First Ride/Drive in a 550 SPYDER...nice way to start the day!!!

R22tech · R22tech's Garage

So I'm drinking my coffee and reading the Sunday paper this morning when I hear a loud noise from outside...eyebrow raised, "well, that sounds fast???". Wife: "it sounds like it is in our driveway and just turned off." Me: "Mike must be here!" Sure enough, the doorbell rings and my friend Mike is here- he has a 428 Superformance Cobra, cool. So, I go outside and in the driveway sits 2 Cobras and a Vintage 550 SPYDER!!! I am seriously looking into getting one of these Spyder replicas and Mike thought it would be nice for me to see one firsthand--Thanks Mike! First Impression: Small, sleek, unique, RAW! I'm pumped!! The gentleman, (TYP550) as we know him on Pelican, was kind enough to take me for a spin. This car is loud, like a muscle car of old, and feels strong and fast. It is unbelieveable the power and sound the 2.1L engine makes! I guess it doesn't take much to move 1200 lbs. I'm very impressed by this car, while not quite the raging bull power of the Cobra, this car felt very much the same in overall driving experience. Until you've driven a car like these, you have no idea what an over-powered-under-engineered-raw-adreneline rush feels like. My 911 Carrera feels like a slug compared to these things, and I call them "things" because I haven't come up with a word for them-they are not cars! I felt a little uncomfortable about the size of the car: you are pretty much dead if you get hit by a "normal" vehicle in my opinion. I stand a whopping 5' 7" tall and this car was crotch level. The good thing is that I live in an area that is underdeveloped at this time, so I could drive it without too much concern about many cars (Bogeys) looking to take me out of this world. What a great experience, and at $22,000 give or take a few, I'd like to experience it more often!! Thanks guys, for the impromtu gathering this morning!! Next time make sure you bring protection...I might just have to confiscate your toys for my pleasure and feed you to the dog!!!

rstoll · 02-23-2003, 09:45 AM

I want one too.

Rich Lambert · Rich Lambert's Garage

There's a new 550 Spyder in town. Not an endorsement...just a an FYI.

http://www.jimsgems.com/mcraespyder.html

Rich

typ550 · 02-23-2003, 01:52 PM

Doug,

Glad you enjoyed the ride. Great day for it. Thanks for the "jury-rigging" help, as well!! You definitely need to get one of these cars!!

By the way, the car Rich mentioned in his post is supposed to be a good one, although I have not seen one firsthand. Jim Weatherford, the importer of the McRae and owner of Weatherford Motorsports, is a good guy.

ToyCollector · ToyCollector's Garage

Did the deal with Jim and the McRae ever get inked? I thought I saw a post by him on ClubCobra mentioning that he was still looking for some start-up capital. As I do not hit the boards every day, I may have missed the successful resolution to this though but he made mention of an impasse about 2 weeks ago.

Typ550, sorry we had you getting back late, but real happy you and Doug hooked up as well. I am at my happiest when I help friends get the bug for new TOYS!

I will be ripping my expansion tank off the Cobra and installing new catch can this week. I actually think I may have overfilled it and I never emptied the catch can from prior "overflows.". Car never ran over 60 degrees celsius, so I need to figure this one out.

ToyCollector · ToyCollector's Garage

Doug, sent you an Ebay link to a Beck 550 for sale!!

Rich Lambert · Rich Lambert's Garage

The last e-mail I had from Jim said, or implied, the 550 thing was a go.

Rich

'82 911SC
Unique 427SC Cobra
(hey, I've got 2 SC's)

BlueSkyJaunte · 02-24-2003, 07:34 AM

I've been SERIOUSLY considering a Vintage or Thunder Ranch (Beck) Spyder. However the reading I've done doesn't convince me that these cars have daily-driver level reliability. Not that I'd use a Spyder for a daily driver, but I do need something that'll be at least as reliable as my SC (also my former daily driver).

Can anyone convince me? Anecdotal evidence and/or hard numbers welcomed!

osidak · 02-24-2003, 08:03 AM

Blue- no experience with one so take what I say for what it is.

I would imagine the reliability factor is going to based upon the componets you use, engine, brakes, ect. The body is fiberglass so there are no real issues there (assuming a good layup)

So if you use a porsche engine I would look to see what the service history had been for that type engine and if possible the engine you will use, brakes are nothing more than up keep.

After that the realibilty depends on how well you or the original builder put it together.

typ550 · 02-24-2003, 08:48 AM

The last I heard from Jim about ten days or so ago was that it was not looking good, altho he is trying to work things out with Graeme.

Mike - already sent Doug a couple of hot leads, as well!

As far as daily driver reliability is concerned, as an owner I would say: 1) my car is very reliable but I put my own motor in it and am comfortable "tinkering" as necessary, 2) it is frankly not practical enough to be a daily driver for me, as there is no roof and little room to carry anything other than yourself (even having a passenger makes it very cramped). I still rely on my 911 as the daily driver. All that said, I still drive the hell out of it!!