The (one and only) '0846' Debate Thread

The engine from Deans car is out there, last I heard running around in a different spyder. A few other mechanical parts were also salvaged. The totally and massively ripped apart remains were on a tour of the nation for driver safty when stolen in the spring of '56 somewhere in the midwest. While anything can of coarse be rebuilt these days, I have seen detailed photos of that car and it was barely even recognizable as a Porsche. Only the right rear quarter was intact and entire front end was a twisted up mess.



Terry

 

George Barris had the Porsche for a while but it was bad luck to be around it. The car was used as a display for "road safety" and what might happen... However no one would have been safe for long in that car. There were some very interesting stories about why the car was "cursed', going back to before WW I.
ch

 

And in a totally unrelated bit of trivia, do you know where that document (the Constitution) was kept during World War II?

 

The Dean Machine at the Scene.

 

whacked by a big ol' 'merican sedan...ouch!

total thread hijack.....sorry.....

 

I have a great VHS tape "James Dean at Speed" with his racing footage and ends with him taking time off filming "Giant" to do a public service driving safety commercial, ending with "drive safe..the life you save might be mine"....pretty haunting, actually....

 

Not quite true. If I remember correctly, he was "whacked" by a farmer's truck on September 30, 1955. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that's what I read. The wreckage of his car was supposedly haunted. While it was on display at a car show, some guy ripped the steering wheel off the car and was running away with it. Some people started chasing after him, and he fell and broke his arm. When the car was being unloaded at another show, it fell off the loading ramp and broke another guy's leg. I think the transmission from Dean's car was installed in another car and the driver of that car was killed in a race. After Dean's car was shipped by truck to another car show, the truck was empty when they opened it up. I don't think that car has been seen since.

 

in a bauxite mine in Arkansas?

 

The article in Car & Driver, October 1985, says the car that whacked Dean's Porsche was a black 1950 Ford two door driven by 23-year-old Donald Turnupseed.

 

that would make it a big ol' 'merican COUPE. lol! thanks!

 

In fact James collided with a man whos name was Donald Turnupseed...and I beleive his car was a Ford Tudor.
Did not wanna turn this into a James Dean question though.
"See original".
Staff.

 

I have heard...that Donald...after all the clean up after the accident...was left alone...to take a walk home.
Well...dont beleive everything you hear or read!!!
Staff.

 

I stand corrected. I think that I saw an original photo from the crash site, and there was a truck in the photo. Perhaps my brain remembered it as being a truck that caused the crash. Or perhaps I was thinking of Jan and Dean (whichever one it was). His 1963 Corvette plowed into the back of a flat bed truck.

 

Note non original highbeam light, rad. fan on light, turn signal lights, internal instrument lights, etc...

 

Horsefly....there is a picture of a Tow-Truck...carrying the 550 Porsche wreck away...maybe that is what you saw?

 

I had a bad wreck once, they took me to jail and left my DATE walking down the highway to get home.........


Don't ever hit a school bus, mail truck , or police car......

 

Bye the way...there is a picture of James Dean...sitting in a...what I beleive is a Ferrari...WITH #75 painted on the door...what Ferrari is that?
Staff.

 

Well...Speedy....it could be utterly true...then.?

 

Bryan - Just that I posted exactly that an hour or so back, and then thought 'Nah - that's dumb' and deleted it !
I wasn't sure if Bauxite mining was 'opencast' ....

 

I'm glad that my old model is getting the appreciation that it deserves. Once again Carbon, you are very welcome. Enjoy it!

 

Question about James Dean and Ferrari, see

http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/271551/302048.html

 

Awesome cars. I believe only 2 genuine M6B road going coupes were ever made and really the first McLaren road car. Shatteringly fast (or could be) as the 80% of the car is a Can Am McLaren ... , something I am sure Bruce liked

Atleast purchase of one of those would not be contentious ... it would be a replica , as the real ones are in museums (I think one is in a NZ museum ... which might be worth throwing money at ... ) ... saying that very close to the Lola in concept ...

Pete

 

Turnupseed's are a nice family - their family business (still in biz) was just 2 doors from my Great-uncle's business (retired, oh, 15-20 years ago). Donald, who passed away in July of '95 never really "got over" the accident. If you've ever passed by the accident scene near Cholame (where a memorial is off the road) - you could see how it could happen - as 2 rural highways meet at a "Y" without much fanfare.
Then - 41/466
http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/d/James%20Dean/Intersection%201955.JPG

Now - 41/46 (number long ago changed from 466)
http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/d/James%20Dean/Intersection%201996.JPG

Just as the van is doing in the 2nd pic - my folks still hang a left to get back to hometown from Cayucos & Morro Bay. In fact, their most recent trip was 2 weeks ago...

There's a '55 Turnupseed Calendar behind the counter at Y-Que in Los Feliz - they ain't sellin'.

 

Thanks, buddy... i really appreciate it... It's on special display, right here at The Ferrari Market Letter...


Hey, Mr. G., how come you haven't sent me an email, sceaming and cursing at me about this thread...?
...oh wait... is it because you took it for the light-hearted joke that it is...?
Hmmmmm...

Paul, i was trying to lighten things up around here, not start another sh_t-throwing thread... Have a laugh once in a while, it's good for you...