculously the original engine or gear box is found for these cars after 40 years being missing? Most owners will pay a heap for an ex Porsche driver come 'historian' to write a report to say how the restoration is 'like it has just left the factory...' There is so much BS now and a great story always gets in the way of the facts.