You dont see one of these every day

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Adam Wright
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#31 Post by Adam Wright »

Ned,
You are more then welcome to test fit your top to our 550 wire form. It's in Charlton, MA, so not far from you. Let me know when you want to come by.
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Ned Gorski
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#32 Post by Ned Gorski »

Alan
great find on the pictures.

Adam
Thanks for the invite i've been meaning to stop by your place one of these days. is the wire mold for a 550 or 550a not sure if there is a difference? i was told by more than one person the top won't fit a 550. i guess i just need to find someone with a 550a or a RSK and a tape measure.. so they can measure the distance between mounting lugs. That should narrow down the search for what it belongs on

550 or rsk still looks super cool on my office wall.

Regards Ned

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Adam Wright
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#33 Post by Adam Wright »

Ned Gorski wrote:Alan
great find on the pictures.

Adam
Thanks for the invite i've been meaning to stop by your place one of these days. is the wire mold for a 550 or 550a not sure if there is a difference? i was told by more than one person the top won't fit a 550. i guess i just need to find someone with a 550a or a RSK and a tape measure.. so they can measure the distance between mounting lugs. That should narrow down the search for what it belongs on

550 or rsk still looks super cool on my office wall.

Regards Ned
The wire form is a 550. But it isn't at my shop, we are doing the build at Pro Shaper in MA. But you're welcome to stop by and check it out.
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Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

Rainer Cooney
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#34 Post by Rainer Cooney »

Ned, As it was told to me the top I had, which looks to be the same as yours came with a collection of parts involved with an RS60. Not having fit it on one of these cars I'm not certain that it was an RS 60 top. What I do know is that there was no provision for the rear bow as it is in the 550 and also that while similar in construction it was completely different. I also own a pre-A Speedster and that top made with the solid spun rivets also exhibits very similar construction. I'd go so far as to say the same company made all these tops for Porsche. The top fabric on yours is exactly the same as the original 550 top I have. I'm in the process of making both the tops and fabric, silver herringbone inside and tan cloth canvas on the outside.

Ned Gorski
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#35 Post by Ned Gorski »

Rsiner
How wide is your 550 top ? Would you be so kind to send me the width from mounting hole to mounting hole? Does your 550 top have a headliner?

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Alan Hall
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#36 Post by Alan Hall »

Rainer, I wonder if the top you had was the one I got from Vasek Polak and sold with the RS60 that I had, (but was not an RS60 top). The car and top went to Don Orasco and subsequently the car went to Rob Walton and finally Miles Collier. Don't know where the top ended up.

Subsequently Miles Collier did get a top for it as I found a picture of the car with a top on the REVS Institute web site

Alan
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Ned Gorski
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#37 Post by Ned Gorski »

Just in case any one is interested
After reviewing a bunch of period pictures . it appears that the rsk and the rs60 tops are quite different than the 550 and the 550a tops.
The rsk 718 and rs60 tops the frames are black and the mounting points on the frame,when folded are at the end of the frame. Thus allowing the frame to be flipped under and tucked behind the seats .. actually a very cool design.
Where as the 550 and the 550a are all tan and the top folds down like a regular top .
as far as i can tell the only differences between a 550 and a 550a top is the 550 has a rear bow and the 550a doesn't and the 550a the canvas mounts to the fire wall thus allow the top to be mounted on a car with a head rest hump.
SOOO
i believe i have a 550a top, as the canvas looks to be original and there are no signs of a rear bow ever being sewn into the rear canvas . although there are holes in the rear frame to accommodate the rear bow.. my guess is porsche used up the 550 frames to make the 550a tops and simply deleted the rear bows on cars with headrest humps . and my have possibly adjusted the width but i don't know if 550 and 550a are the same width.

see the attached pictures fo the folded top, there is no way a 550 /550a top could fit in that spot behind the seat or a rsk or rs60 with that frame configuration . two totally different configurations


Regards Ned
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Adam Wright
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#38 Post by Adam Wright »

Ned,
I'll be at Wray's tomorrow if you want to fit in on the wire form.
Charlton, MA
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#39 Post by Ned Gorski »

i have nothing going on tomorrow morning ..... what time will you be there?

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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#40 Post by Ned Gorski »

adam
i have to work today :(... this full time working job thing is starting to get in the way of my free time.
if you can please measure bulkhead to bulkhead that would be a help. The top when folded is about 39.5 inches wide

Norm Miller
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#41 Post by Norm Miller »

I've seen the top up for driving but the Spyder must have a windshield.
Then it makes sense.
Won't work with a racing screen.
I recall a 550 in Hahn's showroom in Stuttgart in 1955 with w/s and top up.
 

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tim noble
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#42 Post by tim noble »

To add to the discussion of Spyder tops I offer several photos of what may be the most original one out there. Before the 2011 event at Laguna Seca, Rainer invited to me see this car just north of San Francesco. He was taking detailed measurements and photos for his reconstruction. Thanks Rainer that was amazing.
Tim
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Martin Benade
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#43 Post by Martin Benade »

Never painted or restored?
Cleveland Ohio
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Rainer Cooney
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#44 Post by Rainer Cooney »

Maybe not restored but repaired and consequently also some paintwork. It's a great car to be sure, my second favorite 550, but it definitely is not all original. I had tried to explain this to Bonhams before the Goodwood auction but when a commission is on the line it is in their interest not to dig too deep into the history of a car. They prefer to believe what they are told by the owner rather than just looking at features of a car that obviously are not original.

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James Davies
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Re: You dont see one of these every day

#45 Post by James Davies »

Cool Rainer. What's your first favorite 550? =)

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