Aluminum 550 Spyder build

An opportunity came up last year to have a 550 body built, so I jumped at the chance. My friend Wray is making the body and even teaching a class on how to do it, how cool is that?
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006679607997
http://www.proshaper.com/

And before anyone cries kit or reproduction, I am mounting it on a 356 chassis, so it will be a re-bodied 356 Special, in a long tradition of such builds.

I will post pictures as the build progresses, so far the work is amazing!!!!

And if you have any interest in building your own, Wray is doing a class every month. How cool would it be to have a 550 that you built!

Happy New Year!

Fantastic! Any chance it'll be running a 4 cam?

Depends on what we find this year, I haven't found a 4-cam in a few years.

--Adam

It looks like new 4-cam engine is available from Capricorn.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by popowitz

It looks like new 4-cam engine is available from Capricorn.

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I haven't talked to anyone who has actually bought one from Capricorn, and at around $180,000 unbuilt that's a steep hill to climb. I was offered a 4-cam collection a few weeks ago, enough to build 3-4 engines, but at $300,000 that too is a tough nut to crack.

Lots of progress recently on the build, shaping aluminum is harder than it looks.

beautiful!

The shaping phase of the tail is done, the welding phase has begun.

The metal for the tail is done, it will be on display at the Open House.

---Adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Unobtanium-inc

Depends on what we find this year, I haven't found a 4-cam in a few years.

--Adam

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Ask Ben Klein from Porfor in Los Angeles...he might have an 4 cam engine....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 911r67

Ask Ben Klein from Porfor in Los Angeles...he might have an 4 cam engine....

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I know Ben, I love his racks of cars!
Actually, a 4-cam would take all the fun out of this project, I'm probably going to run a complete rear clip of a 914.

---Adam

I don't think I've updated this in awhile. We got the back end mostly built and have been spending time on the wire form. The wire form is really good when it comes to building the body because you can clamp and weld while everything is in the right place.

The metal is shaping pretty quickly now.

The real score was I found a bunch of real 550 metal, doors, fender wells, all taken off of a car decades ago. Nothing like real metal.

---Adam

Great find, and project :cool:

Thank you for the update.

Looks great--thanks for the continuing update! Regarding the original metal, will you be using that as a model, just keeping it, or trying to incorporate it into your car?

Separately, what does the wire form weigh (and cost)? Would be fun to have one of those mounted on the wall as art.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KennethClay

Looks great--thanks for the continuing update! Regarding the original metal, will you be using that as a model, just keeping it, or trying to incorporate it into your car?

Separately, what does the wire form weigh (and cost)? Would be fun to have one of those mounted on the wall as art.

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I can ask Wray how many hours it took to do the wire form. I plan to use as much of the original metal as possible, and I'm hunting for more.

---Adam

Yesterday was a long day but I got a lot done. I finished up all 4 lower panels and got busy on the dash. I ran out of day and it was probably good because the dash was kicking up butt.

---Adam

Ok, back in action! Now that the wire form is done I grabbed the tail section that had been hanging from the ceiling of my shop and transported it to Wray's to see how many panels we had finished. It was impressive to get them altogether, and the 550 looked good next to the Maserati. A good day!

---Adam

Starting to really look like a 550. I've scored an original hood, doors, and inner fenders, so it will have some real 550 DNA.

---Adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Unobtanium-inc

I can ask Wray how many hours it took to do the wire form. I plan to use as much of the original metal as possible, and I'm hunting for more.

---Adam

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Car is looking beautiful!

When you're done with that wire form, let me know!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KennethClay

Car is looking beautiful!

When you're done with that wire form, let me know!

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The wire form will stay at Wray's, for his students to learn on. But you can always take his class and make your own, it's a great experience.

www.proshaper.com

---Adam

Looking good, Adam!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KennethClay

Car is looking beautiful!

When you're done with that wire form, let me know!

