Spyder 550
The Holmes Spyder 550 is a stunning tribute to
the extremely successful
Porsche Spyder 550 which was campaigned
throughout the 1950's. This beautiful replica retains the essence
of the original racing concept while tamed to make a comfortable,
reliable and usable motor car for the modern motorist.
Great care has been taken during development of the
Holmes Spyder to preserve all of the classic seductive lines whilst
conforming to the necessary safety and emissions legislation and
practicality demands required of new vehicles. Such a car always
has high expectations of quality and driver satisfaction, the Holmes
Spyder certainly will not disappoint.
Slip into the low slung leather seat and gaze over the smooth dash as
the bonnet gently slopes away from view. Switch the ignition to
on, a quiet whir as the fuel pump primes briefly then flick to start,
the engine bursts into life behind you. The specialist hand
assembled 2 litre engine burbles softly as it idles, grasp the
polished aluminium gear lever and engage first gear, release the clutch
and you become aware of the potential harnessed within the car.
Steady driving is as civilised as any modern production car.
Smooth gear
change and well placed controls means the Spyder gives pleasure to
drivers of any skill level. Out of town on the open road is where
most enjoyment can be had, slip down a gear squeeze the accelerator
the engine lets out a bark as a great wave of torque is unleashed, speed
quickly rises glance down to the centre of the gauges as the rev counter
approaches 7000rpm the engine now roars as it develops its maximum
130bhp a gentle pull back on the gear lever to engage fourth and the
engine barks once more. Corner fast approaching grip the steering wheel
a little tighter, feel every discrepancy of the road transmitted to your
fingertips through the steering and suspension systems. You know
exactly how much speed you can carry through the turn depress the brake
pedal slightly and turn in and feel the perfect 50/50 balance of Spyder
inspiring more confidence, the wind rushes through your hair adrenalin
pumps through your veins exit the corner and accelerate away into the
distance. Approaching town now, lift off rpm falls engine note
tails off to a low burble, speed drops within the limits and everything
returns to a civilised manor of modern motoring feeling like you have
completed a lap of the Nurburgring in its heyday. The Holmes
Spyder captivates all the good points of the classic driving experience
with none of the drawbacks and really is a timeless master piece.
Full pricing information and examples of multiple
specification Spyder 550's are available in the
price list.
Spyder 550
technical specification.
Specification quoted is standard to the Spyder
550 upgrades are available in the
options
list.
Configuration
Mid engine, rear wheel drive.
Fuel tank centrally mounted in front of drivers compartment. to
give 50/50 weight distribution when driver is seated.
Engine
Specialist hand assembled 2007cc.
The engine is based around the the same type as the
original Porsche Spyder 550, a boxer configuration four cylinder
air-cooled design. This offers low centre of gravity for superior
handling, very low weight and offers a similar sound and driving
characteristics.
The unit is assembled around a strengthened and modified Volkswagen
AS41 super crank case made of the extremely light weight magnesium alloy
and built up from specialist components all of which are race proven for
reliability and power. The engine is then fully balanced to ensure
free revving smooth power delivery. To meet the Emission
regulations distributorless electronic ignition and
electronic fuel injection, utilising individual throttle bodies, are
used to enable us to fit catalytic converters all of which is controlled
by an Omex Engine management system. Rev limit is set at 7000rpm.
Suspension
The suspension is intended to be
as close to the original layout as possible to give the same feel.
Upgrades have been made due to the higher quality of materials available
for bushings and springing etc.
Front- independent
suspension using twin trailing links and telescopic dampers.
Rear-independent swing axle type suspension using fully adjustable coil
over dampers.
Braking system
Ate-continental Split dual circuit
system.
Front-Disc brakes and two piston callipers.
Rear-Large diameter drums.
Chassis and body
construction
The tooling for the body shell was made from an
original Porsche Spyder 550 sourced in the united states of America.
All Holmes Spyder 550 body shells are manufactured from these moulds
using a unique lamination process. First the mould is meticulously
sprayed with a 3mm layer of gel coat, after being fully hardened high
temperature resin is applied and the first layer of standard pre cut
fibre glass is put in place. Once the resin has been sufficiently
absorbed into the fibre glass all air and excess resin is removed using
our unique method, the laminate is then allowed to fully cure. The
next stage uses a specialist glass of a woven construction in the same
way as carbon fibre, this provides excellent rigidity in every direction
throughout the panel. Once again our unique method of expelling
air and excess resin is used, the finished item is left in the mould
until fully cured. The main advantages gained by our lamination
process over other techniques is low weight, high strength, incredible
resistance to impact and misshaping in the future.
The bespoke chassis follows the Porsche Spyder 550 almost exactly
deviating only where necessary to achieve practical modern production.
The ladder design is constructed from 3 inch diameter steel tube and
coated by a process employed by the aerospace industry. The
completed chassis is bonded and bolted to the fully cured body whilst
still in the mould. By doing this we ensure maximum torsional
rigidity and ensure no unnecessary stress is built into the body shell.
The body is finished in a colour of your choice in our new state of the
art paint booth.
Interior features
The interior of the Spyder 550
is trimmed in a carpet colour of your choice while complimenting the
exposed chassis rails and bulkhead aperture to give the perfect blend of
comfort and original race design. Sumptuous leather seats trimmed
in a period style offer all the support needed without cramping your
body. The instrumentation features 3 replica dials with the
centrally situated rev counter lightly raised to give a clear view of
engine status at all times.
Performance
statistics
0-62mph.
5.9 seconds
Top speed.
120mph
Maximum power.
130bhp @ 6700rpm
Weight.
640kg
Power to weight ratio.
203bhp per 1000kg
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