Mythical 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder

By 1953, Porsche had been successful racing its 356, but understood that a purpose-built race car would be needed to compete at motor sport’s highest levels. The resulting 550 Spyder, featuring lightweight aluminum bodywork and a powerful four-cam Carrera engine, was one of the most successful race cars of the mid-1950s, scoring numerous class victories and significant overall wins, establishing Porsche’s reputation as a giant killer.

The design’s brilliance was apparent from chassis 550-001’s very first race in 1953, when Helmut Glöckler proved victorious at the Nürburgring after battling unrelenting rain in his methanol-fueled Spyder. That same year, chassis 001 and 002 captured significant class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Carrera Panamericana, and the Buenos Aires 1000 Km. In 1956, Umberto Maglioli gave Porsche its first overall victory in a major international competition when his updated 550A won the Targa Florio outright.

Despite their limited production and relatively small 1.5-liter engines, 550 Spyders now rank among the most mythical Porsches ever. The model conjures to mind victories at important road races and the legends who drove them – from Hans Herrmann to James Dean. Even today, the 550 Spyder maintains a lasting influence in the character and design of Porsche’s latest sports and racing cars.

Chassis 0041 History

This 550 Spyder, chassis 0041, is an outstanding example of the iconic Porsche model. As confirmed by a copy of the factory build record, 550-0041 was completed in May 1955, and its aluminum body was painted silver with red darts and upholstery. Originally equipped with a type 547 four-cam engine (no. 90037) and four-speed transaxle (no. 10031), the 550 Spyder was delivered new to German racing driver Richard Trenkel.

One of Porsche’s most important racing customers during the early 1950s, Trenkel immediately entered 550-0041 in the Rhein Cup Race at Hockenheim, placing 4th Overall. He raced the 550 Spyder through July 1955, taking part in several races, including the Nürburgring Eifelrennen, before selling it to Mathieu Hezemans, a Dutch car dealer and racing driver. Hezemans continued to race 550-0041 in a variety of European events throughout 1955, with notable results including a win at the Zandvoort Sports Car Races, a 13th-place finish at the Nürburgring 500 Km, and a 9th-place overall finish at the Avus Grand Prix of Berlin.

In 1956, Hezemens began to share driving duties with Count Carel Godin de Beaufort, a Dutch nobleman who went on to great success driving Porsche Spyders and Grand Prix cars. According to the definitive book Carrera, Hezemens and de Beaufort raced 550-0041 in several major European races during the 1956 season, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Nürburgring 1000 Km, and Swedish Grand Prix, as well as regional events at Avus, Solitude, and Zandvoort.

Car Highlights

A Superb 550 Spyder; One of the Most Iconic Porsches of All Time
Raced in Europe through 1957 with Outings at Le Mans, Nürburgring, and Avus
Rich, Well-Documented Provenance with Just Three Owners Since 1962
Pebble Beach, Rennsport Reunion, Porsche Parade, and Monterey Historics Participant
Retains Original Transaxle and Accompanied by Matching-Numbers Engine Case
Offered from a Significant North American Porsche Collection

Technical Specs

1,498 CC DOHC Type 547 Flat 4-Cylinder Engine
Twin Weber Carburetors
Estimated 150 BHP at 7,000 RPM
4-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
4-Wheel Independent Torsion-Bar Suspension with Trailing Arms and Shock Absorbers

Period Race History

Hockenheim Rheinpokal-Rennen, Germany, May 1955, Trenkel, No. 5 (4th Overall)
Dessau Race Leipzig-Scheibenholz, Germany, May 1955, Trenkel, No. 42
ADAC Eifelrennen Nürburgring, May 1955, Trenkel, No. 42 (DNF)
Halle-Saale-Schleife, Germany, July 1955, Trenkel, No. 42 (4th Overall)
Monsanto Grand Prix, July 1955, de Oliveira, No. 7
Monsanto Governor’s Cup, July 1955, Hezemans, No. 7 (6th Overall)
Zandvoort Sports Car Races, August 1955, Hezemans, No. 35 (1st Overall)
ADAC Nürburgring 500 Km, August 1955, Hezemans, No. 8 (13th Overall, 5th in Class)
Avus Grand Prix of Berlin, September 1955, Hezemans/Oebels, No. 4 (9th Overall)
Zandvoort Easter, May 1956, de Beaufort, No. 74 (2nd Overall)
ADAC Nürburgring 1000 Km, May 1956, Hezemans/de Beaufort, No. 45 (24th Overall, 2nd in Class)
Solitude Rennen, Germany, July 1956, Hezemans/de Beaufort, No. 22 (12th Overall, 4th in Class)
24 Hours of Le Mans, July 1956, Hezemans/de Beaufort, No. 27 (DNF)
German Grand Prix, August 1956, Hezemans/de Beaufort, No. 61 (15th Overall, 4th in Class)
Grand Prix of Sweden, August 1956, Hezemans/Oebels, No. 42 (DNF)
Zandvoort National, August 1956, de Beaufort, No. 68 (5th Overall)
Avus Grand Prix of Berlin, September 1956, de Beaufort, No. 23 (5th Overall)
Zandvoort Sports Car Races, 1957, Hezemans