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The wireframe is not for sale, but the fiberglass body we used to make it is. You can make flexible shape patterns off of it like we did, without making a wire frame. This body was taken off a real car, not a Beck. It's very accurate.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifi...php?id=2223635

---Adam

That’s awesome Adam. Where’s the real hood in these photos? I didn’t realize you had so many real body parts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rower

That’s awesome Adam. Where’s the real hood in these photos? I didn’t realize you had so many real body parts.

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I scored the hood recently, it came off of 550A-0114, here is a pic of the car racing in 1969, same livery!

---Adam

Hey Adam looks good. Your car looks like a 550 front end not a 550A, hard to tell from the photo (post 18), but does the hood from the A fit without mods? My favorite is still the da spoodster though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by steve shea

Hey Adam looks good. Your car looks like a 550 front end not a 550A, hard to tell from the photo (post 18), but does the hood from the A fit without mods? My favorite is still the da spoodster though.

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Luckily, I hadn't finished the hood I was making yet so I can make these fenders and nose match the hood that I got. There is some leavity in making your own car, some freedom in the design.
Yes, I miss Da Spoodster, I never even got to drive it and probably never will since it's in Australia now.

---Adam

hi Adam
Any progress on the 550 during the long winter evenings ?!
I really enjoy the thread

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pgxif

hi Adam
Any progress on the 550 during the long winter evenings ?!
I really enjoy the thread

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Yes, I was able to score an original hood (off 550A-0114), and an original tail (off 550-0058), so between all that and the doors and inner fenders the car will be over 50% original metal. Hoping to get going on the chassis in February, right now the car is just chillin'.

---Adam

a tail too - wow - fantastic
(of course ---- you had built one --- but anyway !!!)

Out of interest:
(i) did someone contact you, or did you sleuthly work on getting it for ages ?
Same seller as the hood (maybe - as paint job of ivory/black seems similar) ?

(ii) did 550A-0114 and 550-0058 "die" - or get these parts replaced, as far as you know ?)

(iii) are you still basing it on the 914 rear clip ?


Great stuff - looking forward to more in due course !

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pgxif

a tail too - wow - fantastic
(of course ---- you had built one --- but anyway !!!)

Out of interest:
(i) did someone contact you, or did you sleuthly work on getting it for ages ?
Same seller as the hood (maybe - as paint job of ivory/black seems similar) ?

(ii) did 550A-0114 and 550-0058 "die" - or get these parts replaced, as far as you know ?)

(iii) are you still basing it on the 914 rear clip ?


Great stuff - looking forward to more in due course !

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I cast the net far and wide, looking for original metal, and some seeds came back as trees. Of the three cars my parts came all are still around.

I'm re-thinking the 914 rear clip, I had so many issues with the 904 build getting everything low enough for the body work to clear that I'm not sure I want to re-invent the wheel again.

---Adam

Ok, time to start on the chassis. I've been saving this chassis for awhile. It must have been rolled early in it's life because there is very little rust. Someone cut out the front pan but I suspect by today's standard it probably wasn't very rusty. I plan to cut this at the back seat area and mate to the 550 frame, the frame was made in the 80's I think, so not original but it looks close enough. I loose fitted the front panels, everything is way way off, but you get the idea.
Hoping to make big progress next week, stay tuned.

---Adam

Looking good - an interesting challenge!!!

Ok, full steam ahead, all we are working on this week at Unobtanium HQ is the 550 project. Big progress today, sliced the 356 chassis in half and got the 550 frame in place. Next is mating the two. Big John kept asking me how we are going to do it and what have other people done. No good answers there...

Stay tuned.

---Adam

Today was slower than I had hoped. I assumed I could use 356 spring plates to hold in the gearbox. But unknown to me, the 550 ones are longer, a lot longer. 29" in all. So we chopped up four to make two. It came together nicely, but it wasn't fast. Hoping to get the gearbox in tomorrow and start working on seaming up the two pieces. It's hard when you're going into the unknown.

