Porsche 550 Spyder: Unpacking the history behind a thrilling survivor sports car | Hagerty Media

[Hagerty]

It's amazing how a car can make its mark on history. People are unlikely to ever forget the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 722 that Stirling Moss drove to a record-setting victory in the '55 Mille Miglia, the 1968 Highland Green Ford Mustang in which Steve McQueen chased bad guys in the movie Bullitt, and James Bond's 1965 Aston Martin DB5.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/porsche-550-spyder-unpacking-the-history-behind-a-thrilli...

[PC6]

$4.5 is a nice round number for a very special car with history but I would have hoped the car, being in America from new including Hawaii even before statehood, would have stayed in America for all of us to see and experience it once restored.

[46HudsonPU]

So - It wasn't a 'rediscovery' (as indicated in the 'come-on' / description emailed), nor was it unknown, and the owners who 'socked it away' KNEW exactly what they had. Essentially, they'd been 'sitting on it', and finally couldn't resist the estimated price it would bring..
In any event - it is another piece of the myriad of history surrounding both the brand, and automotive history in general..

[PorshaBoyLee356]

Porsche 550-069 was purchased by Mark Wegh for is personal collection in the Netherlands. Mark is the CEO of Porsche Centrum Genderland.
See: https://www.loveforporsche.com/celebrating-15-years-of-porsche-center-gelderland/ Scrolll down to -- Barn Find. Lee Raskin, Porsche histoian/author

[Ed_Turbo]

Sounds like he is cashing in for retirement. Crazy how Porsches are so valued today, 10-15 years ago people could care less in the United States. This inflation in price makes me think we're in a bubble.

[Tridentman]

Never mind about the Porsche---what about the really important stars of this story---the six bikes!
More information please!

[AG1962]

I think we are experiencing a wave of "stealth" inflation, not so much in everyday consumables as in both real estate prices and (collectible) automobile prices. And the former seems to me to be feeding the latter: retire from your job in a big city with a million or two (or four!) in windfall equity, move to a spot even marginally less expensive, and suddenly you have the cash for cars worth six figures. However, the last of the baby boomers will be retiring and downsizing this decade, and one wonders what will happen to car prices after that? 

[67Firebird]

"Stealth inflation", also explains the stock market. Prices usually reflect actual perceived future value, today it is value of $$ in future, not product.

[brians356]

Ed, I've owned my '59 356 for 22 years now (and owned my first one in 1980) and, believe me, your estimate of how long it's been since stateside folks "could care less" is laughable. Sure, many Porsches' values have soared, but so has the stock market. An investment only 20 years ago in the S&P 500 index would be worth 10x more today, notwithstanding several "crashes" along the way including the so-called "Great Recession". Twin-cam Porsches have been fetching big bucks perhaps since before you were born.

[coop]

Care less? Speak for yourself

[MATTMERICA]

Just curious - if the yanks said they wanted $4.5m for the car, and the buyer was in europe, it "only" cost him around 3.7m euros due to the exchange rate for the past 30 days or so. Just wondering if they left some money on the table lol

[Maestro1]

It's a big number, and so they will retire in splendor, more or less.
I think we're headed for a correction in our market simply because the prices, when reflected on certainly not this car, are overheated. Unrealistic. A sure way of blocking people out of the Hobby and making it just another Elitist Jolly is to keep the prices up where entry level is just a dream. Having said that there is also the issue of supply less than demand, that is, certain parts of the Market the
cars available for sale are just not there. Therefore existing owners have the upper hand, and buyers will feel price pressure.

[brians356]

That's a somewhat conspiratorial "Haves" vs "Have Nots" point of view you express there. The term "Elitist" alone is a tell. "Blocking people out of the Hobby"? Really?

[busbeagle]

My father bought 550-053 new in 1955. I have a picture of him racing Jean Pierre Kunstle in 069 at Pebble Beach on 4/22/56. Dad’s 550 was sold in 1956 or 1957 for 550-088 which was replaced by another 550 (112 or 116) in 1958 or 1959. The site will not let me post the picture . All 550s now have a story behind them. Two 550s sold for 4.3 and 4.7 million in Monterey back in August 2018 so 4.5 is a reasonable number.

[woody356]

The cars and bikes were just chump change compared to the land value. There were four very collectable early Porsches on the property, and sixty or so really special classic bikes. The 550 was priced very consistent with recent auction and private sales. The stories of the other three cars will no doubt come out in time. Les Gunnerson used and shared his Porsches, but moved on to bikes in later years. I think he just outlived most of his Porsches buddies and the cars were largely forgotten. I had a car entered in the large Porsche concours at Newport Beach in 1985, and I believe this is the last event it was shown at.

[jasper4247]

Just curious. Are the two guys in the photo opening the container, or closing it?
If they are opening it, someone should tell them that they are pushing when they should be pulling to open the door, and that they should disengage the locking bars before doing so.
If they are closing the door, maybe someone should tell them that the door is already closed and the locking bars are in place - no further effort required.
Just an observation. My apologies to everyone for pointing it out.