Equipment
4 speed, 4 wheel drum brakes, small acrylic windscreen, through the hood fuel filler, leather engine cover straps, center exit exhaust, gold Spyder scripts on front fenders. Minor stone chips on front end, chassis and engine well detailed. Used as a street car for a majority of its early life and still retains its original engine and bodywork. Totally restored in the late 90s and used in the Colorado Grand and the California Mille.
Market commentary
This number raised many an eyebrow in the Gooding tent. While 550s are beautiful and historic cars that rarely retain their important original components as this one does, the nearly one million dollars paid over the high estimate is hard to justify. Other significant Porsches with important factory and track history sold for less money later in the day and other 550s are available for less money. This is, simply put, an astronomical price for a customer 550 with no racing history. That there were four or five bidders still involved at $3 million suggests, however, that the mania was contagious.