---Adam

Were the spring plates drilled to make them lighter? I seem to recall a photo that showed them drilled ...

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Originally Posted by StephenAcworth

Were the spring plates drilled to make them lighter? I seem to recall a photo that showed them drilled ...

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I think some of the early Werks cars had those drilled but I also heard that they were pretty flexible and the solid ones were preferred.

---Adam

Today was a slower pace of day. Stupid stuff like needing the correct mounts for the gearbox, both off the shelf and having to fab up mounts, made for slow work. Also worked on the front clip. The hood opening is going to need some tweeking to go from the C hood shape to the 550, but it's close enough to make it work. Hopefully we get the parts in first thing in the morning and can keep grinding.

---Adam

Today was a productive day with times of frustration. You need special mounts to install the gearbox, I found them and had some overnighted but my UPS guy didn't drop them until 3PM. UPS red label used to be mean by 10 or noon at the latest, apparently big brown isn't what it used to be. Big John worked on the gearbox, getting it in place and fabing up new mounts for the back. I worked on the front of the car, cutting and fitting. All in all a good day, more tomorrow. Hoping to mate the two ends on Friday and have this be a roller.

One thing that was really cool today was a reminder that Porsche doesn't change things if they don't have to. Like when you can put a fender from a 85 911 on a 68 911, or how you can put an engine from a 64 356 into a 53 356. Some stuff just stays the same. I have the original front inner fenders for the 550 and tried fitting them. They literally fell right into place, a Porsche front beam is a Porsche front beam, doesn't matter if it's a 550 Spyder or a C Coupe, it was amazing!

---Adam

Today flowed much better than yesterday. We got the gearbox in and got the wheels on. Vic will probably recognize the box, he built it.
We had enough day left to get a game plan for tomorrow on the mating of the two chassis pieces.
Hopefully on Saturday it will be one rolling chassis.

Stay tuned.

---Adam

Very cool thread....following with interest :)

Ok, long day, working into the night, but we got it done. The car is now a rolling chassis and one piece.

We did have one hiccup today, remember we had to make the spring plates, well, we made them a little too long, so we had to cut and re-weld those.

Next stop, dropping it off at Geoff's house to do the mechanical, and I can get this car out of my brain for awhile and jump back on the 904. It's like having two mistresses!

---Adam

looks like a lot of fun...

You and your crew have lots of confidence, skill and courage to tackle this major project. Very nice.

I always forget how small the 550 is, the Speedster seat looks huge, right?
---Adam

Great thread! Not much DIY topic here.

Just for inspiration, if you don't already know it:

http://www.thespyderfactory.com/

Olivier.

How are the mechanicals going Adam ?
(Or ... perhaps ... an update on the 904 ?!!)
Hope all going well

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pgxif

How are the mechanicals going Adam ?
(Or ... perhaps ... an update on the 904 ?!!)
Hope all going well

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Well, as fate would have it I was going to bring the 550 chassis to a friend's place to get it operational, the same week the lockdown happened. Now getting to Jersey by going through NYC is a little scary, so it's on hold until they give the all clear. Once I get that out of the way I'm back on the 904.

So now new updates, sorry.

---Adam

ahhh ... yes ... perfectly understandable !!!

It is now, out of my hands and into the hands of Geoff. Luckily, Geoff has one of those brains that can think outside the box, he's gonna need it for some of the stuff on this chassis. Now back to the 904!

---Adam

I think I have a plan for the motor.

---Adam

Geoff has really been putting in the time, making great progress. The motor is in, the suspension is set up, steering is done. He even has some cool ideas for the brakes. I'm thinking this project is starting to take shape.

---Adam

When you make it a life quest to acquire 550 Spyder metal, opening a crate like this is like Christmas morning!

---Adam

Nice one Adam!
Lovely progress. Keep it up!

