Called 'The Great Pretender' by Classic Porsche magazine, who have featured the car in their July 2022 issue, this machine is an emulation, a rolling example of imitation being the highest form of flattery. This car is a means by which you can own an icon. 

it’s fun, it’s light, it’s agile and it boasts the same sensory triggers as the 550 itself. This is not a replica in the traditional sense. Instead, it is a means of making the inaccessible accessible. 

The beauty here also, is that you could own this car very soon, which is great news considering the current waiting list time for a standard 550 from Beck is 3-4 years. Even then, that would pale in comparison, in authenticity terms at least - to this machine.

Unlike other replica 550’s, this car is not only laden with genuine Porsche 356 parts, but the best available reproduction 550 parts and bespoke, hand crafted custom items, It also has the Beck tubular chassis, one of the most accurate reproduction 550 chassis’s available. All details which further drive home the wonderful illusion of being in a real 550. But unlike the real one, you can drive this car with without fear of potentially knocking a few zeroes off the value of your genuine 550 should the worst happen. And in that respect, we'd argue it’s far better than the car it so wonderfully pays tribute to. This car is a rare beast, not only because of its upgrades but also because it is right hand drive. 

Still need convincing? Well, Gary Oldman and Gordon Murray both own a Beck 550. We'd say that's a fairly good indication of this machines cool factor.

The Beck brand was started in 1982 by Chuck Beck, a former employee of a certain Carroll Shelby and described by Jay Leno as a 'mad genius'.
This car’s journey starts in 2009. Built from a base model Beck Chamonix, it was extensively upgraded with almost every option available from Fibersteel USA. We’ll get into the specifics further on. For now, we note the car has had four owners, and has covered a mere 4,600 miles over the course of its life. Though while the car was built in 2009 in its current guise, it was registered as a 1972, so is tax and MOT exempt.
Already a special car thanks to being subjected to just about every optional extra from Fibersteel USA, the current owner opted to take it further with the addition of genuine Porsche 356 parts and some custom made parts that are not available 'off the shelf'. As such, this Beck Chamonix has a more authentic feel to it. Slide behind the reproduction Porsche steering wheel, and you feel like you’re in the real deal.The car is kept garaged, and isn’t used in bad weather, thanks to the fastidious nature of the current owner, the engine has recently been rebuilt. The overall fit and finish is exceptional. Truly, this is a very special car indeed.l fit and finish is exceptional. Truly, this is a very special car indeed.

*Bidders must note that although the car appears on the DVLA database as a 'Holmes', we have had confirmation from Beck USA that it is one of their cars*

The cabin of this car might be small, but it is not lacking in details of the most exquisite sort. The seats are 550 style, the steering wheel is a reproduction banjo wheel with reproduction Porsche horn push. The alloy dash is filled with gauges from a Porsche 356 rather than the modern kit Beck would have fitted. The fuse box is from a 356 and mounted to an alloy panel as per the genuine 550, the Porsche VIN plate is period correct, the alloy door caps, door seals (as featured on the factory chassis 036 car) and door handles are correct for a 550. Other repro parts installed are the 550 drilled handbrake and the gear selector with lock out plate. It’s all quite astonishing and it’s very easy to miss a simple detail like the correct dash grab handle and luggage strap hoops or the Aluminium body to chassis panels and frame rail trim. The detail here is just simply other worldly and we would encourage you to pore over the images below.

Additional 550 interior details such as the correct roof mounts only and correct indicator stalk serve to add to the kind of authenticity that other 550 recreations can only dream of. Moving away from the cabin, we have what lies beneath the front and rear openings. The rear clam shell, which is secured by working Fibersteel latches and repro 550 straps, tilts back on an early 550 style stand (to reveal the engine) and has been improved with the addition of genuine 356 grill seals, a genuine 50’s Nurburgring enamel emblem, the correct shape rear number plate light and correct repro Bosch rear lights. Looking inside, we can see a sculpted aluminium ‘cheese grater’, inner arch closing panels, original style reinforcements and under the engine, an aluminium rear belly pan all as per the original 550. There is even the correct leather seal and brushes like the original 550. 

Under the ‘bonnet’ which also has working locks and leather straps, you’ll find the relocated new Bosch Silver battery secured with original 550 style metal straps, attached to genuine 356 battery terminals. and a new Mocal front mounted oil-cooler, again, as per the original 550 the cooler is boxed in aluminium and air is vented through the alloy cover on the nose and out the bottom of the car. Not only will you see a copy of the aluminium inner structure, there is also the fuel tank, with repro aluminium cover and quick release fuel filler as to mimic the genuine 550. For an extra touch of authenticity, a 'Made in Western Germany' build plate from a 356, has been added which has of course, been put in its correct place. The attention to detail of it all is so staggering that officials at Le Mans Classic in 2018 thought this car to be a genuine Porsche factory 550.

