Spyder 550 550A

[Carrera_The_Kid]

I will go out on a limb and say the first one

[356]

+1

[JTR70]

Definitely the second one is the fake Andrew. Plate should be either Spot welded like the first example or maybe gas welded at the very least. The second one has been attached with a MIG weld. Looks like a prime example of VIN tampering.

[Blechquäler]

Well Andrew, even if you ask people such a simple riddle you shouldn't make it to easy and call the photo "fakechassisplate.jpg"

[Trevor]

550-073 at Werks Reunion 2015.

[Type550]

You are correct Justin (and yes, the file name was a giveaway!) I thought it would be a no-brainer for this forum. The tell tale signs are the welds and how it distorts the plate when fixed and also the condensed font used to stamp the numbers used by Porsche/Wendler. You can see a different font for the fake one. You do wonder why they go to so much effort to create a fake and the first thing you would check are the plates!

[356]

[356]

[Type550]

Interesting photo - McAfee raced 550-0023 and 550-0047 with race #88. Only 550-0047 had the 2 gills in the side, but it also had scoops on the rear deck lid and different hole cut outs in the tail. Jack never raced with the cowl that I know, but Tom Sheilbe did in 1960 - is it the same car??

[Steve Heinrichs]

Early frames (and frame plates) were not made by Wendler. And, the frame numbers are generally off by two as it relates to the car number----see book.

Steve Heinrichs

[Blechquäler]

Car on the photo is 0047

[vhelmle]

Hello Everyone,

Steve Heinrichs has asked me to comment on the photo of the 550 with tail vents.We agree that the car in this photo is 550-0047. We have a photo that we believe is from the same race--but we have never been able to identify the race. As you all know, McAfee raced 550-0047 with start nr. 188, class F in at least nine west coast races and at June 1956 Elkhart Lake, 1956 Seafair and 1958 Phoenix.

Here's the photo we believe is from the same race:



NOTE: The Edgar van implies that the race was before August or September 1957.

Regards, Vietta

[Steve Heinrichs]

re frame/other plates----

My bad. It is the Wendler plate that is off by two generally until late 30s early 40s...not the frame plate.

Sorry.

Steve Heinrichs

[Type550]

This photo is Palm Springs Nov 1957

[Type550]

Interesting photo of #26 at the 1956 12 h Reims. Identified in the Carerra book as 550-0077. I have not seen any other photos of 0077 with an oil filler cap on the side of the engine bay behind the passenger door...