In a heart beat. Have had a couple of Karmann Ghias. Very simular with mid-engine, built to drive for pure fun. Thank you both, for making such good videos about this one, and taking us on a ride.
Great fun car as you can tell by your laughs and "yeah baby!" I imagine Beck thought of this when they laid out the design but I feel that a later volks transaxle with IRS and CV joints would be an improvement in handling and do away with the swing axle tuck under possibility. I would stay with an air cooled engine. The Subaru would be more powerful but you would have to add plumbing and a radiator which means more weight. Keeping it Porsche would be nice but there is more horsepower now developed reliably with the VW. One knock on this car is the four bolt wheels. Like you say, if it is on the road it is a replica but the older five bolt wheels would keep a more authentic look. Great review and great work, Thanks.
I know you two are boating now, but I have really enjoyed your car videos over the years, thank you. I still go back and watch them. Excited to “sea” your adventures continue. ENJOY THE WATER!!
I remember seeing these Beck Spyders in the car magazines back in the early nineties. It was my absolute dream car and I still love the design of the 550. Timeless design, it will always be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
I owned a Beck for years. The car was built by John Willhoit, a top notch Porsche restoration expert. He built it with 356 Porsche parts, including the engine. It was a spectacular car that I took on a 1,500 mile trip up the CA, OR, and WA coast. Great fun, unless it rains!
I have an early Beck Spyder with a built Porsche 912 engine. It is the perfect amount of power for the weight and balance of the car. Other Type 1 550s that I have driven have always felt just a bit under powered and never as fast as they are loud. Great review, subscribed.
I drew the phantom view illustration for Chuck Beck back in the 80's. Great guy and he took me for a ride in his VW engined 175 hp demo car. It was very fast and nimble. He and his son had just completed serial number 75. I'm building my own design 3 wheeler as seen in my avatar. Should be fun.
Hi Franny just found her channel, I have one of these in my collection, bought it from Chuck Beck himself back in the early 90’s,before he sold his company, never drove it, but after seeing you run through the gears makes me want to get it out. Nice Job 👍, I love the hear we go 😂 Thanks !!!
Absolutely love watching your videos, here in the UK. Thank you for continuing to provide good technical and levelled opinions. Great scenery for the test drive, unfortunately it’s raining in the UK 😒 Role on the next vlog ! Thanks Dave.
Franny, You and Edd China, produce the best videos about Vintage and Classic Cars maintenance and restoration, it's alway a pleasure wacth all of them.
Very enjoyable! Great car and great review. Couldn't resist Google mapping your test drive location in the vicinity of Leyden Rock Drive. It looks like a very desirable area, great for that Saturday afternoon drive! All round great video, from Australia.
Enjoyed this video. I’ve been a fan of the Beck 550 Spyder for decades - never pulled the trigger as, well I’m of Irish decent and I’d burn in a convertible. I enjoyed the drive / review on your 550 - I used to live in Westminster (92nd and Wadsworth) and would drive my Porsche 944 on those same roads when I’d head west in and around Rocky Flats and down to Golden. I miss Colorado everyday. Seeing the foothills and the “open” road makes me miss it more. I switched to being a Mini Cooper S (R53) guy after my second Porsche purchase went sideways. I also laughed at your comment about sitting so low in the car. In my second 944 one evening I picked up my wife at work in Downtown Minneapolis and an SUV pulled up next to us at a light - my wife looked to her right and was looking eye to eye with the wheel hub of an Escalade. She turned back and said “I really don’t like this car...” with that stated I sold that Porsche the next Spring to a guy in Montana... big sky... no daylight speed limits (it was a rare 944 - had some sought after features that made it desirable as a track day car. Lost a ton of cash on that car in the year I owned it. I’m enjoying the Mini Cooper S (R53) quite a bit. In the past two years I have purchased, fixed up and sold three of them making a bit of money on each along the way to work my way to my current very low miles, late 2006 built no rust “keeper”. Enjoy your videos. Look forward to more. Hello to Heidi.
@@HeidiandFranny If you want to see the before and after of that Porsche build "Google" - Bill Cunningham Porsche Hagerty - its under an article "Look what I found" which I was interviewed for. The after photos were taken when I lived on Hyland Hills Golf Course in Westminster.