To help visualize better, this is everything in it's place.

---Adam

Nice lookin pieces! Is this car stock 550 wheelbase?......or longer?

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Originally Posted by acoupe

Nice lookin pieces! Is this car stock 550 wheelbase?......or longer?

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The chassis is stock measurements.

---Adam

great project ... are these pieces from the same donor car?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bob joyce

great project ... are these pieces from the same donor car?

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I've cobbled parts from a bunch of different cars.

The tail is off of 0058, the hood is 0114, the doors are off of 0132, as well as some of the inner fender wells.

---Adam

Ok...this is so cool !
Really like Mixing & matching new with old original , better than just re- manufacturing.
Please keep us updated and more details would be great.

Yesterday was cool. I borrowed an original fender off of 0054, thankfully my friend trusted me with it for a few weeks. The info it gave us was invaluable to make a pattern off of. Placement of the headlight, turn signal, and horn/brake cooling opening is crucial. For example, look at the pattern on our wire frame. The turn signal and headlight are good, so our info on those up until now was accurate, but look how far off our opening was for the brake cooling, way way off, now it will be accurate. The devil is in the details....

And when you do it this way, you know it's right on the money! Like, "where do I put the mirror?", oh, right where the holes are on the original fender!
The big moves are fun but sometimes the little ones are fun too.

---Adam

Not sure I’d want it but it’s out there.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/gearbox/

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Originally Posted by jt912

Not sure I’d want it but it’s out there.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/gearbox/

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That car is like a real life Christine, it has supposedly killed far more than just James Dean. Buyer beware!

Today was like X-mass morning, opening a magic box of cool!

---Adam

Ok, It looks like we are entering the home stretch in terms of the chassis being operational. Geoff has working brakes, exhaust, shifting, engine and gearbox in place. Some of these things sound simple, except when you realize there is no mechanism for a lot of it. Brakes sure, they are brakes. But shifting on a hybrid chassis with components that are new to it. For example, the linkage and shifting that works on the 519 doesn't work on the 644, which I am using, so Geoff had to do a lot of thinking outside the box and trail and error to see what works. Probably a lot of what the Factory had to do when they made the first 550's.
Better him than me. I was recently told by a mechanic who I know really well that I'm a good finder, an ok salesman, but an awful mechanic. He told me politely to play to my strengths!

---Adam

Nice one Adam. Love seeing the progress.
That Dash -> that's art!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Unobtanium-inc

. Some of these things sound simple, except when you realize there is no mechanism for a lot of it.

---Adam

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Ignorant question , but I’m interested: won’t “standard” (eg Beck) components fit in most cases ?
Or are the dimensions materially different ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pgxif

Ignorant question , but I’m interested: won’t “standard” (eg Beck) components fit in most cases ?
Or are the dimensions materially different ?

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No, all the systems for the BECK are set up for the VW Type 1 gearbox, not a 356 gearbox. The guys at BECK had done this a couple of times and told me what they did and we followed their instructions for how to set up the gearbox but there was never a good system for shifting. Real Porsche linkage is all set up for the 519 split case gearbox, so I went to the guys reproducing that stuff and they said it wouldn't work on a 644, which I was using. We were able to adapt a cable shift system which seems to be working. I may fine tune it later to make it look a little cooler, it's rather Dune Buggy looking now. But the important thing was to get everything operational, then I can work on it over time.
But yes, I too thought I could use the BECK setup, so it was a major setback when I realized I couldn't.

---Adam

Chassis is done, picked it up at Geoff's today, just missing the blizzard that is hitting tonight. A Nor'Easter, they are calling it.

Next stop is Proshaper where we will skin this baby!

---Adam

It's alive, fired the motor today, the exhaust is throaty!

https://www.facebook.com/adam.wright...10933681017111


---Adam

And you could resist a small road test?!
Incredible ;)

Nice step and I'm looking forward for the next one.

