Skip to main content

edsnova posted:

Looking sweet and looks like we'll both be coming in for a landing right about the same time. I love that even your headlight buckets are correct. That is dedication.

I think your "spot-on" French Blue and my "Let's just use a common Toyota color" Voodoo Blue (aka Rustoleum Sail Blue) are pretty similar, and pretty close to "correct," but I don't concede yours is righter: I mean, a lot can happen to a pigment in 63 years, and as any restorer of fine paintings will tell you, often the "right" color as seen in period is much brighter than what's on view today in a pristine, unrestored work of priceless art. ...

So it's probably best for you and I to drive our respective Spyders to Stanistan next spring and meet there with the new owner of Seinfeld's old car and a couple of PCA-certified concourse judges to hash this out. 

I'd be up for anything but a drag race . . . with that engine you're installing, your license plate could be "BLUBYU".

ED...Sounds like we've got a showdown coming in the Republic of Stanistan. I look forward to it! 

I'm sure whatever color you've chosen will be amazing, just like the rest of your build. I deserve no credit for anything with my car. I'll I've done is written checks and harrassed @chines1.

With all of the silver spyders floating around, it will be nice for us to have two cars in a distinctive color!

Anand

I fought the urge to do the Porsche silver for a long time.  My first 2 spyders were not traditional spyder colors.  My first one was ivory and my second one was BMW sterling grey metallic.  I thought about doing a Seinfeld blue car but I chickened out and went for the Capri blue darts instead.  I glad I went with the Porsche silver.  I think my car is beautiful.  But good for you Anand for being bold.  Your car will be special and unique in so many way.

Kelly, there are many "correct" colors for a Spyder. Some of us choose to not do silver. Some of us don't. It's all personal preference. I got rear-ended in mine when it was silver. I chose to go higher visibility, but period race correct, and uncommon.

You know, just like Speedsters. Many different strokes for different folks.

 

edsnova posted:

....Truthfully I can't think of a "wrong" color to paint a Spyder...

 That got me thinking (usually a dangerous thing).

What would a Spyder look like in some strong colors you'd pretty much never see one in? Or even bizarre colors that would never work on most cars?

Bob Hall, the auto writer who talked his way onto the design team of the original Miata used to rail against Mazda's conservative color palette for that car. He argued that the clean shape and very small size leant itself to bright 'ice-cream' colors as he used to call them. I think the Spyder (and Speedster) are similar shapes. So, do any of these work? The first one is Seinfeld's blue Spyder, the rest are Photoshop creations.

If you've got any suggestions you'd like to see, post a color sample here and I'll see if I can apply that, too.

 

Seinfeld550

550_BLU-LIGHT550_Rust550_GRAY550_BRICK550_LEMON550_GREEN550_BluGray550_PLUM

 

Attachments

Images (9)
  • Seinfeld550
  • 550_BLU-LIGHT
  • 550_Rust
  • 550_GRAY
  • 550_BRICK
  • 550_LEMON
  • 550_BluGray
  • 550_PLUM
  • 550_GREEN
Last edited by Sacto Mitch
Panhandle Bob posted:
El Frazoo posted:

Agreed on all counts.  I think I saw a pink speedster somewhere, and aside from that one, both speedsters and spyders are so cool no matter what color.

I recall that there is a rental company in Hawaii that has bright green Speedster with red or orange bumpers. That might qualify as not so cool.

Theron boight that car a year or so ago. He knocked the ugly off it and sold it.

A couple of fun updates:

Carey is working away on the front end. We've got my disc brakes and backing plates all sorted out. I'm tempted to switch to 60 mm GT brakes, but that's going to be another project for another time!

Steering should be done early next week. Carey is working a bit on the wiring harness this weekend, which is no easy task. He's wrapping it in cloth like it was and making it look pretty.

IMG_8053IMG_8041

Transmission is in. Yeah, I know you don't like the color   -- it was supposed to be a bit of a darker gold, which was the finish found on the spit case 519 boxes. It'll get covered by my spare!