Great videos ladies! You mentioned visibility and the inability to adjust the fender mounted mirror, so I expect that you'll be happy to know that you actually can adjust it! In less than 30 seconds. Loosen the screw at the forward end, adjust, tighten. Done. I've done this solo, and it's very tedious getting in and out of the driver's seat with many minor adjustments until I got it right, but with both of you working together, it will literally take moments. Hint...do it in a parking lot full of cars and park so the other ones are in your blind spots and the areas that you rely on your mirror for. It amazes me how many people adjust their mirrors so they can see their fender, as if they need to frequently check to see if it's still there. Open the angle so you can actually see the blind spots and the cars you want to avoid hitting. Good luck, and thanks for your fantastic videos!
Nice Job as always! Yes, I have driven a real 1955 Spyder, many a year ago - 1987... Was involved with a James Dean Documentary. This drive was near Dean's untimely death in central California. I have also driven the Beck 550 too. Removing the lore and understanding even back then I was driving a very expensive car - Think I was told it was valued at 100K! Lot of money then. I drove the car with the owner. I can say this. The REAL 550 - was much more robust then the Beck. Meaning you knew, this was a race car, even being vintage. Quick off the throttle and past 3000 RPM - a monster to behold. Maybe I was overtaken by the movement ? But being a Porsche owner even then, I knew it lived up to its pedigree. The Beck? Fun and worthy car- still a VW 1.9 liter - with no top end possibilities - like a stock 356. The "Fuhrmann Engine" (Type 547) in the 550? All top end, and in the hands of a professional driver ( I am not) is incredible. Thanks for the video again. Love all your videos and clear to see you love these cars...
Almost bought that kit, still kick myself for not pulling the trigger, bought an Alfa GTV 2000 instead. Sounds like a bit of a cam and a little rich in the carburation, set for reving. Very knowledgeable person, just subscribed, great review.
Thank you for your presentation of the Beck Porsche 550 Spyder. You really have a nice porsche there. I worked for porsche for over twenty years, Started in 1966 and my last few years I worked out of the Deerfield office, Deerfield, Illinois. I was a District Service Manager covering Illinois N. Indiana. Remember the movie Risky Business well the dealership they took the ( WET Drowned ) 928 to was one of my dealers in waukegan, Illinois. I love your car and I would like to get one but right now I am building a boxster 986 in to a Bonneville race car hope I will be ready by next year to run. I will be using a porsche 928 5 liter engine with twin turbos and nitrous oxide if needed. My gold is 300+ mph. ;Regards Phil
Franny, thanks for the great series! This is a fitting conclusion to all the fine work that went into this little car. After watching this drive, I miss my Boxster S 😔
These cars are the saving grace for anyone who wants to experience what has always been an ultra rare and pricey car. Of course these are not Aluminium but aside from that and the fact you don't get to contend with an uber exotic 4 cam race engine. You do get a car that still has an air cooled engine from the same basic family that Built the originals.
awesome ! its because the history of that car that i got into porsches! a 914 a 911 and know my favorite a boxster!! love the mid engines, thanks for the great video!
Great review as usual - I previously owned a 1982 F308 like the one you did in previous videos but I can honestly say I would love this car. Maybe in a couple of years Ill be looking at one of these if I can fit in it.
I could see me drivin' one of these! Personally...I'd build a nice little 1776cc with a counter-weight crank, an Engle 110 cam and CIS mechanical fuel injection (in lue of the twin carbs). Dual port heads, of course. It's either that or a Subaru 2,5 liter with a 5-speed. Thank you for the vid. I totally enjoyed it. I had grown up in the midst of the SCCA sports car racing scene back in the early 60's in central California and cars like this are very reminiscent of what I used to watch on the race tracks. Porsches (the 904 was my personal favorite!). AC Bristols (before Cobras had come along). Lotus. Birdcage Maseratis. Triumph TR4's (I wanna build me one of those SO BAD!!!). Jag's (E-types, of course!)(though my Dad had, at one time, a '54 120K coupe with an Oldsmobile 303 Rocket 88 in it. It was FAST!). Oh, how I miss those days!