Loaded up the car today to head to Wray's so we can start skinning it this weekend, if you squint you can see the dream!

---Adam

It's been a productive weekend. Me and Wray really got rolling on the assembly. Dreams come true at Proshaper!

---Adam

Last pics from the 550 build weekend with Wray Schelin at Proshaper, the car is finally taking shape after all these years of working away.

---Adam

Love seeing that kind of work! Some neat bits coming together there

is it going back to light ivory?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bob joyce

is it going back to light ivory?

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I probably won't paint it for a couple of years and might not ever paint the hood, still has the same paint it did in 1969.

How you learn how to build a car, do the grunt work, let the master do his thing, and end up with something special. That's me on the left, Wray on the right.

---Adam

Adam,
Can I ask if you know how long it took the Porsche Factory to make these back in the 1950’s?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NZVW

Adam,
Can I ask if you know how long it took the Porsche Factory to make these back in the 1950’s?

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The Porsche Factory actually contracted Wendler to make the bodies. Not sure how long it took them but much of the welding was pretty crude. They cut corners that I yell at my guys for doing.

---Adam

It was a fun weekend at Wray's with a couple of milestones. The first being we hung the rear clamshell, probably the first time those hinges have been used in my lifetime! From there we worked on the fender wells, replacing the metal that was cut off, ice racer maybe? The work this weekend wasn't as dramatic as past weekends or as speedy but a lot of what we had to do was unknown, with lots of fitting of moving parts. But it's nice to be making real progress on the car, on the chassis, rather than years of building panels in a vacuum.

---Adam

great seeing these pictures
sorry if i missed this
but are you building, for instance, the wheel openings based on the shop drawings or are you making the "original" parts fit?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bob joyce

great seeing these pictures
sorry if i missed this
but are you building, for instance, the wheel openings based on the shop drawings or are you making the "original" parts fit?

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Much of the building is a combination of making the original pieces fit correctly, dimensions we took of two original cars, and pictures. The problem ultimately is none of the 550's are terribly consistent in their builds, and many that you see today have been re-bodied or repaired so it's hard to know what it supposed to look like. Luckily with pieces like the rear clip we have the clip and the wheel wells, which have a remanent of the original fender lip, so there is a reference point to go off of. It's time consuming but luckily, I'm only building the one car for me, so it will take as long as it takes, and at 47 I have time on my side.

---Adam

The engine has arrived, built by Vic, thanks Vic!!!!!

---Adam

The engine is starting to take shape.

---Adam

yea.... some nut and bolls and a goomnaflangee or two.....

Looking good, what a cool project!

Antoine

Very cool thread! What a challenge!

Getting Yummy! :cool:

A marathon is sprints and slows, right now we're in the slows. Fitting the inner fender with the outer fender as well as finishing the outer fender. Much of the metal is original but we had to add a lot too. Trying to get it to all be friends as well as interact with the chassis and wheel is a lot of little moving back and forth. So no sprints this weekend, but I'm still running with Wray!

Ran out of day, but we made good but slow progress. One fender flare is done, the original inner finder fit right in, so we knew it was spot on.
Started on the other side but time is never enough.

---Adam

Amazing work ! If you need a new 550 wiring loom reproduced , please contact us !
Exact cloth braided copy of an original.

Attachment 575565

I've finally documented the origin cars of all the original pieces I'm using for my build.

---Adam

thats neat .... now get us some good progress pictures.......

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bob joyce

thats neat .... now get us some good progress pictures.......

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Next week, me and Wray are doing a marathon 4 days this coming weekend, expect big things!

---Adam

My wife took the kids to FL to visit their Nana so me and the dog went to Wray's to weld and shape aluminum. A very productive weekend, the rear clam shell is almost completely repaired from it's years of racing abuse and is fitting nicely to the rest of the body. Wray got all the fun jobs like shaping and welding, I got all the not so fun jobs like cleaning the old aluminum and using the cutting wheel. But that's how you learn, you do the grunt and let the master do his thing.
Archie made himself right at home in Wray's shop, I guess he is used to coming to work with me everyday.
The #10 made it's first appearance in decades, a little light sanding brought it out.
Happy 4th everybody!