American Journey

Chassis 550-0041 was exported to the US sometime between late 1957 and 1960 and ended up on the Bill Murphy Buick used car lot in Culver City, California. In 1960, the Spyder was sold to Bill Eichler, a technical illustrator for Douglas Aircraft, who also volunteered at California Sports Car Club races. Soon after buying the car, he had Vasek Polak Porsche remove the Spyder’s original four-cam engine and install a 1500 Super pushrod engine.

In June 1962, Mr. Eichler sold 550-0041 to Gary Cooper, a Porsche enthusiast and Hughes Aircraft employee. Mr. Cooper and his wife Loretta kept the Spyder for the next 22 years, enjoying it as a weekend driver and event car throughout the 1960s before retiring it from regular use. In 1984, the Coopers finally sold the beloved Spyder to their friend Bill Perrone, an early Porsche specialist and proprietor of The Parts Shop in Huntington Beach, California.

In the 1980s, Mr. Perrone restored the Spyder and installed the current four-cam engine, an unnumbered unit rebuilt to more powerful RSK specifications. Completed in 1992, chassis 550-0041 was debuted at the 37th PCA Porsche Parade in San Diego, and then won on its first outing at the Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca.

Following a racing accident later that year, Mr. Perrone sent 550-0041 to be repaired by noted panel beater and Spyder specialist Bruce Kimmins of Lake Havasu, Arizona. He also took the opportunity to carry out further mechanical improvements, with engine work overseen by legendary four-cam specialist Al Cadrobbi working in tandem with his chief mechanic Jim Ansite. Significantly, Mr. Perrone also managed to acquire 550-0041’s damaged, original matching numbers engine case, no. 90037, which accompanies the car today.

Porsche Ibérica’s Cuarenta Edition

In 1998, chassis 550-0041 returned to Monterey for the Porsche 50th anniversary celebration. That weekend, Mr. Perrone’s Spyder was a double winner, placing first in its group at the historic races on Saturday and then capturing the prestigious Road & Track trophy at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® on Sunday.

Throughout his ownership, Mr. Perrone actively and successfully campaigned 550-0041 in vintage racing, including multiple editions of the Monterey Historics and the Coronado Speed Festival, as well as Rennsport Reunion II. In addition to these outings, he displayed the 550 Spyder at the Petersen Automotive Museum and the Los Angeles Auto Show and entered it in several colors, including the 2007 PCA Porsche Parade in San Diego and the 2011 Porsche Race Car Classic in Carmel, California.

Since 2013, 550-0041 has been a fixture in one of the most significant private Porsche collections in North America. Regularly exercised and maintained, it continues to present beautifully in all respects and is reported to be well sorted. Far more user-friendly than the later, more specialized 550A and 718 Spyders, the original 550 Spyder is the ideal dual-purpose sports car – making an example like 550-0041 the ideal choice for rallies like the Colorado Grand and 1000 Miglia.

A fantastic all-around example of the 550 Spyder, 550-0041 possesses all the qualities one looks for in a classic Porsche competition car. It claims an outstanding European race record, with outings at major international venues like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Nürburgring 1000 Km. Its provenance is unusually well documented and remarkable for having just three enthusiastic owners since 1962. Its condition is superb overall, and it has proven itself in various events, including the highest levels of vintage racing and competitive judging.

Now available at the 2024 Gooding & Co Pebble Beach Auction

For the collector looking to experience one of the greatest Porsche models of all time, this 550 Spyder is worthy of a closer look. Go HERE for more information.