In what universe does an engine being reunited with a chassis warrant such fanfare of triumphant music and beautiful cinematography as part of warrant a high production film? In the world of Porsche, of course. Especially when that engine is a glorious Porsche Fuhrmann four-cam, and the chassis is the 1950s mid-engine giant killer 550 Spyder. That’s just what North Carolina-based high-end restoration shop Road Scholars did with this new video from their YouTube channel. It’s a slow motion and high-drama wonderland of shop work, from the moment the engine and transmission are re-joined to the moment the whole kit and caboodle are fired up again in the chassis. It’s an interesting story that deserves a beautiful moment like this.
This Porsche, chassis number 550-0090, is alleged to be one of the most original 550 Spyders in the world. As such, it fetched a record $6.5 million at a Bonhams Goodwood auction back in 2016. This collector has brought the car back to the US, and it’s been in the care of Roads Scholars since. Until mid-December, the 550 was enshrined at the Porsche Experience Center museum in Atlanta. As soon as the shop received the Spyder back, they were told it would again be sent off for display, this time all the way out west to Los Angeles for inclusion in The Petersen Museum’s “The Porsche Effect” exhibit which kicked off on February 1.
Being that the Porsche would be in the shop’s care for just over a month, they had a lot of work to get completed before it joined the Petersen for a full year. One of those major projects included a full rebuild of the 550’s original transmission. Luckily, they got it done with time to spare, as they’re used to working under pressure and time crunch. If you’re in the LA area at some point in the next year, stop in to check it out.