---Adam

Received what is hopefully the last of the metal we will need for this project. Bruce Kimmons made jigs for every part of the 550 so for some of these pieces it is a lot easier to have him make it, then for me and Wray to try and get it right. This is the inner front fenders and the surround for the hood lip.

---Adam

that should help a lot.

Such an awesome project this; it's great to see this come to life - thanks for sharing the progress Adam!

I continue to love this thread - one of the best

Brilliant and glad to see this come to life. I always wondered why the Porsche guys werent doint what the early VW crowd was doing by bringing back the dead cars. I look forward to seeing more progress and hopefully will see it in California one day.
Phil

I would love to see this almost as is at Pebble Beach. So much history in one car.

The build made some good progress this weekend at Wray's. For probably the first time in my lifetime the rear clamshell is complete again, no cut flares, etc. Getting the replacement outer fender pieces to fit the original inner fender pieces was difficult but Wray was able to massage it all together. A tap here, a tap there, and it all flows. Wray likes to say "Metal is clay".

---Adam

ahhh..... the wizardry of it all .....

Projects take time, lots of time, 7 years into this one, it's taking shape. Had to do some re-working of the front, but it's coming together.

---Adam

This weekend's work doesn't look like much but it was a major milestone. The frame we are working with was pretty crudely chopped in the front, leaving us to use a 356C from clip for the front beam and suspension. But we had never actually worked it into place to get the wheelbase correct. Wray had a big job at his shop doing some architectural palm trees for a big night club in Boston. I still wanted to work on the car but it would be me doing most of the work, which was a nice change in pace. Normally Wray is going a lot of the shaping with me doing the grunt work but this time I was doing a lot of the work. After much cutting, adding, measuring, eye-balling, we were able to end the weekend was the front wheels matching the stance of the back wheels and the wheelbase being correct. A good weekend.

---Adam

Impressive! - It must be great to see it coming together now. Keep up the good work and thanks so much for sharing it here, I always look forward to see updates on this build.

yes.. keep the pictures coming please

Finish the rough fab, shoot it with clear and let the history speak for itself!

My vote anyway. Very cool.

Good to see the progress here, keep enjoying the build ����

Antoine

Three day weekend at Wray's, lots of measuring, cross measuring, calculating, double checking. Wheelbase is set 2100mm or 82.67 inches. It's not always a dramatic weekend, but the work continues.

---Adam

7 years of work, sourcing parts from all over the world, has come to this moment! Dreams come true at ProShaper!

---Adam

looking good but need more pictures.

great progress Adam!
(+1 on Bob's comment)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bob joyce

looking good but need more pictures.

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If you look close, you can see the T6C peeking out.

---Adam

How will you paint it?


;)

Incredible work, and patience :cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 928cs

How will you paint it?


;)

Incredible work, and patience :cool:

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I plan on keeping it raw for awhile.

---Adam

7 years to be able to sit and smile! Never give up, keep building, no matter how long it takes!!!

---Adam

It's all fitting together and with the floor it's very strong.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Unobtanium-inc

7 years to be able to sit and smile! Never give up, keep building, no matter how long it takes!!!

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You're doing well Adam. Great job. I'm also 7 years into my project so let's see who finishes first, you or me? :D

I like the look Adam!.......it is gathering a great persona as it nears completion.....bb

Phase 1 is complete, only took 7 years! The body is shaped, complete and together. Phase 2 begins, the mechanical. Then phase 3, final assembly and finishing of body and interior. Never give up! Thanks for Wray Schelin at Pro Shaper for making dreams come true. I took his class on metal shaping years ago, learned some skills and he and me went crazy on my dream, an aluminum 550 Spyder. This is that dream realized.

