ARCHIVAL DISCOVERY AND NEW EVIDENCE: ENRICHING THE HISTORY OF A PORSCHE WORKS CAR

STARTING POINT
The history of Porsche 550 Spyder Typ 550/1500 RS chassis no. 550-0047 was, to a large extent, well documented. As one of the very few Porsche Werkswagen entered officially by the factory in major international events, its early career was clearly established through period records and the main outline of its European achievements was preserved in specialist literature, race reports, and factory-based documentation.

RESEARCH
Our research project focused on completing and clarifying the second half of the car’s life, with an extensive SCCA career. A key breakthrough came through direct contact with the William Edgar archive, representing the legacy of John Edgar’s team leadership. This access allowed us to confirm, refine, and better contextualize the Spyder’s American competition record, identifying races, drivers, and results with far greater continuity than previously available. In parallel, the research effort resulted in the acquisition of an exceptionally large body of previously absent documentation. We have collected about 800 references — photographs, period documents, and contemporary articles — which dramatically enrich the car’s known chronicle. This case demonstrates that even when a racing car’s importance is already acknowledged — and its factory beginnings firmly recorded — a dedicated archival investigation can still add substantial historical clarity.