original 550 Spyder clamshell release lever?

They didn't have one AFAIK. They had latches operated with a "church key" so to speak, one on each side of the clamshell, and one on each side of the front trunk/bonnet.

The original release lever was a T-handle about 10 inches long with about an eighth-inch square male drive pin on the end. It fit in the latches on the rear corners of the hood and front of the clam.

@edsnova

This is what threw me a curve ball.
The pics of 550-0090 show what looks like to me a spring latch (like what replics have) along with the Turn-key latch.

Yeah I think the springs are for the tension.

@edsnova posted:

Yeah I think the springs are for the tension.

Yep. Tony Maggazetti, did the same with his 904. The straps and a pair of clevis pins through the bulkheads are what actually fastens it. Here’s what the coffin lock for our 61 Samba looked like:

the one on the left.

In the native to tongue of my people, this is a church key:

There are two versions of church key in my world, both of which are illustrated above.

back in my early days a churchkey was a device to open beer cans before poptops or the beercap before twist offs... a screwdriver also worked

The church was always unlocked so

It is my understanding that the T handle church key was an owner addition and the factory provided what was essentially a piece of bar stock bent 90 degrees, proportioned like a standard Alan key.  Long end for the rear and short end for the front.

As mentioned above, yes they used a spring loaded pin like we do in the replicas, but it was for tension and did not latch.  They also used 2x locating pins to hold it in place, closer to the centerline of the clam.

@chines1 has it right!

@barncobob posted:

back in my early days a churchkey was a device to open beer cans before poptops or the beercap before twist offs... a screwdriver also worked

As does a Bic lighter. I don't smoke, but there is always someone with a plastic lighter.

@chines1 posted:

....As mentioned above, yes they used a spring loaded pin like we do in the replicas, but it was for tension and did not latch.  They also used 2x locating pins to hold it in place, closer to the centerline of the clam.

I see them, obvious now that you mention it.

@arajani posted:

@chines1 has it right!

arajani? I pinched these pics off of the internet, maybe ebay.
What do you believe to be the origin of the Tool ?
It has some sort of serial numbers
Maybe some fancy JC Whitney type racing swag made later than the cars were produced?

@americanworkmule posted:

arajani? I pinched these pics off of the internet, maybe ebay.
What do you believe to be the origin of the Tool ?
It has some sort of serial numbers
Maybe some fancy JC Whitney type racing swag made later than the cars were produced?

I don't think I could say definitively, but that doesn't look right. The correct tool seen in original photos from good books show the tool I posted.

The latches you're showing are what most people use, but that is not what was in the real car (see the photo below!).

@arajani posted:

I don't think I could say definitively, but that doesn't look right. The correct tool seen in original photos from good books show the tool I posted.

Thanks!
I need to buy some real books instead of Internet pictures.
Can you recommend one ?

Inside view:

home made fake version: