Spyder 550 550A

[Type550]

He is currently getting it mounted. Here is my piece of 550-0018...

[Steve Heinrichs]

re 550-11

A friend of mine has the charged data plate in his office drawer in San Francisco.

Now---I have understood for some years that there was a 550-11 in Europe despite its complete recreation.

Steve Heinrichs

ps--As to 550-0018 ---it is in Europe.

[Type550]

0018 is now owned by Mr Porsche himself...

[Type550]

Today is 550-12 - another Spyder currently owned by the museum and a Carrera Panamericana and LeMans team car.

[JTR70]

Very Cool Andrew and thanks! Its probably been said before but which Spyder was the first to be built with a 4-cam installed?

[Steve Heinrichs]

550-04 got 547-01. That motor went a short time later to 550-03 and 550-04 got a 1500S and then 547-04.

Steve Heinrichs

[Type550]

550-13 is another 'lost' Spyder which was originally a LeMans Werks car. Before photoshop, there was hand retouching...

[356]

A few years ahead of Fuhrmann.

[Steve Heinrichs]

re 550-13:

We note 63 appearances for this car. Sad, that does now seem lost.

Steve Heinrichs

[Type550]

550-14 is another of the lost Spyders - Hans Hermann raced it to 2nd position in the 1954 Berlin GP at the Avus track. It had many modifications including a new nose, rear wheel covers, wrap around screen and head faring. I am not sure if it still exists today...

[JTR70]

WOW! The talk of long lost Spyders sure gets the imagination running wild! Just picture 13 and 14 huddled together in a long forgotten tractor-trailer or storage room somewhere. Where these cars last recorded race in South America by chance? I've heard the legend that a lot of old race cars in the late 50's and 60's where left practically abandon there since it was far more expense and trouble to ship them back; after all it was just an obsolete race car at that point.
There was a friend of a friend back in the 80's that brushed up on his Spanish and went looking for these cars. From what I was told he found several gems including an Abarth GTL and several Carreras. Can't remember if he found a Spyder but I'd say chances were probably very good that he did. I'll have to ask about that again.
Thanks again for the great photos Andrew! #14 was certainly showing styling ques of the RSK which was to come.

[Steve Heinrichs]

550-13 finished racing in the U.S. and 550-14 had a very, very short European race history.

I believe that few, if any, of the 550s/718s/etc. remain in South America.

Steve Heinrichs

[356]

[Type550]

[Type550]

We have reached the Wendler customer spyders. Starting with 550-0016 which was the first built, but not the first delivered. The car can easily be identified by its slanting 'spyder' emblem on the side front quarter panel. It is unknown why it was positioned as such, but it has retained that position throughout its life. Currently living in Belgium, the car was fully restored by its current owner.

It was the only privateer spyder entered into the 1955 LeMans race driven by Josef Jeser and finishing 2nd in class (1.1 litre). It also raced at the Ring, Avus and Hockenheim among other races with winning results due to the racing skills of Jeser.