An exemplary review. I'd call this type of car a replica-tribute car. A tribute to the original designers, engineers and forward-thinkers who created this model. Great coverage of the tech specs on this car, as you suggest it would be almost impossible/risky to do this review with the original.
From the sound of the engine while you were driving, it sure sounds like you did one heck of a job fixing all of the issues. You could be my mechanic any day of the week! Great job!
Lovely thing. Tires have been fitted the wrong way around though, they're not supposed to channel the water into the center of the wheel. Be careful with that in the wet! See: 7:30
I’m diving into researching these little cars. I really want one but I’m not the most mechanically inclined. I really love your videos. You’ve done the best review of this car on the internet. I’m hoping to lean on all of these videos if I decide to take the plunge with purchasing it
I wanted one of these way back when I saw an ad in Car and Driver magazine in the 80's, there were 2 or three versions kits and turn key . There was one offered with a higher performance VW engine that could do some crazy, 10 point something in the quarter mile.. Great work on the review, it brought back memories of teen age dreams.
Man that thing sounds glorious after you got it running correctly. Thank you for the drive and review. Beautiful scenery and fantastic shots of the car. I'm sold. Honestly made me drop the ideas of the other kit cars I was considering. This series of videos really made the decision very easy. Looking forward to what you have in store for us next.
Had a beck and a 1970 911 T. was restoring Porsche's for a while, and went to SCCA racing in the mid-Fifties. My dream car...1972 Porsche 911S Targa, five speed, Air and windows and locks, Silver with Black leather recaros...alloy wheels, , and an Abarth Pipes..with Killer sounds....( for playing German Opera Music at 120 MPH)
As a previous owner of a '86 Carerra and had so much fun with that car and now owner of Alfa spider and a super loud '79 Alfa Sprint Veloce, I dream about this car and saw a replica in San Francisco, I love to buy this toy from you one day if you want to let it go!
I had one my dad bought new in Santa Clara CA, It had the original Beck emblem on the front but we never knew what the serial number was. It was in an accident right after he got it and the body shop had to remove the engine to repair it. In doing so they cut and discarded the cross bar where the engine number was stamped. He never had the serial plate next to the fuel tank. I had it registered in CA, custom plate BECK 550
I've loved Beck Spyders for decades. I was into the kit car craze as a kid and young adult. Beck also had a California Speedster 356 kit to if I remember correctly.
I love the 550. Check out Hoovie's too. Suburu engine and over 200 HP. What a handful! My biggest concern would be safety. I would at least want a roll bar and a harness belt. This is one kit car I would not be embarrassed to own, the only one that comes to mind.
Beck makes a nice remake of the Porsche 904. That would be my dream car. Quite a performer at around 1600 lbs and a modern Porsche flat 6 putting out some power. Also, a beautiful car.
The original had to swing axles.. Torsion bars huge improvement! It's no longer death when you lift throttle when cornering.. Hundred percent improvement on handling with torsion bars
The exterior mirror is manually adjustable after loosening the screw in the center at the rear of the body. The exhaust can be easily quieted with a different muffler. Racing mirrors and performance mufflers were the cheap sports car mods of the sixties. I was very interested in the Beck 904 until I learned I wouldn't fit in it at 6'1". I enjoyed your review of the 550.
Thanks! This mirror didn't have the screw at the point... Someone else wrote in and said they are still adjustable, but I'd have to go back and see what that entailed. It has to be adjustable, right? ;)
Great video review, as always. It's cool too see another early Beck. Mine is actually number 10, and has a Porsche 356 1600cc. While I would like to have more power, I like saying it has a real Porsche motor!
Great ride,I don't however ,understand the need for heater boxes on the motor.Other than that, it's a great ride,and I would rule out modernities like fuel injection and ultra powerfull motors,honestly the only swaps I would consider being a big typ 4 vw or a tuned Corvair to keep it all simple.Great ride the way it is!
What a fantastic video! I wish I could afford one of these. Alas, I cannot. I've driven a Beck some 15 years ago and it is special. It would be a real point of pride in my life. As a more realistic option, I have decided to go on the hunt for a Boxster in great shape, well maintained, and reliable. The modern homage to the 550 created by Porsche... A wonderful car, especially in the S trim. Here in Scottsdale; pre-owned Boxsters are abundant. Prices are amazingly low so I'm off on the hunt. Thanks again for this dreamy presentation. Happy New Year 2020! Cheers!
