Spyder 550 550A

[Porschinelle]

Stranger

Jacqueline Evans at the Carrera Panamericana 1954 race had a French temporary plate on her car
May be this car was coming from France ?

[Carrera GT]

Sorry posted by mistale I continue
I was saying temporary registration number given to a dedicated car entering into France for a race or a show etc
The problem comes that the only direct border between France and Germany is the Saar region (capital Sarebucken)north of Strasbourg
Going more North you have the Luxembourg between Germany and France and further North Belgium and further North again Nederlands and Belgium
If you carry your cars on a lorry or even by driving them on the road the quickest way to go from Stuttgart to Le Mans or to Reims is of course to go through the Saar custom
Now these numbers have only be in force in 1957
Before and after cars were wearing special temporary registration plates starting for Germany by the letter W
As an example if you US citizen come to France for a long holydays you may buy a car ex duties
This car will be registred with the letter TT which mean in French : transit temporaire (temporary transit)

We do know Saar = Region 163

Do we know if these northern Regions have numbers to them:

Luxembourg = ?
Belgium = ?
Nederlands = ?

The 162xxx - 163xxx - 911xxx numbers are painted on...they are not a temporary license "Plate".

I believe the "Plate" may be issued to personal car owners such as Gilberte and others. Whereas the painted on number is for a car that was never before registered - and owned by the manufacturer ie. Porsche RennWerkes.

Michael Doyle

[Type550]

Steve - do you know who #280 is?

[Steve Heinrichs]

Suzi Dietrich. Watkins Glen 1961. 550-0017.

/steve

[Type550]

Not sure about that. The race results say she was driving a 356. Also the AH next to it is #164 driven by Barbara Windhorst who is not in the start list

[Steve Heinrichs]

Well....we think this was Bill Lewis' carwhich she had raced before.

It is 23 September. Race 6, Dix Cup. Finished 5 in Class.

Steve Heinrichs

[Type550]

based on the entries, nothing really lines up...

http://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Watkins_Glen-1961-09-23f.html

[Steve Heinrichs]

Certainly 280 is a 550. We will look again but I think the site has it wrong; it would not be the first time.

The race seems to be the one.

We will look more closely as to how we determined.

Steve Heinrichs

[JTR70]

Interesting historical exchange as always you guys! Steve I realize this is just the smallest of an example of trying to compile an accurate historical account of all of these races. What a monumental task to do so! My hats off to you guys for putting together this up coming book!
Justin

[Type550]

It would be a task I would not like to undertake! There are always so many factors to consider and like Steve said - information published is not always correct which just keeps getting reproduced with the same errors. Then, when you get photos which show different information and cars they are racing against, it throws even a bigger spanner in the works!

With this photo, it cannot be Suzie as she only raced on the east cost, and this photo was taken on the west coast...

[JTR70]

A minefield for sure! I certainly have no knowledge of who that driver is sitting behind the wheel of #280 but from what I can tell the face strikes me as being feminine so this does perhaps narrow it down to one of the few women who raced back in the day...

[admin]

[Type550]

Love the photos of the spyders being air freighted around the world. This is 550-0030 going to Venezuela to race

[Steve Heinrichs]

Re Nr. 280----

Much as I am willing to cause the book designer to have a coronary with a last minute change---I think we will leave our list as it is at least for now.

This is not easy. Dietrich was an east coast/midwest racer, for sure.

She is listed with no start number about half the timeand drove a 356 about half the time. We only show Dietrich in one race with start 280 (and that is the only 280 we have).

If a west coast race (not Watkins) with Windhorst, we cannot find a race with both 164 (Windhorst) and 280 or Dietrich. We do not think pilot is Shutes or Levy or Scott or Murphy (the women) And, the 280 car is white.

Please suggest an alternative car or pilot or race.

Steve Heinrichs

[admin]