Porsche Spyders by Karl Ludvigsen (2003, Paperback)

Reference works on the 550 Spyder are rare, so I was very excited to find this one. Many Porsche guides make little mention of the 550, or omit it altogether. Although 'Porsche Spyders' is light on text (only about 3 full pages of info), its photo biography is exhaustive. I bought the book as a reference for scale modeling, and it's perfectly suited to that use. Most of the examples are shown in multiple angles, including interior and underhood detail. Rare and 'odd' examples are well represented. Also shown in great detail is the Type 547 'Fuhrmann four-cam' engine, made famous not only by the 550, but also the 356 Speedster. Porsche fans will get a better view of it in this book than many actual Porsche drivers have seen of their own engines.
Only one thing keeps this book from earning a full 5 stars: it makes short mention of chassis #550-055, the car belonging to James Dean. The bizarre story of Dean's "jinxed" Spyder extends far beyond his fatal crash (which itself is only briefly mentioned), and is one of the strangest legends in auto lore. I understand that photos of this car are rare and cost prohibitive to license for publication, but a great opportunity was missed in not devoting more text to the car's story.
Other than that one point, this book is among the best in my extensive reference library. I will probably buy more from the Ludvigsen series.