Carrera book comments and questions

[Steve Heinrichs]

Guys,

I'm sorry but from our point of view, other projects and other issues...and given that we believe that none of the exchanges here have changed our mind at all--------------given all of this, I have asked Vietta to post no more re 550-05, or the famous 550-07 ( and an iteration of it using parts of 0043). I shall try to follow the example.

We believe and the book is clear:

1) 550-05 went to Brazil and was raced by Stuck.
2) F. Porsche wanted it sold and Stuck sold to Fasenello who did not pay.
3) Fasenello's accident did not involve 550-05.
4) He never paid; the car stayed in Brazil and never returned to Europe.
5) Later, Heins acquired the car and it got a new, later front end. Easily done in Brazil.
6) NO evidence exists of a 550-05 return to Europe for a race or a new nose.
7) The confusing photos are simply the result of a reconfig of 550-07.
People NOT associated with Porsche may wish to call the last reconfig of 07...may wish to call it 550-0043. The company called Porsche in Germany never (according to them) made 550-0043.
9) There has been no suggestion that fits that offers an alternative car for the disputed races where/when 550-05 was absolutely in Brazil.

Now, we have more but this is an important project so we cannot post more here.

It would be great if---at the very least---evidence was evaluated not based upon an attempt to assert fakes or some improper activity by Stuck or Kern or others. These guys did their very best.


Steve Heinrichs

[Carrera GT]

Thanks to Steve H. and Vietta for sharing the new Book info on this topic and subject matter. I would say unprecedented in a Forum discussion in many ways.

Michael Doyle

[Type550]

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/page/june-1954/16

[Type550]

Looks like Olivier raced 550-05 in both the 75km Coupe de Printemps and the 100km Coupe de Paris on the 25th April 1954 (when the car returned to Europe...)

[Steve Heinrichs]

First, 550-05 was absolutely in Brazil at the time. Secondly, the article (I believe) does not refer to the specific car but rather the 550 type.

There is ZERO documentation that shows anything other than 550-05 being in Brazil.

Steve Heinrichs

[Type550]

Was 550-07 ever fitted with a 1500 push rod engine?

[Type550]

[vhelmle]

• (with Stuck that we know of for certain).(It may have gone badly, but we do know that due to an accident in a different car, Fasanello was slow to pay.)((We are very certain that the car was stored in Brazil during the letter exchange during the first half of 1954. We have proven that 550-05 was in Brazil for the two Stuck races. Then, because Stuck was under pressure from Porsche to sell the car, he [Stuck] corresponded with Porsche manager, Kern from at least 17 February 1954 through 4 June 1954. Stuck then sold the car to Bino Heins who was about 19 in 1954 and was an acolyte/fan/assistant of Stuck and other famous pilots of the day. The races listed in various sources are important Brazil races. We do not know about less important races and minor races in other parts including Uruguay, Rio de Janiero, hillclimbs, etc.)
• There are a number of letters that have been translated and interpreted to conclude this, but there is no reference to a specific car or the outcome of the sale. [We have moved this assertion from below].
• 550-01 raced in 1953 Carrera Panamericana. Then in January 1954 at 1000 km Buenos Aires. In March 1954 550-01 was at Sebring and in November at 1954 Carrera Panamericana. Finally, it went back to 1000 km Buenos Aires in January 1955.
• 550-02 followed a similar path: 1953 Carrera Panamericana, then 1954 1000 km Buenos Aires, March 1954 Sebring. But then it stayed in the US.
• During those first 6 months of 1954, we believe that 550-07 (not 550-05)
• The period from about July 1954 to December 1955 (about 16 months) it is not clear to us what happened to the car. We currently believe that 550-05 remained in Brazil.
• We know that Bino Heins bought the car from Stuck, not Veuillet, the French dealer who owned/raced 550-07. We have found no record of the car returning to Germany.
• We just month found a new book about Bino Heins, by Paulo Scali, who also wrote books about Gavea, Chico Landi and Interlagos. In this book, we found a new photo that shows the new front end at Interlagos in June 1956.
• ...and decided to fit a new front end on it from a 550/550A spyder and race it. (As we note above, Heins raced 550-05 a few times starting in December 1955. We have a couple of photos of Jorge Lettry (Heins mechanic) in 550-05 in Brazil in late 1955 or early 1956 so it seems unlikely that he would have received a 550A type front end earlier.
• In addition, at least one Brazilian blogger, Ruy Amaral speculates that the car was eventually modified because the motor was sabotaged during an unknown Uruguay race. However, it is not absolutely clear that the car in this story is 550-05 or the later 550A-0143.
• 550-07 was a test car also fitted with quad cam engine 547-04 and was last documented as a test car on 25 March 1954 before it was reverse engineered from a hinged rear car to a fixed back car, a 1500 push rod engine installed, painted and tested before the first attended race 4 weeks later on 25 April 1954 at the Montlhery Coupe du Printemps race where Olivier raced it to victory.
• This car was cloned to the same specifications and configuration of 550-05. (We do not understand the rear hood with the raised channel and single grille which is visible in 1955 Agadir photos for Bousquet. We also strongly considered that she was actually racing 550-05 at early 1954 France races, but the exchange of letters between Stuck and Kern, Porsche manager, in Spring 1954 countered that argument.)
• We are unable to absolutely resolve this question and currently believe that 550-07 received a body similar to 550-05, with the raised channel on the rear hood.(We currently believe that this major modification did not take place until sometime before the August 1955 Montlhery Autodrome race. This is the first time we have a photo that shows the 0043 modifications.)
• We question how 550-05 might have gotten to France. Even if it was back in Germany, when did Veuillet acquire 550-05 and from whom?
• The 550-0043 frame car raced a number of races and speed record attempts until the fatal crash with Bousquet. The car was repaired by Porsche and bought by Blendl where he raced it and crashed it and the car burnt to the ground with little remains.

