550 Spyder replica builder?

Are you maybe missing a piece?

 

Wolfgang.....  Could this possibly be a "six cylinder" chassis he asks about....  I don't know as I've never seen one in person....

Know little about the 550.  The Porsche 901 trans is couple inches bigger than the T1 trans so perhaps setup for that? Where's Danny and Lenny - the 550 experts?

Perhaps some background history: The car war purchased in Jan. 2004 on eBay from a Premier Auto Sales in Arizona. The original title attached to the car states the car was first registered in 10/1955 with 250 miles, vin# AZ263172. (This has to be bogus). The car HAD the complete treatment of decals you see in the original 550 race photos. Most of them were removed.  There has to be a great/tragic story here but I can't convince the previous owner to shed any real details. The eBay details listed the driveline as a 1915cc high performance engine with a 4 speed T1 transmission. The engine, transmission and linkage proved to be junk and were thrown out? i have a copy of a photo that shows the original setup. Subsequently the owner spent thousands of dollars acquiring new engine components from Aircooled.net and a bunch of other suppliers. I just bought a Rancho street pro transaxle to complete the drive line. The cradle in the car does not match up to my transmission. It is too wide and the bolt holes are farther apart. the solution for the cradle seems to be, cut the old one off and weld a EMPI cradle that came in the parts with the car. The rear support is too far back. The Rancho unit has a PBS cable shift kit mated to a PBS shifter. There is no tail projection that I see in various transaxle installations. Perhaps there is an adapter that facilitates the problem. Thanks for any help here regards,Hal

Looks like a Beck or a Thunder Ranch. I have no clue what that rear motor mount/crossmember is or what it fits. Looks to be a swingaxle setup but I don't know engine/trans. Maybe it is an M & W from England and designed to us an Alfasud?

 

Lenny and I both have Vintage cars and that is what is shown in the above pic by Greg/Wolfgang.

 

RE trans, not to insult you, but you did have Rancho flop the ring gear for mid-engine, right?

The Beck Spyder I once owned had uniquely designed mounts from the bell housing to the frame instead of the normal VW mounts.....  This may be the difference you are experiencing.....   Carey Hines at Special Editions may be able to help you.... Take pics with a known reference (ruler) so he has an idea of what you presently have.... 

Danny thanks. I did request the correct ring gear mod. I found out today that there is a rear optional bracket that supports the rear Rancho trans when  converting to the PBS shift kit (ordered it). The cradle? I have decided the only solution will be to cut the old one off and weld a correct T1 cradle in its place. As for the builder; I've pretty much eliminated both Beck and Thunder Ranch. The original shifter was a rod coupled to a lever with a ball in the lower end slopping around in a small rectangular metal box. There was a metal plaque under the bonnet with the name (Vintage 550 Spyder chassis # 116134581). A copy of a response from vintage spyder in the file stated that it was not one of there cars.

The winner is..... Doug Borden!! Thanks Doug. I checked out the rubber/ neoprene mounts on line and that is exactly the difference. With no references I'm in the dark if something isn't obvious. Now I would like to determine the builder.

Thanks to everyone who provided information regarding the transmission mounting issues. I have it under control. That problem I feel diluted the original problem, namely, who was the builder. I decided to start a new inquiry, same topic. This time I concentrated on the specifics of my car from all the information received and sites compared to the Beck, Thunder Ranch ect. Those cars are significantly different. The rear chassis picture attached on my original post is an entirely different design. For better or worse. The original driveline apparently was so bad the owner only drive the car 97 miles from 1/2004 to 11/2013. He spent more money on all the replacement parts than he originally paid for the car. I subsequently still had to buy Scat engine components and a Rancho pro street trans. Unlike the previous owner I will take the car completely apart and put "Humpdy Dumpty" back on the wall.

Post a few more pictures here.  I looked at the other still in business Spyder site listed on SOC here in MX but they don't show pictures of the chassis at all. I used to have a stack of kit car magazines from back in '90s - perhaps someone has a couple laying around that you can check.  I recall Ryan Motors making a 550 kit.  Maybe a letter with photo to Max Zimmerman at Kit Cars would help.  He could do column - who the heck build this? 

Wolfgang, thanks. I don't see how one adds pictures to the thread. I did start a new post in "general" with pictures of the car back in 2004 when it was purchased from eBay. I have more rear chassis pictures but I don't see the prompt to add any additional photos.

When you post there is a green + (plus) sign at the bottom left that says "add attachments"

Danny, thanks. That is offered IF you switch to "standard view" on the cell phone. However it required a flash player download. Apple/ IOS does not allow it apparently?

Wolfgang, I can't post additional pictures apparently due to Apple not allowing flash player. ( could be me ?) I have pictures in Spyder newbies post and a more comprehensive description with pics on Spyder general tech post. Seems crazy that would be a necessary method.

don't know if this helps but here are three chassis I know of.maybe a fibersteel?one is original,other 2 are beck/vintage

Thanks for your input. I found out that the car was built in Mexico by Autos Clasicos/Primier Classics. An e-mail to that company turned up no response. My car was highlighted on the site. I would like to get more information about the car's history. Perhaps there are other owners of this builder's product. I saw a scribble/note that indicated they only made two 550 Spyders? I'll keep looking.