Spyder 550 550A

[JTR70]

WOW Chad, more gold! It looks someone cut up an actual Spyder. The frame looks like a heavily modified original and the rear cowl skin, doors and lower rockers look right too. Which car was this Andrew/Steve???
Thanks for posting these Chad!

Justin

[Porschinelle]

Andrew
Your question about Gonzague Olivier
For me their is absolutely no doubt : If some sites (mainly US or G are talking of a Gustave Olivier, the only one linked with Porsche is Gonzague
I think the mistake originated from the fact that a lot of races refer to G. Olivier as pilot
As Gonzague (even in France) is a very rare first name when Gustave mainly 60 years ago was a very popular first name, some people when they started to fill races statistics have mixed the 2 first names
Do you know that Gonzague Olivier died in February 2013 at the age of 92 years only a few weeks after his son Jean Claude was killed at the wheel of his Porsche Cayenne by a completely drunck lorry driver on the Paris Lille motorway who driving from Lille to Paris lost control of his lorry and crossed the opposite line going from Paris to Lille
Gonzague Olivier whose real job was to build luxury motor boats was a very good customer and friend of Auguste Veuillet (Sonauto boss)
Auguste Veuillet accepted to engage Jean Claude into Sonauto and after some months of formation he was asked to start the importation and sales of Yamaha motor bikes in France in the Sonauto organisation
When Sonauto was closed Jean Claude became CEO of Yamaha France
He was also a very good motorbike pilot and won the Paris Dakar rallye several times
To follow an extract of the 356 Club France site

[Porschinelle]

The last pic on the right show Gonzague Olivier with Gilberte Thirion
They raced together the 1953 Tour de Belgique at the wheel of Gonzague Olivier personnal 356 black pre A
Gonzague Olivier last race was the 1955 24 heures du Mans (the year of the terrible accident with over 90 spectators killed)
In fact he had a very short carreer : 1953/1955

[Porschinelle]

Another interesting pic
24 heures de Paris Monthlery 1955
Auguste Veuillet (in white) and Gonzague Olivier after their overall victory
The lady at the right of Auguste Veuillet is again Gilberte Thirion

[Porschinelle]

After reflexion the lady is not Gilberte Thirion but Annie Bousquet
Indeed the 1955 24 heures de Paris is the race where Annie was due to team with Josef Jeser and were she refused to take the wheel again only after one hour of race
Josef Jeser had to drive the whole race alone and finish 2nd overall
Am I right Andrew ?

[Blechquäler]

[Type550]

Great research Gerard - right on the money. I agree that there is an error that has been carried through

[356]

[Porschinelle]

Hi Andrew

I have a difficult question for you

8 months ago I publish on this site a special topic on the French pilot Jean Behra and his link with Porsche links who lead him to build his Behra Porsche formula 2 race car
I found on intern et the below pics showing Jean Behra at the wheel of a 550 RS race number 2

[Porschinelle]

As you may see I listed the races where Jean Behra drove a Porsche 550 or 718 RSK
The only reference I have is the 1958 Buenos Aires 1000 km where associated with Stirling Moss he drove a 550 RS to the 3rd place overall

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

Since my last post I have now found that document which clearly state that Jean Behra won the 1958 Rouen Les Essards Grand prix June 6th at the wheel of a race car number 2 at the average speed of 144 km/h
Now only left to find the chassis number

[Type550]

Hi Gerard,

550As aren't my strength, but I have found in one of my resource books he drove with Moss #48 which is 550A-0136 with an engine number 90120 which had the specs of a 718 with 1600cc engine and 140HP. I am not sure if it was the same car as the 1958 Rouen Les Essards Grand prix

thanks Andrew

[Steve Heinrichs]

I think the Start Nr. 2 photos are of Behra sitting in Goethals 550A at Rouen in 1957 and that Behra did not drive that car in 1958.

Steve Heinrichs