Well, you don't pass one of these everyday in traffic.
 

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...psm6vr07fh.jpg

I wanted to tell him to be on the lookout for '51 Fords.

Ok, I'll bite. What is it (other than a Porsche)?

Most likely a Beck 550 Spyder. Awesome little machines. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr Beck years ago in California and driving one of the cars. It lit my hair on fire!

Beck 356 Porsche Speedster and Chamonix 550 Spyder Replica / Kit Cars

Very cool. Not likely to be original but still cool, like RedTele58 said probably a Beck recreation~ He makes cool cars, my boss just built a transmission for him for his latest 904 replica. Got to drive one of his 904 replicas with a 993 motor in it a few years back too, fun car!

He was here at the shop a few weeks ago when I pulled up in the V8 Boxster and he was like "sounds like you are missing a few cylinders there"... I just explained that it was just the big cam on the LS3 V8, that got his attention ;)

Fun fact: James Dean died 60 years ago today, so that makes this spotting (even as a custom) appropriate and a bit eerie. ;)

They may have taken it out in rememberance, I'd imagine it's not a daily.

I've seen speedster replicas but never a 550. The want is bad! Everyone around her gets a cobra if they want a replica.

A Replica 550 spyder is on the bucket list

It's totally on my list as well! :)
I thought that too, BigJake, I bet you're right.

I had a Beck replica 550A Spyder like this one in the mid 90's.Owned it about 5 years.Darker Grey with dark red interior. Early chassis # 156.

Absolutely the most unique car I have ever owned.Tremendous go! I'm glad I got the Beck as I felt he was the originator of the best replica.His quality was everywhere on the car.

when I drive my Boxster, I'm reminded of the Beck!

This is currently listed on Detroit area Craigslist. 1955 Porsche Spyder Replica

A few months back I was passing through a small town and parked was a 550 spyder (Probably a replica). I am still kicking myself for not pulling up in front of it and getting pictures of the Then and Now
Every time I drive through, I'm looking for that picture

That is pretty cool, it probably was because of the 60th anniversary of his death. I read that yesterday some car club met at the site of the former Porsche dealership in LA where he bought the car and traveled the route James Dean drove to where the accident was. I'm sure there were a few Porsches in attendance, that would have been a bittersweet thing to do. Maybe that was James Dean driving that car he would have been 84 now.

Very nice, I always wanted one but never bought one, probably because of the price. I'm glad to hear the Boxster reminds you of it, they do look similar, I know that was the intent. James Dean paid around $7,000 for the car in 1955 that was a lot of money for a car back then, and that's what I paid for my 99 Boxster a few months ago 60 years later. I know the original 550's are worth a fortune now.

While en route to Rennsport IV in 2011 I took a slight detour and went by the site of the traffic accident that claimed Dean's life.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/DSCN0573.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/DSCN0575.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/DSCN0566.jpg

Awesome! I've seen one of the Becks up close and was really impressed with the quality and the detail. I'd also love to drive that pass someday in the Boxster with the top down, just to get the feel of that day.
Great pictures!

I've been a fan of these replicas for a long time. The trick is to get one with reinforcements welded into the chassis before the assembly. It makes a huge difference on handling, making it even better than the now ridiculously expensive original which comes with its original structural flaws.

Another thing I've seen which makes me laugh is how much snobbery there is on these replica cars "you have a fake Porsche", "doesn't it bother you that you're fooling everyone into thinking it's the real thing?". Meanwhile they only drive their original cars like the little old lady from Pasadena on days with 110% perfect weather because the car is now the equivalent of a baseball card on wheels.


This was kind of a cool idea, although I would have gone with much smaller wheels.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KcCkjbwv3aU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Here's an original allegedly owned by the Piech's.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8sTZEvjjo_s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

"equivalent of a baseball card on wheels."
Too funny & too true.
Put me into the 550 replica bucket list club.
During the economic downturn those things were always on eBay selling in the high teens. Now they are not so common and when they hit ebay, they're in the mid 20's-30's.
I'm saving up for the next fire sale!!

Strange... I bet I see a dozen of these every day!

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1443718427.jpg

Several years ago, I was driving with fellow Spec Boxster driver Alex Bermudez and he motioned for me to pull over at that exact location. We got out and he explained that this was the location where James Dean died on his way to Laguna Seca to race his 550 Spyder - and we were on our way to Laguna Seca to race our Spec Boxsters (descendents of the 550).

It was creepy.

LOL! Nice! ;)

And I totally agree about owning something that you're almost afraid to get out and drive. It just has to take some of the joy out of ownership. I think I'd be even happier with one of the replicas because of that.

It also reminds me of the time that the Duesenburg club had their national meet in OKC. I pulled up next to this gorgeous restored original Duesy with California plates at an intersection downtown. My friend called out "Did you drive that all the way from California, or trailer it?" He smiled and said "It's a car, isn't it?!" Loved it!