Well done !

wray to go
i mean way to go........................

inspiring stuff
LOVE IT !

Congrats, that is a nice step!

Antoine

According to science a group of Spyders is called a Cluster. My car and 550-0054.

---Adam

Phase 2 has begun. Bill and me assessed the things we need to do to get the car operational and decided to start on the steering. I have an original 550 steering column, which is a good deal shorter then a 356. But we had the problem that the 550 steering column is much farther in board then in a 356. We moved the steering box and drilled a new hole in the bulkhead. It lined up nicely. We had a little day left so we started placing the shifter and ran the cables for the cable shift.
Also lined up the e-brake with the one in Bill's car, it was a close match. Bill and I worked well together so I think this will flow pretty smooth moving forward.

Today was pedal day. We first had to make and fit the bar that holds the pedals. Luckily we knew exactly where to put it since Bill's Spyder 550-0054 was a few inches away! The pedals were drilled and fitted, then the bar was welded in. It fit with my plan of showing progress every time we touch the car.

---Adam

great pictures
keep them coming
utilizing the other car while it is there for "take offs" will save you hundreds of hours

Now that is one sturdy pedal cluster!

Today was momentous even if it doesn't seem so. One of the last big obstacles to the build and one that has been worrying me was the shift linkage. I had decided to go with a 644 gearbox but while converting it to 550 mid engine is easy enough by flipping the ring gear the real obstacle is I couldn't find anyone who had made linkage for tail shifting of one. 550's used a gearbox like the 519, lots of linkage there but it won't work on a 644. Most of the aftermarket stuff out there is set up for a VW Type 1 gearbox, so no help there either. So after consulting with many folks I decided to do a cable shift system because of the versatility in the setup and adjustment. I found one that was set up for a Type 1 gearbox and decided to see if I could modify it. Geoff Fleming started the process, making some custom brackets and changes and the baton was passed to Bill Haupt who tried many things, some worked some didn't. But by the end of today we could shift in all four gears. The end result looks pretty good too. My car is on top, Bill's car 550-0054 is on bottom. So one of the last great obstacles of this really hard build is not behind me and it feels pretty good!
---Adam

Congrats Adam !! What a fun project !!

great .... maybe you can drive it in 2024
initialy you had said you would not finish/paint the car...............

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bob joyce

great .... maybe you can drive it in 2024
initialy you had said you would not finish/paint the car...............

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I may eventually paint it but I plan to keep it raw for at least a few years once I get it finished.

---Adam

Bill and I are steadily checking off systems that are now operational. We spent the last two sessions working on the e-brake. The unit we have is very nice and a very faithful reproduction. I had new cables but they are set up for a 356, so we had to make some modifications. The first was while the ring gear in the gearbox had been flipped this wasn't everything we had to change. The backing plates had to be swapped so the e-brake cable would mount correctly. Then we had to add some fabbed up collars to the cable where it hits the firewall. Then Bill had to get really creative and fab up a yoke for the two cables to join. It all came out really nice and works really well. Next I think we're going to work on the throttle linkage, then brakes. It's getting closer!

---Adam

After so many years working on this project I've learned patience. I've also learned some days are fast and dramatic, and some days are slow and tedious. This week was fairly tedious. Bill and I had to create linkage for the throttle which luckily we can copy from his car. Once we saw what we had to do we scavenged two pivot points from the back of 356 fan housings, they are the same as the 550 ones. Porsche is very predictable sometimes. We used those parts and then had to fabricate rods with ball joints and even some little boomerang pieces. But the good news is we got most of it done and it's almost identical to the real 550 linkage.

