Aluminum 550 Spyder build

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Mike Wilson
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#151 Post by Mike Wilson »

Nice workmanship!

Mike
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Bil Brown
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#152 Post by Bil Brown »

nice lookin parts Adam!
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#153 Post by Adam Wright »

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".
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Martin Benade
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#154 Post by Martin Benade »

Are all his welds done with a torch? Also would it have been easier to make a full rear section than to patch up what you had?
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#155 Post by Adam Wright »

Martin Benade wrote: Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:35 pm Are all his welds done with a torch? Also would it have been easier to make a full rear section than to patch up what you had?
No the welding is all TIG welding, the photo with the torch is him heating the aluminum and tapping down high spots.

It probably wouldn't have been easier to make the rear from scratch, I had most of the panels done when I found the original rear clamshell, but it would have still been many hours to craft the pieces into shape. The curves of the 550 are incredibly complex. Wendler made the rear out of many small sections then gas welded the whole body together, and they skipped a lot of steps that are unacceptable today so if you see a restored 550 it's made many times better then original.
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Martin Benade
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#156 Post by Martin Benade »

Around 1975 I thought I needed to make myself a 550 from scratch. I got as far as saving a pair of Cortina taillights that I thought would be ok. (They would have been too big)
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#157 Post by Adam Wright »

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.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#158 Post by Adam Wright »

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.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#159 Post by Adam Wright »

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.
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#160 Post by Adam Wright »

7 years of work, sourcing parts from all over the world, has come to this moment! Dreams come true at ProShaper!
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Mike Wilson
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#161 Post by Mike Wilson »

You gotta be bury excited about the progress!

Mike
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Dan Macdonald
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#162 Post by Dan Macdonald »

Adam,
This is an incredible project. It has been a lot fun to watch your progress.
Dan Macdonald 
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#163 Post by Adam Wright »

If you look close, you can see the T6C peeking out.
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#164 Post by Adam Wright »

7 years to be able to sit and smile! Never give up, keep building, no matter how long it takes!!!
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#165 Post by Adam Wright »

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