The 718-RSK Spyder (RS = RennSport = Racing/Motor Sport. K was the shape of its
torsion bar suspension) was developed by Porsche between 1957 and 1962 for
small capacity racing cars. It was a development of the 550A, as famously owned by
the young James Dean.

Porsche produced only 34 Spyder 718-RSKs, so the originals are very rare and of course, very expensive.

GVB 385J was originally built by an individual owner/engineer around 1996-1997. It
is based on a 1971 Beetle chassis, shortened and heavily modified. The GRP body
was produced by GP Projects of Isleworth, copying the bodywork of the original
Porsche.

The current owner bought the car in October 2022. Though he had hoped to keep it
for quite a while, medical reasons meant that he has driven it only for about 70 miles
in the past year. Further, as he is the Bank of Mum and Dad, he is selling the car to
help one of his children put down a deposit on their first house.
Very sad for him.

The car is in excellent condition throughout and runs well. The current owner has
kept it garaged all the time.

There is a mountain of paperwork including the instruction manual for constructing
the car from GP Projects (and an additional instruction manual from Spyders Inc. of
Brockworth in Gloucestershire who build similar cars), mechanical and electrical
design notes and diagrams, advertising and sales materials, and correspondence
between previous owners and suppliers. There are many receipts and invoices for
parts and services purchased over the years. The paper documentation is 60 mm
thick in a sorted lever arch file. The V5 is present in the current owner’s name.

Because of its age the car is MoT-exempt. However, there are MoTs for 1997, 1999-
2012, 2014-2017, and 2021-2023. The current MoT is valid until 28 September 2023.
Most of these are clean Passes, there are one or two Advisories and one Failure
(2016, offside stop lamp not working, passed on re-test).

The car has had recent overhauls, modifications and maintenance carried out by
Spyders Inc and Jeff’s VW Shack in Bristol. Recent work by the current owner includes replacing the braided fuel hoses with SAE J30 R9 Fuel Line nitrile rubber hoses, adjusting the pedal box to accommodate wider feet, rewiring the electrical accessories and the relays, dash switches, lights and controls, and replacing the handbrake cables.

The interior is beautifully finished and has adjustable tan leather bucket seats matched by tan leather panel linings, door cards, and the headrest. The car has a wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel. The dash is body-coloured and houses fuel, oil pressure and oil temperature gauges, a rev counter and a speedometer. A battery box is located behind the passenger seat, is connected to a battery master cut-off switch and has a voltmeter to keep a check on the health of the electrical system. The car has grey Sparco harnesses which match the body colour. A tan tonneau cover is included in the sale.

As the current owner has ‘big feet’ (his term!) he has had the pedal box adjusted so
that the distance between the brake and accelerator pedals is increased.

The car is painted in stunning Porsche silver. The exterior of the car is in overall excellent condition; the paintwork is, in general, very good condition, though there are one or two stone chips. 

Disappointingly, there is also a scuff on the offside rear wing, following being parked into by a ‘hit and run’ motorist. The owner thinks the scuff is only paint layer deep and the underlying GRP is undamaged.

The silver-painted five-stud 15” replica steel wheels complement the silver body’s paintwork. The tyres are 165/80 R15s. The shiny silver wheels and the matt black tyres make a wonderful contrast.The vents and grilles all around the car are copies of those on the original Porsche. The door shut lines are smooth and equal throughout.

The engine powering the car is a 1597cc VW flat four engine, reputedly built by GAC Motorsport. Fuelled by two single-choke Weber 34 ICT downdraught carburettors, the engine gives a claimed 90 bhp at 5,000 rpm. The car has a custom Stinger exhaust. 

Power is transferred via a four-speed gearbox and a VW transaxle. The car has VW trailing link, torsion-bar sprung suspension in the front and swing axles in the rear. The car has Empi front disc brakes, period replicas of those used in the late 50s. There is a spare wheel located in the engine compartment

When stationary the car is real head turner with massive kerb appeal! And when it’s started the crackly exhaust demands attention! It’s terrific fun to drive! Enjoy it at its best during this year’s Indian Summer!

This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*

UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.