The Curse of Little Bastard: James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder

James Dean (1931-1955) was an American film actor who became a cultural icon with films like “Rebel Without a Cause”, “East of Eden” or “Giant”. His early death in a dramatic car accident helped to ensure his legend and was the beginning of another famous urban legend.

In 1955 Dean began racing with a Porsche 356 Speedster and came in second in the Palm Springs Road Races, third in Bakersfield and fourth in the Santa Monica Road Races. While he was filming “Rebel Without a Cause”, he traded his Speedster for a Porsche 550 Spyder - one of the only 90 which were made- After filming “Giant” Dean was free to compete.

Dean’s Spyder was customized by Georges Barris, the man who would go on to design the Batmobile. The car was called “Little Bastard” by his stunt driving coach Bill Hickman in “Giant” and this nickname was painted on it.

Dean asked the actor Alec Guinness to take a look at the Spyder and Guinness said the car looked “sinister” to him. “If you get in that Porsche, you will be dead next week,” he warned his colleague.

On September 30, the Porsche 550 Spyder was prepared  for a sports car race at Salinas, California. Dean wanted to trailer the Spyder behind his station wagon. But at the last minute decided he needed more time to familiarize himself with the Porsche, and drove the Spyder himself.

Dean was driving on what was then US Route 466 when a Ford, coming from the opposite direction crossed into Dean’s lane without seeing him. The Porsche and the Ford hit almost head on. James Dean was placed in an ambulance, breathing heavily. He was taken to the Paso Robles War Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.

 After Dean’s accident, many fans refused to believe their idol was dead. An urban legend emerged, stating Dean was alive, but terribly disfigured. Also, there were soon more than just a few stories circulating concerning the jinxed car, the haunted Porsche, in other words: the Little Bastard.

The car was taken to a garage, where the engine slipped out and fell onto a mechanic, shattering both of his legs.

The engine was then bought by a doctor who put it in his car and died in a car crash. Another driver in that same race was killed in his car, which had Dean’s driveshaft fitted into it. When the shell of Dean’s Porsche was later repaired and put on display, the showroom burned down.

Exhibited again in Sacramento, it fell of the stand on to a visitor, breaking his hip. Finally the car mysteriously broke into 11 pieces sitting on steel supports.