Topic: Solved - NEH 1392: 'Spyder' Porsche Special built for 1955 Carrera Panamericana

[Carnut]

What's this and from when does it date?
For 1 point..

Google Image Search continues to raise its ugly head on AutoPuzzles.
For the sake of our newer members who may not be aware of past discussions on it, Google Image Search as a means of solving puzzles is banned on this website.

AutoPuzzles is primarily a game of automotive knowledge, not of who can copy and paste the quickest.

We ask all members to remember and respect this, and retain the right to ask puzzle-solvers how they came to their answer.

Have fun!

[Carnut]

Experts?

[D-type]

Denzel?
circa 1952

[Carnut]

Denzel?
circa 1952

No, it's not a Denzel.
You're not a million miles away with the year though..

[roger]

Spyder

Porche 356 engine, alluminium body over a tubular frame on a beetle chassis.

Built for the 1955 Carrera PanAmerica.

[Carnut]

Spyder

Porche 356 engine, alluminium body over a tubular frame on a beetle chassis.

Built for the 1955 Carrera PanAmerica.

Which largely ties in with the info I have except I have a different year of Carrera Panamericana for which it was built.
Locked for you to check again and come back!

[roger]

built in 1953 ?

My source says built for 1955 panam, must be a typo as it seems odd to say it was built for 1955 but in 1953.

Anyway a lovely car.

[Carnut]

Yes, that's it.  It was built in 1953 for the '53 Carrera Panamericana AFAIK.
Well done.

Here's a rear view:

[D-type]

Did the car take part in the 1953 Carrera - or was it a non-starter?

Martin Krejki lists two factory entered Porsche 550 spyders, two Porsche 550 coupes and six Porsche 356s.  But nothing that sounds like this spyder bodied VW chassis with Porsche engine.  In his book on the race Johnny Tipler devotes a couple of paragraphs to the Porsches in the 1953 race but again nothing resembling this.

1954 is equally unproductive with four Porsche 550s, three Porsche 356s and seven VW 1200s but no VW-Porsche hybrid.

It could of course be a modern re-creation for one of the post-1988 revval races.

[Carnut]

The car was built i 1953 but roger found it on a site that said it was built for the '55 Carrera Panamericana, and I have seen it saying the same thing on another site as well, so maybe it was.

Try that!

[roger]

I found it on 'califoniaclassix dot com website it is on the 'hall of fame' page

Is it agreeable to post a link to the page in question?

Roger

[grobmotorix]

Sure with the 1953 Panamericana? I only know of a special 550 RS Coupé and some 356 Coupés that took part then.

[D-type]

The key sentence on the site @roger has  named is

According to the Baron, the Spyder was originally built to participate in the Mexican "Carrera Panamericana" road race of 1955, however, the event was abruptly cancelled after the tragic Le Mans accident. Instead, the car was street-driven for a few years and finally parked in a Hollywood garage, where the Baron discovered it sometime during the mid-1970s.

  This explains the conundrum.  The car did not run in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana.  It was built with the intention of entering it in the 1955 race which was cancelled. Presumably the 1953 date refers to key components - either the VW floor pan or the Porsche engine and running gear.
Incidentally "Spyder" is a term used in some continental European countries for a two-seater open sports car, which I believe is the equivalent of the US "roadster" so the name of the car is simply "roadster"

[Carnut]

Is it agreeable to post a link to the page in question?

Roger

No, I'm afraid links are not allowed here with no exceptions.

I think the question has now been answered anyway and I've changed the heading.
Thanks all!