IMG_8047

Bill, Carey's in-house upholstery guy, is working off of loads of photos I've sent of both unrestored and restored 550s for reference; he's doing a lovely job.

IMG_8054

Attachments

Images (4)
  • IMG_8053
  • IMG_8041
  • IMG_8047
  • IMG_8054

@chines1 got the rear end all sorted out. The front brakes are in, too. I'm still considering a set of 60 mm GT brakes; my buddy John has an extra set, so I might use them. 

Got a new TRW steering box (Carey said my old one had some flat spots).

My fake Carrera motor is also in place! I'll change the valve covers around so that they are forward facing. Exhaust and belly pan go on next week. 

Making progress!

Anand

IMG_8086IMG_8081IMG_8078IMG_8077

Attachments

Images (4)
  • IMG_8086
  • IMG_8081
  • IMG_8078
  • IMG_8077

I know, Anand, I know. Any time something actually has a capitol P attached it starts at uber expensive and quite often doesn't stop until well past stupid outrageous! They would be so cool though. And check out the pics below. Would go so nice with those drilled/lightened wheels.

edsnova posted:

Very beautiful. I love how you have the air flow holes in the brake drums. Just every little thing.

Holes were also drilled in the backing plates-

lightened swing arm & backing platelightened backing plates and air scoops

Attachments

Images (2)
  • lightened swing arm & backing plate
  • lightened backing plates and air scoops
Last edited by ALB

Poor Carey has been working away on my car -- he's got it wired now and the gauges are about ready to go in.

I've got an original 550 steering column in-bound from Louisville that will work with my original Petri 420 mm steering wheel. Carey made a custom grommet for it too. I'm not sure how I'm going to fit in the car (the normal Flat-4 banjo is 400 mm), but we'll have to cross our fingers. I just love the proper 16" wheel. I'm clearly brain damaged.

Carey got the bezels for my dash nicely sorted -- we decided to just scotch-brite them on the lathe and they turned out dynamite. 

We also installed my fake Carrera engine! Excited to hear that bad boy in the car. I've got new headers and a sebring exhaust. Carey repainted my belly pan, so that can go on too. 

Next week should be a fun one -- lots of little things to add. 

Anand

IMG_2731IMG_2740IMG_2745IMG_2748IMG_2591

Attachments

Images (5)
  • IMG_2731
  • IMG_2740
  • IMG_2745
  • IMG_2748
  • IMG_2591

Loving this build.

My car came with discs on all four wheels and I'm not changing them but I believe the drums should be more than adequate; if they weren't Porsche would've changed them out after the first season racing with them in '55. 

I also love that this car will be just subtly smaller (i.e. the actual right size) and yet the steering wheel will be imperceptibly larger (i.e. also the right size), meaning the different proportion of the wheel to the tub should be noticeable even if you're not parked next to another replica. 

All these little things add up.

Last edited by edsnova
edsnova posted:

Loving this build.

My car came with discs on all four wheels and I'm not changing them but I believe the drums should be more than adequate; if they weren't Porsche would've changed them out after the first season racing with them in '55. 

I also love that this car will be just subtly smaller (i.e. the actual right size) and yet the steering wheel will be imperceptibly larger (i.e. also the right size), meaning the different proportion of the wheel to the tub should be noticeable even if you're not parked next to another replica. 

All these little things add up.

@edsnova - You really are my brother from another mother. There's something about the larger wheel in the smaller car -- it changes everything for me. 

@El Frazoo -- you're totally right. I tried to talk Carey into a Disc conversion, but I think he knew that I'd also want authenticity, so he just said "no." Being such good friends, we have that kind of relationship! 60mmGT brakes should suffice, and I'll get those on soon enough. 

@Kevin - Bay Area -- You're always welcome here in Fresno -- come on down any time!

Here's the 420mm wheel. Carey thinks I've completely lost it.

550-0060-4

Attachments

Images (1)
  • 550-0060-4
Post Content
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×