MOTOR CARS | 135This individual car featured prominently in the June 1971 edition of the
internationally-renowned American monthly magazine ºRoad & Track’.
William Motta photographed º090’ now offered here for that feature,
which was written by Allan Girdler and which also involved the nostalgic
test-driving presence of former 1950s Porsche 550 star driver, the
diminutive Richie Ginther of Ferrari, BRM, Cooper-Maserati, Honda
and Eagle Formula 1 fame, one of the great Ford GT programme’s star
drivers, and winner of the 19 5 Mexican Grand Prix.
Allen Girdler’s story began: ̧Nostalgia comes hard to Richie Ginther.
The setting couldn’t have been more conducive for rekindling of the
glorious past: A 550 Porsche Spyder barking at idle, in a clatter of roller
bearings and overhead cams and the salty, blue haze and smell of real
Castor oil. Instant race day, 1954.
“Ginther climbed through the tiny door and over the frame tubes and
squirmed into the seat. Away, down the snow-framed mountain road
and back again, faster and faster. Then he came in, smiling. Perhaps
recalling his victories in 1954 and ’55, the 550 ride that was the first big
step in his climb to Formula 1...”.
The ‘Road & Track’ story went on to highlight how the 550 Spyder
was Porsche’s first genuine racing car design. But when launched at
the 1953 Paris Salon, the model had much about it than being a mere
weapons-grade on-track warrior. As the story emphasised: “The 550
had full road equipment, with lights and so forth, and a top, and enough
stamina and ground clearance to compete in rallies ¶ which it did. The
bodywork and weather gear qualified the 550 for international sports
car races ¶ and Hans Herrmann took first in class and sixth overall in
the 550’s first race, the 1954 Mille Miglia ̄. Herrmann was third overall
in that year’s Carrera PanAmericana. There were 75 cars with bigger
engines in that race, and Herrmann beat 73 of them ̄¹The cars were built by Porsche in exclusive numbers. 0n the <S the
model did not qualify as a production sports car, even with its top and
road equipment. There weren’t enough of them to be a real road car,
according to the governing SCCA. <nofficially, the same rule makers
would cheerfully confess they kept the Porsche 550s out to give other
makes a chance...