Caffeine and Octane – Atlanta, GA
Welcome to the Caffeine and Octane show presented just north of Atlanta, GA and managed by Bruce Jones of Autotrader Classics. Beginning several years ago with a nod to the fame of the West Coast’s Cars and Coffee, Caffeine and Octane comprised 4 cars and has since grown to an average critical mass of around 800 cars. That is, ~800 cars of every shape, size, demographic, make, model and persuasion. I have even witnessed one Russian-made spy boat that was developed and pieced together using available technology from a helicopter; think 007. Save the 1st Sunday of each month, rise early (7:30 am), grab your caffeine and join us just off of Deerfield Parkway in Alpharetta, Georgia. Until then, please enjoy this inspection presented by MotoIQ.
To some, fun is embodied by only the leading razor edge of technology; the GT3 RS comes to mind. Others, such as Ray Gillies, owner of this 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, seek modern fun bootstrapped by the style, technology and simplicity of yesteryear. In an age overwhelmed by plastic and silicon, it’s not difficult to understand why.
There were 90 original 550s of which only about 40 remain. Ray’s 550 is a Beck replica built in Brazil in 2002 and completed by Beck in California. The details are spot on down to accurate replicas of lighting and badging.
The chassis is very similar to the original with two 3” diameter tubes forming a rather flexible ladder frame. Like the original, it is a featherweight at 1400 pounds.
Aesthetically, the car was molded from an original with 2” added to the center of the car. While the original is aluminum, the Beck interior is laid fiberglass. However, this wasn’t good enough for Ray; he constructed his own aluminum interior!
