Wow! I hope he was filming. I've been watching the almost painfully slow progress on Wray's channel, like 10 episodes maybe so far of him building the dash. I hope he does 1 finishing it and putting it in and stuff.

Not worried about the wife, but a 550 would fit nicely next to my 930

The heart of any great car is its engine. For this build I was lucky enough to coax Vic Skirmants out of engine building retirement to build me a special engine. Combined with Ibrahim's shroud and the magic hands of Bill Haupt the engine was installed in the car today. A momentous day to say the least.
The next and final chapter is coming soon, stay tuned.

Good (lucky) move to get Vic on your team, doesn't get much better.

I just bought his last race car too, so my destiny is forever tied to Vic.

Which kind of motor is that?

4 cam. Rare and very expensive.

We could fix the 356 race car for you.

Thanks Mark, but I'll put it on the Celette here.

It's a Faux Cam, 912 engine with the 4 cam shroud.

Here Vic's car racing at Waterford Hills, Michigan about August 8th. 2008.
I was there watching the race with the our local PCA guys. My 914 was in the parking lot.
Tom in MI

The last two 356's I "restored" had Skirmants 1750's. Sweet engines to say the least.

Very cool to see the progress!

Ah yes, Waterford Hills Racetrack

Home of outrageous noise restrictions, the worst neighbors that complain about it endlessly despite the track having been there long before they moved in, and lacking runoff almost everywhere.

The 550 is looking even more marvelous with the motor.

These are cool


Click to view attachment

The top picture is real 4cam, the bottom is my car and my first attempt in 30 years to do safety wire. The last time was working on my dad's place as a teenager.

Is that your Faux Cam motor????

Indeed, Faux Cam, built by Vic.

Is there anything sexier, I don't think there is.

Great tail, and lucky guy you are. Enjoy this in good health

I remember when you could watch these speedsters with 4 cams run at pca club races. You could see all kinds of exotic cars running. Not as much these days but always a thrill to see these pivotal cars that forged Porsche into our collective psyche. A joy to see that 550 in raw state like that and knowing it is in good hands.

Tell us more about that Faux Cam engine.

So today was strange. I'm learning with putting together all these old aluminum 550 panels that old metal doesn't like to be TIG welded. I was talking to Wray Schelin who mentioned he has a new X1 Pro 3-in-One Laser Welder and told me how great it is. I had to see if it would work on old cruddy aluminum. I had two pieces of a long ago burned Spyder and thought if this welder can weld old, half burned and melted metal, it should be the ticket! It worked like a dream, I think there is a laser welder in my future. As a bonus, I made 550 art!

You cheater, creating a 4 cam illusion very nasty of you.
At least get those valve covers & starter cleaned & painted

Barefoot

The real 4-cam is going in the 914.

Stitching the 550 together, lots of banging and tweaking to get it all to fit. William Haupt and the jigs make it doable.

So much rust to build this. You still come up to NH?

Every chance I get!

Daily dose of 550, we're making progress. Stay tuned. William Haupt has magic hands!

Wow,

That dash/cowl looks like it’s alive! A thing of beauty.

NGU

Today was a milestone in this build. The front end is all welded together from the nose to the dash. It came out pretty good, and the hood fits.
Next stop is scary, hanging the doors. Stay tuned.

Well, it wasn't the first time, and it won't be the last, but I got my arse handed to me the last couple of days. We had to weld the hinge plates in and hang the doors. Sounds simple. It was hell, and our jig, which is usually infallable was not helpful. We winged it, and finally got two doors that open and close, at the correct upper right angle, but it was not fun. William Haupt stayed the course with me and we got it done, but we were brain whipped when it was done. Bill even found time to finish up his belly pan for his 550, 0054. Next is putting the body on the frame, that should be dramatic!

Along came a Spyder...

Looking GOOD

10 years of work and for the first time, it looks like a car. This car about broke me, way more complicated and unforgiving then a 356.

Back home, 6000 miles, stick a fork in me, I'm done....

If parts could talk, the stories they could tell. Car on top is just to illustrate where this grill goes on the car. I was really trying to rework this grill to go on my car, but it's too far gone. But what a cool piece! It raced at Le Mans in 1956.