Look at it. No, seriously, just stare at it. This car is nothing short of utterly stunning. There is so much attention to detail that it's easy to miss something. The fit and finish is top drawer, with uniform panel gaps and more detail than you can imagine. From the alloy, riveted vent covers to the Bosch headlights, the aero mirror, the exposed fuel filler, the black steel wheels… it’s beautiful. And it’s full of extra details, too. 

We have the 356 rear grill seals mentioned earlier, we have the custom made rear aluminium belly pan, the Porsche jacking points, the sculpted stainless exhaust that protrudes from under the rear. There is a ‘pit light’ mounted on the driver-side so crews know when you’re coming in for fuel and fresh rubber. 

There are racing roundels, and the rear haunches have been painted with blue and gold stripes as per the racing 550s. The details don't stop there, either. At the back you will find the correct shape number plate lights, then moving round you will also notice the alloy chassis to body plates and the mount for the jack as per an original 550.  

If that wasn't enough, a genuine 1950s Nurburgring badge has been fitted. To top these details off you will also find Sonauto engine plaque and door seals as featured on the factory chassis 036 car. The vendor has even gone to the lengths of sourcing a period correct lookalike toolkit, with all of the correct accessories. 

The front cooler has been boxed more like the original, rear wheel closing panels like the original have been added along with some reinforcements on the clam shell like the original. This truly is an exercise in attention to detail and to say no stone has been unturned would be understatement of the century.

The body is arrow straight and free of any noticeable imperfections, the paint has a deep, right gloss, the wheels are immaculate and are wrapped in Michelin rubber. The Porsche script badges are period correct, and there are even emblems from Sonauto. How good is it? Well, the current owner was waved into the pits by marshalls at Le Mans, so it’s pretty convincing! 

This Chamonix might be a recreation of the Porsche 550, but on start-up, we’d actually go so far as to say it sounds even better. The flat-four engine is nearly 500cc bigger than the original car at 1,915cc and as such, sounds glorious. Helped in no small part by the Turbo Thomas stainless exhaust that protrudes proudly from the rear. 

The engine starts with ease and settles into a happy idle. It maintains temperature, and pulls through the revs with ease. The current owner has driven the car to Le Mans and states that mechanically, it’s in fine order. In fact, recently, the engine has been rebuilt with new pistons, cylinders and new heads, valves, HT leads and coil. It’s fed by twin Weber carbs, backed up by twin Facet fuel pumps with correct Bendix decals (as per factory car chassis 54) and a vintage Bosch separator with Malpasi regulator. 

There are - as per the original - oil coolers front and back, the battery is in the front, the engine sits under a custom 550 style fan shroud, there’s an oil breather and catch tank, aluminium pushrod tubes, Porsche 550 style valve covers, aluminium vintage power pulley and the throttle linkage is a modified CSP item that now fits under the centre shroud. 

Down below, the assault on the senses with attention to detail continues. Viewable in the gallery, eagle eyed enthusiasts will note the holes in horizontal brace - these were not standard on the Beck chassis and were drilled out for reasons that I'm sure will become abundantly clear at this point. Metal tubes towards the rear of the car were also added, along with toolroom copies of the bump stops. Once again, these were not standard items on the Beck replicas, but do you know what they were standard on? We probably don't need to remind you. The standard Beck/Charmonix is well known in circles for having one of the most authentic tubular chassis, as per the original car, but of course, this is taken to the extreme here.

There are drum brakes at the rear, with German CSP discs up front, all of which are covered by correct style aluminium skins. The car rides on Classic Koni adjustable suspension (with period decals - talk about detail). As for the transmission, that’s an off the shelf remanufactured VW unit with factory correct short axles, reverse gear lock out and featuring an exact copy of the factory gear stick. The way an original 550 Spyder selects it's gears is through a long rod from the gearstick through the middle of the car to the back of the gearbox. 

This example features a 'Jamar shifter' mechanism, an expensive upgrade over the standard car, which is as close you can get to the (you guessed it!) original factory spec. It’s speculated to be running around 130bhp, though the owner would suggest a rolling road session to get a true post-rebuild figure and as its just been rebuilt, should be gently run in having covered almost zero miles since its recent rebuild. As it stands though, it’s turnkey and ready to go. And go it will, without hesitation!

This isn’t a replica, it’s a way to obtain the unobtainable without spending £5m.