Yeah, very cool car but with no shoulder harness and a metal/wood steering wheel a head on collision would be horrible. Need to be like riding a motorcycle, very alert.
Yaaas! Drive that thing! Sounds so good and looks so fun! Can I ride around with you!? 😁 Just absolutely love your Channel and content. I wish I had your skill and knowledge. I tinker on my 70 Westfalia. And my 01 beetle I've owned from new. Thankfully my porsche cayenne hasn't needed anything. Id love to add a fun zippy lil car like this to my garage. To drive and tinker with. To shift through the corners. YAAAS QUEEN! 🥰
Hi Evereyone, This the complete review of the Beck Porsche 550 Spyder. What do you think? Would you own one?
I'd own one... but so glad u bought a Cayman.
I
In a heart beat. Have had a couple of Karmann Ghias. Very simular with mid-engine, built to drive for pure fun. Thank you both, for making such good videos about this one, and taking us on a ride.
Great fun car as you can tell by your laughs and "yeah baby!" I imagine Beck thought of this when they laid out the design but I feel that a later volks transaxle with IRS and CV joints would be an improvement in handling and do away with the swing axle tuck under possibility. I would stay with an air cooled engine. The Subaru would be more powerful but you would have to add plumbing and a radiator which means more weight. Keeping it Porsche would be nice but there is more horsepower now developed reliably with the VW. One knock on this car is the four bolt wheels. Like you say, if it is on the road it is a replica but the older five bolt wheels would keep a more authentic look. Great review and great work, Thanks.
My dream car.......one day
I know you two are boating now, but I have really enjoyed your car videos over the years, thank you. I still go back and watch them. Excited to “sea” your adventures continue. ENJOY THE WATER!!
never seen this woman before- know the car. normally HATE 'reviewers'. but man, she was charming- correct- and pleasant. great job I think!
This channel is awesome.
milftastic
Yes, but you can't compare anything if you only drove one, the replaca...
Don't know how many time's i have seen this video. and still great. Thank you very much 😀
I remember seeing these Beck Spyders in the car magazines back in the early nineties. It was my absolute dream car and I still love the design of the 550. Timeless design, it will always be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
It really is a pretty car... It was a contender until we came across the 308QV.
I owned a Beck for years. The car was built by John Willhoit, a top notch Porsche restoration expert. He built it with 356 Porsche parts, including the engine. It was a spectacular car that I took on a 1,500 mile trip up the CA, OR, and WA coast. Great fun, unless it rains!
5spd?
I worked for John from 2002 to 2006, and my nephew ids still there, as parts manager, and takes over when John goes on Vacation, or goes the Germany,
Nice job! The engine note is intoxicating. I hope the owner appreciates all the time and effort that you put into this project.
Would love to one of these replica..... 550 Porsche Spyder
So humble yet so authoritative. Loved every video in this series.
Thanks!!
Man I love the Porsche community. So many cool people that are genuinely interested in cars.
I have an early Beck Spyder with a built Porsche 912 engine. It is the perfect amount of power for the weight and balance of the car. Other Type 1 550s that I have driven have always felt just a bit under powered and never as fast as they are loud. Great review, subscribed.
I totally agree. Very fun though!
I drew the phantom view illustration for Chuck Beck back in the 80's. Great guy and he took me for a ride in his VW engined 175 hp demo car. It was very fast and nimble. He and his son had just completed serial number 75. I'm building my own design 3 wheeler as seen in my avatar. Should be fun.
Hi Franny just found her channel, I have one of these in my collection, bought it from Chuck Beck himself back in the early 90’s,before he sold his company, never drove it, but after seeing you run through the gears makes me want to get it out. Nice Job 👍, I love the hear we go 😂 Thanks !!!
Absolutely loved the video and test drive video many thanks 👍 Hiya Franny would love to see a review on a genuine 1955 Porsche Spyder 550 😍😀👍🤩
Thanx for showing the car running and it was also nice to see you enjoying your ride, beautiful, beautiful piece of film of a beautiful piece of art!
