Porsche 550 Spyder...

[boyRacer]

I want one... would be a blast to drive down PCH around 1am - 2am... siiigh... this would be my perfect stress reliever... since i can't afford a 360 spider...

 

[BeauJangles]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........................................

 

[pac1085]

thats not the real thing, reproduction

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: Vortex
thats not the real thing, reproduction

I know... but look at it! It's so cleeeeaaaannn... there was one for sale around Santa Monica a month go... it looks so beat up... ...probably doesn't even run since it was only about $2k... probably not even real either but hard to find an original in great condition that doesn't need restoration...

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Vortex
thats not the real thing, reproduction

Bingo. It's worthless.

ZV

 

[phantom309]

 

[phantom309]

sorry about /\/\/\

You can get a very nice 550 replica for around 20k from Beck. Car and Driver test drove one and said it was very similar to the original on the road. Personally, I don't have a problem with replica 550s and Speedsters - the originals were so heavily VW-based that the reps are pretty true to their spirit. It's not like those Ferrari GTO fakes that were built on Mustang II components.

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: phantom309
sorry about /\/\/\

You can get a very nice 550 replica for around 20k from Beck. Car and Driver test drove one and said it was very similar to the original on the road. Personally, I don't have a problem with replica 550s and Speedsters - the originals were so heavily VW-based that the reps are pretty true to their spirit. It's not like those Ferrari GTO fakes that were built on Mustang II components.

That's still a wee bit to high for me... better than $500,000 i guess...

 

[Siddhartha]

I think the 550 spyder is a cool looking car. The problem is it has a swing axle rear suspension. I think it is Vintage who sells the 550 with a upgraded suspension. Also if you can get one with a five speed transaxle would be nice too.

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
I think the 550 spyder is a cool looking car. The problem is it has a swing axle rear suspension. I think it is Vintage who sells the 550 with a upgraded suspension. Also if you can get one with a five speed transaxle would be nice too.

Yep... would be the perfect weekend car for me... siiiigh...

 

[Howard]

I wonder if the "hydraulic clutch" is a normal clutch with hydraulic assistance, or a SMG.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Howard
I wonder if the "hydraulic clutch" is a normal clutch with hydraulic assistance, or a SMG.

A "hydraulic clutch" is a normal clutch with hydraulic assistance, which is common in most modern manual trans cars. An original Spyder would have a cable-actuated clutch. Porsches and VW's of that period are very similar: rear-engine air-cooled flat-4, 4 speed manual, swing-axle transaxle rear suspension, torsion beam front suspension. The ultimate in primitive performance.
And because the originals are now so rare and expensive, the reproductions do have some value, although I think $30k+ is WAY too high. For ~$5k or so (depending on the price and condition of the body, plus whether you did the work or farmed it out), you could build an old '60s bug that would have similar performance, if not the cool factor.

IIRC, James Dean died on the PCH in one of those. They're not exactly the world's safest car.