Spyder 550 550A

[Porschinelle]

Three Guatemala teams at the 1953 Carrera Panamericana

race number 152 550-02 Carlos Gonzales/Jose Sala Hernante finish 32nd
race number 153 356 02-062 Guillermo Sur/Oscar Alfonso DNF
race number 154 550-01 Jaroslav Juan/Antonio Asturias DNF



Internal view
note the push rod engine

[356]

[356]

[Type550]

1958 1000 km Buenos Aires - Behra and Moss

[55Speedster]

Porsche Race Car Classic "Drive" 550-004 Hans Herman and Peter Porsche at the staging area before the drive back in 2011. What an amazing event! Really great to have a front row seat for this!!!

[Porschinelle]

Hi Andrew

Any idea of where and when
2nd pilot from left is Jean Behra

[roy mawbey]

Wow guys, you have really done well in the last few pages. The youtube by Gerard was so nice to watch, Possibly when the transfer to
DVD took place they speeded it up a little . It made me laugh at the speed in busy public area's. Also how the drivers were offered drinks of wine or schnapps by the roadside. Also the driving test up a small hill. Well worth while watching!

And as for finding the history of that Spyder well what can you say but well done. History is so important.

Roy

[Type550]

I feel truely privileged to be part of this group Vance. I might sound humble and all fluffy that goes with it, but I am just a sponge when it comes to 550s - whenever I find anything I file it and then things start to fall into place when there are enough pieces. I have lots of pieces that I don't know where they belong and one day someone will give me a piece of information that joins it all together. Without everyone contributing, even the smallest piece, it won't get solved.

Research says it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert which is around 3 hours a day for the last 10 years - I think I am close to the hours, but not being an expert. I might know more than most, but I certainly don't know everything about 550s and will never do.

Even the photo of the 550As being delivered - by the looks of it, they all came with some kind of roof - never knew that. I always believed that the 550s came with a roof as it was the only way they could sell them through a dealership as a road car. The 550As were never on a showroom floor, only by consignment and sold as a race car, so they never came with a roof - maybe I am wrong...

[356]

I believe the title of 550 Legend belongs to you Andrew.
~Vance

These seem to be fresh off the boat?

[Type550]

You are a legend - would never have worked it out! - thanks!

[matthijs550]

You are welcome!

[Type550]

This is how much of a challenge this provenance business is! I originally had both these photos as the same car, just thinking that things like the cowl was added at some point, as they both have the same licence plates - who wouldn't..? Just found out that the owner of 550-0057 (with cowl) sold the plates to the owner of 550-0020. I have a whole collection of restoration photos of this car which is really 550-0020 - the current owner is very pleased with the find and also revealing the name of the owner 3 owners ago which we didn't know!

[Type550]

Carel Godin de Beaufort at Int. Auto Flugplatzrennen Wien-Aspern in Austria in May 1958 driving 550A-0145

[356]

Thanks Andrew

[Type550]

Hi Vance,

Sam Weiss taping up the front headlights of 550A-0119 at Pomona Los Angeles County Fairgrounds on 27th July 1957. Sam finished 2nd in the race behind Jack McAfee also in a 550A. The white 356 Carrera Speedster #318 is Gary Nelson's who finished 4th in the following Production Race

Andrew