Absolutely love watching your videos, here in the UK. Thank you for continuing to provide good technical and levelled opinions.
Great scenery for the test drive, unfortunately it’s raining in the UK 😒
Role on the next vlog !
Thanks Dave.
Franny, You and Edd China, produce the best videos about Vintage and Classic Cars maintenance and restoration, it's alway a pleasure wacth all of them.
Wow. That is a HUGE compliment. I love to watch Edd. Thanks.
You are different , because you have knowledge of what you're talking about. Thanks a lot!
Very enjoyable! Great car and great review.
Couldn't resist Google mapping your test drive location in the vicinity of Leyden Rock Drive. It looks like a very desirable area, great for that Saturday afternoon drive!
All round great video, from Australia.
Thanks! Yes some very nice roads. Getting a little crowded though, but still beautiful!
Man, I will take a replica
Enjoyed this video. I’ve been a fan of the Beck 550 Spyder for decades - never pulled the trigger as, well I’m of Irish decent and I’d burn in a convertible. I enjoyed the drive / review on your 550 - I used to live in Westminster (92nd and Wadsworth) and would drive my Porsche 944 on those same roads when I’d head west in and around Rocky Flats and down to Golden. I miss Colorado everyday. Seeing the foothills and the “open” road makes me miss it more. I switched to being a Mini Cooper S (R53) guy after my second Porsche purchase went sideways. I also laughed at your comment about sitting so low in the car. In my second 944 one evening I picked up my wife at work in Downtown Minneapolis and an SUV pulled up next to us at a light - my wife looked to her right and was looking eye to eye with the wheel hub of an Escalade. She turned back and said “I really don’t like this car...” with that stated I sold that Porsche the next Spring to a guy in Montana... big sky... no daylight speed limits (it was a rare 944 - had some sought after features that made it desirable as a track day car. Lost a ton of cash on that car in the year I owned it. I’m enjoying the Mini Cooper S (R53) quite a bit. In the past two years I have purchased, fixed up and sold three of them making a bit of money on each along the way to work my way to my current very low miles, late 2006 built no rust “keeper”. Enjoy your videos. Look forward to more. Hello to Heidi.
Wow. Cool story.
@@HeidiandFranny If you want to see the before and after of that Porsche build "Google" - Bill Cunningham Porsche Hagerty - its under an article "Look what I found" which I was interviewed for. The after photos were taken when I lived on Hyland Hills Golf Course in Westminster.
Great videos ladies! You mentioned visibility and the inability to adjust the fender mounted mirror, so I expect that you'll be happy to know that you actually can adjust it! In less than 30 seconds. Loosen the screw at the forward end, adjust, tighten. Done. I've done this solo, and it's very tedious getting in and out of the driver's seat with many minor adjustments until I got it right, but with both of you working together, it will literally take moments. Hint...do it in a parking lot full of cars and park so the other ones are in your blind spots and the areas that you rely on your mirror for. It amazes me how many people adjust their mirrors so they can see their fender, as if they need to frequently check to see if it's still there. Open the angle so you can actually see the blind spots and the cars you want to avoid hitting. Good luck, and thanks for your fantastic videos!
Great tip! Thanks!
As a total car novice that's in love with this model - this was a phenomenal overview and video overall. Thank you!!!
It is running great. The owner is going to be thrilled. Nice job and we loved the series. It sure is a well done replica.
Nice Job as always! Yes, I have driven a real 1955 Spyder, many a year ago - 1987... Was involved with a James Dean Documentary. This drive was near Dean's untimely death in central California. I have also driven the Beck 550 too. Removing the lore and understanding even back then I was driving a very expensive car - Think I was told it was valued at 100K! Lot of money then. I drove the car with the owner. I can say this. The REAL 550 - was much more robust then the Beck. Meaning you knew, this was a race car, even being vintage. Quick off the throttle and past 3000 RPM - a monster to behold. Maybe I was overtaken by the movement ? But being a Porsche owner even then, I knew it lived up to its pedigree. The Beck? Fun and worthy car- still a VW 1.9 liter - with no top end possibilities - like a stock 356. The "Fuhrmann Engine" (Type 547) in the 550? All top end, and in the hands of a professional driver ( I am not) is incredible. Thanks for the video again. Love all your videos and clear to see you love these cars...
