VIN: the Ernst Vogel / Harry Blanchard Porsche 1500 RS Spyder (550 A) chassis 0141
/ Ben Tyer
HISTORY OF CHASSIS 0141
Chassis 0141 was one of the last Porsche 550s built. It was completed in March 1958 and dispatched to the Austrian distributor, Porsche Salzburg.
The 550 was purchased by Austrian composer, pianist and amateur racing driver, Ernst Vogel.
Vogel was an excellent customer for Porsche. He had started racing on motorcycles in the late 1940s but switched to cars after an accident.
Vogel initially purchased a 356 Super Coupe that he raced and hillclimbed successfully during 1954. That year, he also leased an early 550 prototype for the Opatija GP in Yugoslavia which he won.
In May 1955, Vogel purchased his own red 550 (chassis 040) which he kept until October 1958. By this time, Vogel’s stable had expanded to include a 356 A Carrera.
After three-and-a-half seasons with chassis 040, Ernst Vogel replaced it with a brand new 550: chassis 0141.
Like Vogel’s other cars, preparation of 0141 was overseen by Porsche Salzburg Racing Director, Herbert Kaes.
0141 was used for a variety of competition outings during the 1958 season. In it, Vogel won the Opatija GP and took class victories at the Zeltweg and Innsbruck airfield races. He was also crowned 1958 Austrian Hillclimb Champion.
Vogel’s final outing with chassis 0141 was a series of speed records undertaken on November 12th 1958. The record attempt took place on a section of motorway near Salzburg between Walserberg and Anif-Grodig. Vogel’s eight national and four absolute records were subsequently celebrated in a Porsche poster.
For 1959, Vogel moved up to a new 718 RSK.
Chassis 0141 was returned to the factory and refurbished. It was then sold to Harry Blanchard, a Porsche dealer and amateur driver from Connecticut.
In 1958, Blanchard had won nearly half of the races he had entered with his 356 A Carrera. His good form continued into 1959 and, now with cars for both the Production (356) and Modified classes (550), Blanchard’s victory tally made it into double figures.
In the second half of 1959, Blanchard teamed up with Roger Penske to run the latest 718 RSK. He also drove an RSK Formula 2 car at the US Grand Prix.
Unfortunately, Blanchard was killed driving a works 718 RSK in the opening race of 1960. Blanchard overturned his car on the first lap of the Buenos Aires 1000km World Sportscar Championship event and died instantly.
In 1961, chassis 0141 was sold to Chuck Stoddard of Stoddard Imported Cars Inc. in Ohio.
Stoddard raced the car at a few East Coast venues. During his brief period of ownership, Stoddard went through three different engines.
Stoddard sold 0141 to Joel Neshkin of Birmingham, Alabama. Neshkin raced the 550 during the latter half of the 1960s and into the 1970s.
During a race at Road Atlanta, 0141 was hit by a Corvette.
Neshkin temporarily stored the damaged Porsche in his basement but a fuel leak from the car caused a pilot light from the house’s gas heater to ignite. The brief fire caused sufficient damage that 0141’s front bodywork had to be discarded. However, Neshkin continued to race the car, albeit now with a fibreglass Devin body.
0141 was retired from competition duty when Neshkin sold the car in 1972.
It was restored by a subsequent owner during the 1980s.
Notable History
Sold to Ernst Vogel, Austria
15/06/1958 IND Opatija GP (E. Vogel) 1st oa (#19)
15/08/1958 IND Gaisberg Hillclimb (E. Vogel) 8th oa, 8th S class (#105)
17/08/1958 IND Zeltweg Flugplatz (E. Vogel) 4th oa, 1st S1.5 class (#105)
05/10/1958 IND Innsbruck Flugplatzrennen (E. Vogel) 2nd oa, 1st S1.5 class (#80)
12/11/1958 IND Austrian Speed Record (E. Vogel) 135.27mph
Ernst Vogel was crowned 1958 Austrian Hillclimb Champion
Sold to Porsche AG and refurbished
Sold to Harry Blanchard (Blanchard Auto Corp.), Connecticut
03/05/1959 SCA National Virginia (H. Blanchard) 12th oa, 3rd FM class (#49)
31/05/1959 SCA National Bridgehampton (H. Blanchard) 11th oa, 4th FM class (#140)
06/06/1959 USA Lime Rock (H. Blanchard) 3rd oa (#148)
04/07/1959 SCA National Lime Rock (H. Blanchard) 5th oa, 3rd FM class (#1)
11/07/1959 SCA Regional Lime Rock (H. Blanchard) 2nd oa, 2nd FM class (#148)
31/01/1960 Harry Blanchard was killed racing a works 718 RSK at the Buenos Aires 1000km
1961 sold to Chuck Stoddard (Stoddard Imported Cars Inc.), Willoughby, Ohio
Later sold to Joel Neshkin, Birmingham, Alabama
Sold in 1972 and later restored
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche & Artur Fenzlau / Technisches Museum Wien - https://www.technischesmuseum.at/
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