Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Share progress on your 356 related project or full restoration with others!
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Adam Wright
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 10304
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:00 am
Tag: KTF

Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#1 Post by Adam Wright »

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!
Attachments
2.JPG
wray550-11.jpg
wray550-10.jpg
3.JPG
1.JPG
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

Tony Proasi
Classifieds Moderator
Posts: 326
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:40 pm
Location: Louisville KY
Contact:

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#2 Post by Tony Proasi »

That's very cool! Wish CT was closer....

User avatar
Adam Wright
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 10304
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:00 am
Tag: KTF

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#3 Post by Adam Wright »

Tony, it's normally a 3-5 day class, guys fly in from all over the world to learn from Wray, they just fly in, stay at a local hotel and learn how to make metal dance.
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

User avatar
James Davies
356Talk Moderator
Posts: 2951
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2013 9:15 am
Location: Heidelberg, DE

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#4 Post by James Davies »

Very cool Adam. Wray's shop is just up the road from me. Great to know he offers classes.

User avatar
Greg Bryan
356 Fan
Posts: 3692
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:05 pm
Location: San Pedro, CA 90732; Fallen Leaf, CA 96150
Contact:

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#5 Post by Greg Bryan »

That's a very impressive industrial-strength English wheel ...
Greg Bryan

Tony Proasi
Classifieds Moderator
Posts: 326
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:40 pm
Location: Louisville KY
Contact:

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#6 Post by Tony Proasi »

Adam Wright wrote:Tony, it's normally a 3-5 day class, guys fly in from all over the world to learn from Wray, they just fly in, stay at a local hotel and learn how to make metal dance.
Then you visit this parts guy in NY buy a bunch of stuff.... it becomes complicated. I might look into in the spring its five degrees here today not sure I could take it much colder.

User avatar
Gordon White
356 Fan
Posts: 87
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:19 am

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#7 Post by Gordon White »

Ray Schelin formed the fenders for my Jaguar xk 120 about 15 years ago. Very accurate good work and a nice man to deal with.
Gordon

User avatar
Adam Wright
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 10304
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:00 am
Tag: KTF

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#8 Post by Adam Wright »

Tony Proasi wrote:
Adam Wright wrote:Tony, it's normally a 3-5 day class, guys fly in from all over the world to learn from Wray, they just fly in, stay at a local hotel and learn how to make metal dance.
Then you visit this parts guy in NY buy a bunch of stuff.... it becomes complicated. I might look into in the spring its five degrees here today not sure I could take it much colder.
Tony-
There is nothing for you here, our place is very boring.
Attachments
nshop12.jpg
yard2014-6.JPG
yard2014new.JPG
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

User avatar
Adam Wright
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 10304
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:00 am
Tag: KTF

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#9 Post by Adam Wright »

The other warehouse is boring too.
Attachments
9cold5.jpg
9cold4.jpg
9cold3.jpg
9cold2.jpg
9cold2.jpg (136.3 KiB) Viewed 83408 times
9cold1.jpg
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

User avatar
Steve Harrison
356 Fan
Posts: 3301
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:39 am
Location: Auburn AL

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#10 Post by Steve Harrison »

So THIS is the new 'double top secret' project that bumped the Ace of Spades off it's pedestal. (I think the lake house was just an excuse, haha) When it's done will this one be sold down river too?

But, all kidding aside,...that is a way cool project. An honest to goodness, hand bucked aluminum bodied version is a great tribute to the 550. Just like 99.99 % of the rest of us too... it's the closest you'll ever get to having one for real. You've got a virtual paradise of potential projects when I think about your situation, with all those parts floating around loose. You can do a project and not have the guilt that you're stripping a car that could be brought back to life,....the project itself IS the life renewal.
Great idea, and post lots of pix along the way I hope.

User avatar
Adam Wright
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 10304
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:00 am
Tag: KTF

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#11 Post by Adam Wright »

Steve-
This one has been in the works, or werks for almost a year. The other one I didn't start until the Spoodster was sold.

It's a 904 body on a 914/6.

Life is getting really fun!

And the lake house is real.
Attachments
8booooo.jpg
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

User avatar
Haig Haleblian
356 Fan
Posts: 139
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:48 pm
Location: IL

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#12 Post by Haig Haleblian »

And then I get to stay at Adam's lake house for a week to unwind and use allllll his toys. What a great guy that Adam Wright. I think Adam is becoming our 356 version of Mangus.

User avatar
Adam Wright
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 10304
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:00 am
Tag: KTF

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#13 Post by Adam Wright »

Ok, back at work on this one. I really wish I could clone myself, anyone working on that?

I have been spending time getting the body together so we can scan it. From there Wray is going to make a buck from the scan and then the real aluminum beating begins. Once he starts pounding he is hoping a few more guys want bodies, it will be cheaper now when he is making my body. If you're interested contact Wray at Pro Shaper.

http://www.proshaper.com/

Also Wray can make anything, he made the aluminum tonneau for Da Spoodster, so if you need metal work, he's the guy to go to.

I'll keep everyone posted now that this project is moving again.

I also got a rare chance to sit in a real 550 that a friend has, having access to a real one will be invaluable for this build.
Attachments
me550n.jpg
1.JPG
2.JPG
3.JPG
4.JPG
5.JPG
6.JPG
7.JPG
8.JPG
9.JPG
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

User avatar
Adam Wright
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 10304
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:00 am
Tag: KTF

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#14 Post by Adam Wright »

The un-glamorous side of any strange project, lots of prep and measurements. A friend with a huge archive of 550 pics helped me out with the shots I needed to write measurements of specific areas. Lots of cutting and pasting with cheap prints and I have what I need to go see 0054 for more data.
Attachments
measurepics.JPG
me550n.jpg
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

Dan Epperly
356 Fan
Posts: 1139
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:35 pm

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#15 Post by Dan Epperly »

Too bad you don't have a roughly six by two.inch section of a real one with the VIN stamped on it, you could call it a restoration project.

Post Reply