Thank you. Very cool you drove those cars.
Almost bought that kit, still kick myself for not pulling the trigger, bought an Alfa GTV 2000 instead. Sounds like a bit of a cam and a little rich in the carburation, set for reving. Very knowledgeable person, just subscribed, great review.
Thank you for your presentation of the Beck Porsche 550 Spyder. You really have a nice porsche there.
I worked for porsche for over twenty years, Started in 1966 and my last few years I worked out of the Deerfield office, Deerfield, Illinois. I was a District Service Manager covering Illinois N. Indiana. Remember the movie Risky Business well the dealership they took the
( WET Drowned ) 928 to was one of my dealers in waukegan, Illinois.
I love your car and I would like to get one but right now I am building a boxster 986 in to a Bonneville race car hope I will be ready by next year to run. I will be using a porsche 928 5 liter engine with twin turbos and nitrous oxide if needed. My gold is 300+ mph. ;Regards Phil
Franny, thanks for the great series! This is a fitting conclusion to all the fine work that went into this little car. After watching this drive, I miss my Boxster S 😔
We miss ours too.
"Quick not fast" make perfect sense, quick is nothing to something & fast is "Topend speed". I build motorcycles in the same vein.
These cars are the saving grace for anyone who wants to experience what has always been an ultra rare and pricey car. Of course these are not Aluminium but aside from that and the fact you don't get to contend with an uber exotic 4 cam race engine. You do get a car that still has an air cooled engine from the same basic family that Built the originals.
Looks like a wonderful car. Very nice video.
awesome ! its because the history of that car that i got into porsches! a 914 a 911 and know my favorite a boxster!! love the mid engines, thanks for the great video!
Great interview. I have 3.2 Targa I come here for good information about Porsche .
Thats quite a Neighborhood , its beautiful and fantastic Roads for that Car.
Thanks for the fun ride!
Great review as usual - I previously owned a 1982 F308 like the one you did in previous videos but I can honestly say I would love this car. Maybe in a couple of years Ill be looking at one of these if I can fit in it.
II love this channel and she speaks clearly doesn’t repeater self and a pleasure to listen to very knowledgeable
Great review. The car sounds and drives amazingly well. And a stunner to look at. Looks like a purist's driving experience.
Love the sound of it !!!!!! Man , I HAVE to get one !!
This was a very educational. An Excellent all round experience. Thanks for creating such high quality content. Much appreciated.
Thanks! Glad you liked it :)
I love your videos...this car is most beautiful Porsche classic
Thanks!
this vid is definition of relaxing
I could see me drivin' one of these! Personally...I'd build a nice little 1776cc with a counter-weight crank, an Engle 110 cam and CIS mechanical fuel injection (in lue of the twin carbs). Dual port heads, of course. It's either that or a Subaru 2,5 liter with a 5-speed.
Thank you for the vid. I totally enjoyed it. I had grown up in the midst of the SCCA sports car racing scene back in the early 60's in central California and cars like this are very reminiscent of what I used to watch on the race tracks. Porsches (the 904 was my personal favorite!). AC Bristols (before Cobras had come along). Lotus. Birdcage Maseratis. Triumph TR4's (I wanna build me one of those SO BAD!!!). Jag's (E-types, of course!)(though my Dad had, at one time, a '54 120K coupe with an Oldsmobile 303 Rocket 88 in it. It was FAST!). Oh, how I miss those days!
I love watching your videos. Completely honest and fun to watch.
An exemplary review. I'd call this type of car a replica-tribute car. A tribute to the original designers, engineers and forward-thinkers who created this model.
Great coverage of the tech specs on this car, as you suggest it would be almost impossible/risky to do this review with the original.
Thanks!
Wonderful review with exactly what we need to know about this vehicle and the original - thanks
Franny,you earned that video. Way to stay with it.
Thanks!
Excellent review, thank you. Never heard of the Beck Spyder but will check them out, what a great retirement project.
Great description of the stunning car. A gift to own.