As always, Steve will provide further information or comments as needed.

[Type550]

Considering the photo in the Bino book has a Wendler badge ahead of the driver's door, I doubt the photo is of 550-05 - it would be a 550A Spyder

[vhelmle]

Considering the photo in the Bino book has a Wendler badge ahead of the driver's door, I doubt the photo is of 550-05 - it would be a 550A Spyder

[Type550]

Does anyone know which Porsche Claude Storez raced in the 1955 Touraine Rallye?

[vhelmle]

Does anyone know which Porsche Claude Storez raced in the 1955 Touraine Rallye?

Hello Everyone,

Steve Heinrichs has asked me to respond to Andrew's question about the 8 March 1955 Touraine Rallye. We believe he was driving 550-08. He had acquired the car in about September 1954 when it was DNS at 19 September 1954 Avus race. We note in the book on page 539 for the Avus race that 550-08 had already been sold to Storez.

We have added 8 March 1955 Touraine Rallye for Storez with 550-08 to the database. It should appear on page 544. During February-March of 1955 the 550 Prototypes were in the following places:



Some of the 550s were also racing at the time (between February and April 1955).

[Type550]

There were 2 other pilots driving Porsches - Boiteux (5th) and Esmery (9th) - do you have any information on them?

I read the Circuit de Tours was organized the same day and at the end of the Rallye de Touraine. So the entrants were mainly from the Rallye itself. The Circuit was raced on the Tours's airfield; one lap= approx 5 km.

[vhelmle]

There were 2 other pilots driving Porsches - Boiteux (5th) and Esmery (9th) - do you have any information on them?

I read the Circuit de Tours was organized the same day and at the end of the Rallye de Touraine. So the entrants were mainly from the Rallye itself. The Circuit was raced on the Tours's airfield; one lap= approx 5 km.

We do have those two pilots in the database. Porsche's compilation of race results, Sport Erfolge 1955 identifies them as driving 356 cars.

Regards,

Vietta

[vhelmle]

Hello Everyone

Steve Heinrichs has asked me to let you all know that the Carrera Book has been mentioned on the Elva Forum. You will find Mr. Dunbar's note about the book at this web address: Elva Members Forum under the Forum discussion, "Learn all about 'The Early Years of Porsche Motorsports'"

Regards, Vietta