---Adam

Adam
Enjoying this build …especially the little details and creative solutions
More please

Another major accomplishment has been done, we now have throttle control. While it looks fairly mundane it's pretty complex.
First we had to run the rod from the pedal back through the firewall.
Second we had to secure a pivot to that rod.
Third we have to run a rod up from there to another pivot.
Fourth we ran a rod to yet another pivot attached to the motor.
Fifth we ran side to side rods to open the carbs.

So lots of fabricated brackets and rods but it is almost identical to the way Porsche did it in the 550 Spyder. It's authentic all the way down to the pivots we used came off 356 fan shrouds so true Porsche parts. You can really see Bill's attention to detail when you look at the side by side shots. 550-0054 on the left, my car on the right.
Next stop brakes and clutch then hopefully a test drive!

---Adam

If the orange strap breaks you have a problem!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick Cabell

If the orange strap breaks you have a problem!

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i would be more concerned about the guy operating the torch and angle grinder next to the shelf with valuable paper stuff...but hey it`s none of my business...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by moito

i would be more concerned about the guy operating the torch and angle grinder next to the shelf with valuable paper stuff...but hey it`s none of my business...

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I think herein lies a disconnect with old school techs and the current climate of Porsche life. Bill is a 40 year Master Porsche Tech who spent most of his adult life restoring 550-0054 in that shop. A couple of things to note in those facts. The first being nothing has happened to that "valuable paper stuff" in that time and the second is that guess what, they are Porsche reference books, not the Dead Sea Scrolls. Lighten up! It says something serious about the viewer who can look at two Spyders and their only takeaway is an unjust worry about some old reference books on a shelf. How is that the only thing you can focus and comment on? If it is the only thing you can see to comment on your Porsche priorities need a serious review. I would focus inward before I focused outward if I were you. But maybe that is none of my business....

---Adam

Adam
I dont think Moito meant ALL of that....
He is a builder as well
just a whimsical comment is what i saw.
but maybe that is non of my business..........
You are on track for driving this soon....................

Adam
i`m not questioning the guys skills.
and i do not care much about others messed up literature.
one of my worst nightmares is that somehing is smoldering in my shop and a fire ignites when no one is in.
i never leave right after i welded something...i stay at least an hour.
i do love fire and some of my friends call me pyromaniac...played around with flames A LOT and still do.but fire has its own rules. had a few situations where i thought i`m save fooling around with this element..but got surprised that i was not.
thats all i wanted to say...

Franz

sorry for not commenting on the build..did not want to ignite something(sorry but i could not resist--can you?)
@Bob--had to google what whimsical means

Closing in on the first drive. We now have brakes!!! Making the lines was almost pure art, apparently 550 lines are very different from 356 lines so lots of hand fabbing and flaring was happening, Bill handled it well.
A rare smile from Bill when we tested the brakes for the first time. I didn't mess around with the setup, B Drums and dual master cylinder, this car will know how to stop!

---Adam

We are on the cusp of a milestone. The last major system is now fully operational. We complete the clutch assembly today. Bill had to fabricate some brackets to keep the clutch piston from flexing, it's is a close approximation of the original 550 piece. We hope to do the first test drive next week!

---Adam

It doesn't get much better then today. 10 years of research, hard work, long nights, and barrels of cash led to this moment, it is alive. What started out as a dream is now a car! Thanks for Wray Schelin, William Haupt, and Geoff Fleming for staying with me. Dreams do come true!

Video here https://www.facebook.com/1620504960/...92208886098426

congratulations
very cool

OUTSTANDING Adam !!!!

awesome! You must be so proud! :cool:

Loved the test drive video on IG!

Great stuff. Love it

(& Is there any chance of the video going on you tube .)

Really really cool!

Good job. I thought that this was a joke at first. No joke, really really nice. Now you can finish it as a running restoration..

Wray and me had some fun yesterday mocking up the Faux Cam motor. I had one idea, Wray, as usual, had a better one so we went with his idea. Once I finish the sheet metal it will look pretty good!
On the left is the real 4 cam, on the right is my interpretation.

---Adam