Fantastic review, greetings from the Netherlands
From the sound of the engine while you were driving, it sure sounds like you did one heck of a job fixing all of the issues. You could be my mechanic any day of the week! Great job!
Thanks!!
Lovely thing. Tires have been fitted the wrong way around though, they're not supposed to channel the water into the center of the wheel. Be careful with that in the wet! See: 7:30
I’m diving into researching these little cars. I really want one but I’m not the most mechanically inclined. I really love your videos. You’ve done the best review of this car on the internet. I’m hoping to lean on all of these videos if I decide to take the plunge with purchasing it
Great review, Good to see a good solid review without all the usual bullshit !!
I wanted one of these way back when I saw an ad in Car and Driver magazine in the 80's, there were 2 or three versions kits and turn key .
There was one offered with a higher performance VW engine that could do some crazy, 10 point something in the quarter mile..
Great work on the review, it brought back memories of teen age dreams.
Great review, it's really nice to see the 550 up and running after all the work you have put in 👍👍
I would love to buy a 550 spyder one day and respray it to include the famous 130's like James Dean,hopefully I have a better fate
What a lovely car! I'm not at all into exotic cars or convertibles but my gosh I love it! Enjoyed your video thanks for sharing it.
Man that thing sounds glorious after you got it running correctly. Thank you for the drive and review. Beautiful scenery and fantastic shots of the car. I'm sold. Honestly made me drop the ideas of the other kit cars I was considering. This series of videos really made the decision very easy. Looking forward to what you have in store for us next.
You'll have to let us know!
Believe me I will. Researching now to see if it will accept a 912 engine without to much trouble.
Sharp looking Beck 550 Spyder!
I have never seen this Beck car before. I have had 356A, B and C and a 1970 911S. Now as I have aged, a MX5 Turbo. I like to see one of these.
They are pretty neat and a hoot to drive!
Had a beck and a 1970 911 T. was restoring Porsche's for a while, and went to SCCA racing in the mid-Fifties. My dream car...1972 Porsche 911S Targa, five speed, Air and windows and locks, Silver with Black leather recaros...alloy wheels, , and an Abarth Pipes..with Killer sounds....( for playing German Opera Music at 120 MPH)
What a great video! Well done and informative. The sound, camera views, and narration are perfect.
Glad you liked it!
Well Frann , you just changed my view of some 'kitcars' If you ask me now... Yes I want one , but just like this one , a good and fun repro . Good job
You should check out the factory five mk4
Great review, you really know your stuff, and you didn't mention James Dean once!
As a previous owner of a '86 Carerra and had so much fun with that car and now owner of Alfa spider and a super loud '79 Alfa Sprint Veloce, I dream about this car and saw a replica in San Francisco, I love to buy this toy from you one day if you want to let it go!
Ok, keep watching.
Motor pulling quite well, fantastic improvement with the repairs.
I had one my dad bought new in Santa Clara CA, It had the original Beck emblem on the front but we never knew what the serial number was. It was in an accident right after he got it and the body shop had to remove the engine to repair it. In doing so they cut and discarded the cross bar where the engine number was stamped. He never had the serial plate next to the fuel tank. I had it registered in CA, custom plate BECK 550
I love how 1-3 are like 1-5 in a modern car and 4th is a pseudo-overdrive. Nice review. Nice car!
That was a wonderful review! I love everything you two produce!
Thanks!
Thank you for another fine video H&F Garage, got me sure motivated to get me moving to get my '58 356 out in the road.
Yes. Just you wait. We have more for you.
I've loved Beck Spyders for decades. I was into the kit car craze as a kid and young adult.
Beck also had a California Speedster 356 kit to if I remember correctly.
Now he also does a 904, and his is one of the quickest cars I have ever been in.🤙🏼
I love the 550. Check out Hoovie's too. Suburu engine and over 200 HP. What a handful! My biggest concern would be safety. I would at least want a roll bar and a harness belt. This is one kit car I would not be embarrassed to own, the only one that comes to mind.
Beck makes a nice remake of the Porsche 904. That would be my dream car. Quite a performer at around 1600 lbs and a modern Porsche flat 6 putting out some power. Also, a beautiful car.
