1954 Porsche 550/1500RS Spyder “Le Mans Prototype”

Mechanics and drivers had to commit to learning the ins and outs of these demanding little jellybean buggies before they had any hope of success

by Miles Collier

Porsche built four 550 Spyders for the 1954 Le Mans 24 Hours, numbered 10 through 13. This car, S/N 550-10, was assigned to Richard von Frankenberg and Helm Glockler. In practice, it was the fastest of the 1,500-cc 550s, but it was also the first to retire. Only 20 minutes into the race, a holed piston forced its withdrawal. Porsche tackled the problem, improving both cooling and tuning. With these changes, 550-10 was entered in the Reims 12-hour race on July 4, where it was driven to ninth overall and second in class by Gonzague Olivier and Auguste Veuillet, finishing behind the eighth-place and class-winning Frankenberg/Polensky 550 Spyder. A front anti-roll bar was added before the Nürburgring race on August 1, where Hans Herrmann drove 550-10 to victory. Herrmann again drove 550-10 at Avus in Berlin on September 19, this time with reshaped front fenders, a tiny cockpit opening, head fairing, and skirts enclosing the rear wheel wells. The aerodynamic...