Don’t be fooled by its diminutive size. This Porsche-inspired two-seater from Vintage Spyder is made for the adrenaline rush of speed and hairpin curves.
When Porsche first introduced the 550 Spyder back in the ‘50s, it was the manufacturer’s first effort at an all-out, “burn up the track” racecar. Its low slung design and beefed-up engine made it a natural on the racetrack. In fact, during its racing reign in the mid-1950’s, the 550 Spyder beat everything in its class and even some much higher-powered racecars.
Constructed of aluminum wrapped around a tubular steel ladder chassis that had a mid/rear mounted 1.5-liter air-cooled flat-4 engine, the 550 weighed in at just 1,213 pounds. The 110 horsepower under the hood, paired with its ultra-lightweight body, gave the Porsche 550 amazing maneuverability.
By the way, here’s a fascinating little 550 factoid. Probably one of the things that the 550 Spyder is most famous for actually had nothing to do with a racetrack. In 1955, James Dean, Hollywood’s most glamorous bad boy at the time, died behind the wheel of his 550 at the intersection of Highways 46 and 41 near Cholame, California.
Ultimately, Porsche only built 90 550 Spyder RS models, with just 78 of them available for purchase by the general public. Which, of course, makes the few original 550’s extremely rare and hideously expensive. Factor in that, with so few originals available, replacement or restoration parts are virtually impossible to obtain.
Enter the Vintage Spyder 550-S with a design that’s a spot-on perfect reproduction of the Porsche 550. The Vintage Spyder 550-S (the "S" refers to its powerplant) kit car is a turnkey vehicle that's set up to accommodate a 2.5-liter, 210 horsepower, Subaru 4-cylinder engine.
With this Subaru engine sending an impressive 160HP surging to the rear wheels, the Vintage Spyder's 550-S definitely keeps the legend of the little Porsche 550 giant-killer alive and kicking.
For more information, visit; http://www.vintagespyders.com/