The original had to swing axles.. Torsion bars huge improvement! It's no longer death when you lift throttle when cornering.. Hundred percent improvement on handling with torsion bars
Yes, I would own one. I would also like a 356 replica. I really enjoyed your video.
my whole live I been in love with the shape of the 550 probably even before i was born lol
They are pretty, huh...
Thanks Franny. Such a great video. Makes me want to remortgage the house and get one. Pretty much the car of my dreams. Love from Portugal.
The exterior mirror is manually adjustable after loosening the screw in the center at the rear of the body. The exhaust can be easily quieted with a different muffler. Racing mirrors and performance mufflers were the cheap sports car mods of the sixties. I was very interested in the Beck 904 until I learned I wouldn't fit in it at 6'1". I enjoyed your review of the 550.
Thanks! This mirror didn't have the screw at the point... Someone else wrote in and said they are still adjustable, but I'd have to go back and see what that entailed. It has to be adjustable, right? ;)
Awesome little car I'd beat around town all day long on the sunny days. Thanks for another informative video
Very impressed with your presence and knowledge . I can tell you really enjoy what you do. Thanks for sharing it with the world :)
Thanks so much!
Another great video. Really enjoy your videos. Keep up th great work. I look forward to watching your videos.
This is my new favorite car channel!
Yea! That's great!
Awesome vlog.. Nice Sunday icecream getter..
James Dean introduced me to the real deals. I've got one in a Perspex case. 1\32 scale 😢one can dream though L0L
A BMW S1000rr engine in this would be amazing!! Gorgeous.
I enjoyed your review. Thanks
Great video review, as always. It's cool too see another early Beck. Mine is actually number 10, and has a Porsche 356 1600cc. While I would like to have more power, I like saying it has a real Porsche motor!
Very cool. Heidi
Oh, I bet that is cool! It would sound the part too. You can get 80+HP. Doesn't an SC or a 912 engine put out over 100HP?
The 550 hooked me on Porsche but I’m not swapping my Boxster for a Beck in the rainy PNW.
Nice video. I really like the scenery as I spent 10 years in Colorado. Gorgeous state.
Great ride,I don't however ,understand the need for heater boxes on the motor.Other than that, it's a great ride,and I would rule out modernities like fuel injection and ultra powerfull motors,honestly the only swaps I would consider being a big typ 4 vw or a tuned Corvair to keep it all simple.Great ride the way it is!
What a fantastic video! I wish I could afford one of these. Alas, I cannot. I've driven a Beck some 15 years ago and it is special. It would be a real point of pride in my life. As a more realistic option, I have decided to go on the hunt for a Boxster in great shape, well maintained, and reliable. The modern homage to the 550 created by Porsche... A wonderful car, especially in the S trim. Here in Scottsdale; pre-owned Boxsters are abundant. Prices are amazingly low so I'm off on the hunt. Thanks again for this dreamy presentation. Happy New Year 2020! Cheers!
Thank you. Yes, Boxsters are abundant. Make sure you pre check for IMS bearing.
Great review from an informed, and professional presenter! Nice corners too
Ideal review and test drive on the Beck 550 Spyder!
I would love starting to look now
Dean and 550 lovers risk injury ,but its worth taking.
Yeah, very cool car but with no shoulder harness and a metal/wood steering wheel a head on collision would be horrible. Need to be like riding a motorcycle, very alert.
Yaaas! Drive that thing! Sounds so good and looks so fun! Can I ride around with you!? 😁 Just absolutely love your Channel and content. I wish I had your skill and knowledge. I tinker on my 70 Westfalia. And my 01 beetle I've owned from new. Thankfully my porsche cayenne hasn't needed anything. Id love to add a fun zippy lil car like this to my garage. To drive and tinker with. To shift through the corners. YAAAS QUEEN! 🥰
As usual another great review by you two. It would be nice to own one Thank you for sharing.
Wow you did a fantastic job on that car Franny
Thanks.
Damn...now I want one!
Just discovered your channel , really enjoy your videos! Keep up the good work! Best to you
Thank you!
I enjoyed the Becks series very much great job!
Thanks!
"Great day to be out with the top down." Can you put the top up? 🤣