Porsche 550 spyder
 

This car is stunning! It was visiting a neighbors home over the week end (was told he's an antique VW/Porsche enthusiast book author) and I had to stop. I checked the net and found a couple of replica car kit makers and am almost considering building one - wish I had the 3rd garage stall more than ever- If its real anyone know whats it worth?

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

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Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Its tiny and couldn't weigh more than 1,500lbs - couldn't take a lot of power to make it a fun car to drive. Its easy to see how James Dean died in one, its about knee high at the door top!

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

If Im not mistaken the 550 had one of the fisrt 4 cam engines.
The engine alone is worth 200k or more.
That car (real) Im guessing maybe 1mil. depending on the buyer

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The only thing missing are the red stripes on the top of the quarter panels.
They are a 550 trade mark

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If your going to build one,Its best to find a early 911 or 912 as the doner car. Not a VW.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

I was thinking a complete kit - wiuldn't want a hypo engine or anything

http://www.thunderranch.com/550.html

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I should have never looked :eek: :D

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

I built a 356 Replica and a Cobra replica. Fun projects--but one hell of a lot of work and the manuals were pretty marginal. The Cobra was a blast to drive but everytime I drov it I lost 10 pounds--it was just hot as hell in the cockpit. The 356 gets more looks than the Cobra ever did.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Nice cars -- I think everyone assumes a Cobra is a kit car, pretty much all you see on the road - not so much with the 356

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

CMG I also believe thats true! Nice cars!!!

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Car is definitely a replica- the hubs are a dead giveaway. The original had the same hub arrangement as the OLD VW with the very large perimeter lug arrangement rather than the small 5-lug of the later Volks.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Chris - good eye , I have been looking into it and www.automotivelegends.com makes a kit, one of the options is for the 4 or 5 lug set up. It was at a gathering of a bunch of old Porsches and if it was real - with a value between 500K-1M it would have been the center of attention and not left in the street.

Pics still don't do it justice, its a real sexy car. I started priming the wife last night and she gave her approval, right after her new kitchen cabinets and counter tops :( . I told her with the cost of fuel I'm not getting back into an offshore boat for a while - she liked to hear that. Theres a Beck on Ebay (appears to be one of the better replicars) in CT, if rain ever stops I'll take my scooter for a 280 mile ride on a week-end.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

The Becks are the best from what I have seen. They have a kit that will allow the use of Porsche 911 components and slightly larger tires. My guess is that it would scare the hell out of you.

This is a good resource- http://www.spyderclub.com

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Thanks for the link, definitely don't want to make a 400hp RUF motored 1200lb rocket ship out of it or anything. Won't take much to make it fun,an old Porsche motor will do fine, just want to stay away from the Beetle sewing machine.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

I'm with ya.

A nice 2.7 or 3 litre with Webers and headers will do the trick. There's not much better than the sound of a Porsche 6 with Webers. Plus, you'll still get to see the looks of all those Corvette owners at the next stoplight.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Beck does build the best replica on the market. It's scary fast when Porsche components are dropped in.


review's of Beck Spyder:

http://www.fineliving.com/fine/life_...922203,00.html

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...2_beck_spyder/

For speedsters: http://www.intermeccanica.com/

I was talking with both those companies on becoming a dealer for them. Thing that seperates them from the pack, almost as many replica's making these Porsches second to Cobra companies, is they are taken serious by the main stream car media.

A 550 sold recently at just over $1million, one of the original factory prototypes/race cars.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

A friend of mine had a beater VW bus that we dropped a 2.7L built to RS specs. The van freakin flew, buddy started illegal street racing and word quickly spread don't try taking on the purple bus!!!! A 3.0L SC engine stock would be more than enough insanity in a rep. spyder......

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Its funny, I got a packet from Intermeccanica almost 15 years ago but never did anything, make a real nice car. Thanks for the links

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

I built a 356 also. Loved the spyder though. I heard great things about the beck spyder too. A customer of mine owned one and loved it. The looks I got in that 356 kit were insane. I loaned it to a customer/friend while I was working on his car and when he got back , he tells me of all the looks he got in my little kit compared to his porsche turbo and all the other countless bad azz rides he has had. I laughed but as I drove by the beach , all eyes were on it! Too funny. I say build the beck!

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Oh ya, Zudnic'd thread answered my question for sure on if the 550 I saw was real or not, it was fiberglass and not aluminum. I know, chances were really thin to begin with.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Worked across the street from them about 15 years ago. Was considering trading my Vette at the time for one, they are that nice.

A 1956 1600RS spyder once owned by Seinfeld is for sale in New Haven asking $1million.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

I'm considering a Beck kit also.

I currently have a '84 911 CAb and a mint '74 914. I think I may sell the 911 and get the Beck. I love those damn 550's

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Mid to late eighties early ninties 911's have been dropping in value over the last year. ie: 1990 C4 black on black, tiptronic 80K miles, one owner with all records, $14,500 that was sold under my noise last week! 914's however are finaly getting well decerved notice in Porsche circles, would keep it over the 911 as well.

Phoned a friend at RM Auctions and a 56-550A/1500RS in Monterey,CA two years ago $726K.

The Seinfeld 550 is at a dealer called Sloan Cars: http://www.sloancars.com/vs1/inventory.asp

Albeit most of their cars are low miles the prices are rather high above the retail market.

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

/06
Description : 1962 PORS SPEEDSTER
Color : SILVER
VIN : 117112
ACV : $29,500 USD
Title Type : SALVAGE CERTIFICATE
Loss Type : COLLISION
Mileage : 9375 E
Damage Type : RR
Keys: YES
Current Bid: $5,600 USD


anyone interested?

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

Washington State plates and looks like she's at the same auction place that I picked up my 914 for $75 dollars. I'll check it out cause its an easy fix... :drink:

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Time for the infamous OSO "that'll buff right out"..

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

beck is NOT the best kit... it is very authentic... but the vintage kit is better... they added some stifening to the replica frame making it much better to drive... im getting one this winter to build

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Thanks, I hope to get to CT soon to take a Beck for a ride, I'd like to drive a competitive model also. I'll keep my eyes open for a Vintage Spyder.

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I restored a friends Porsche 718 RSK replica a while back after kids had badly vandalised it. This was the day I gave it back to him. Was quite good fun, but I prefer my cars to have a bit more muscle to them - felt like sitting in a roller skate!
http://www.mattyorke.co.uk/gallery/gpspyder

Re: Porsche 550 spyder
 

my all time favorite classic is the Porsche 356 cabriolet

jr mike