History Was a custom involved in the James Dean wreck?

Browsing instagram earlier checking out all of the customs when I stumbled up on this picture.It said this ford was involved in the wreck.I never knew that.

 

True story. I remember the accident as our family had Porsche's and we followed the local road races. Its a bit of a famous intersection with a memorial. Hwy 46 and 41 near Cholame, CA That two tone and chrome trim was popular back then. I tried to get my uncle to do that to his 50 Ford Club Coupe but he wasnt into customizing.

 

Never really paying attention to turnupseeds car, being a huge vintage Porsche fan, now that you mentioned it ya it does look mild custom

 

If I am not mistaken, the Turnupseed car was either a 55 or 56 Ford sedan.I vaguely remember reading a report on the accident several years ago, which included the statement from the mechanic that was riding with James Dean.

 

Old thread with info on the shoe box in it.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-happened-to-donald-turnupspeeds-shoebox.655113/

 

Turnupseed was driving that shoebox, dean had a 55’ wagon with a trailer for his car. The wagon might’ve been down the road at the time of the accident


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Bud Eakins was with the wagon. They had stropped for gas and Dean wanted some seat time in the Porsche, In this famous shot they had unloaded the Spyder just before the fatal accident.

 

YEP!----Went to a car show in Hollywood that year when they displayed Dean's Porche wreck.

 

I think you're getting your 'film stunt drivers' mixed up.
It was Bill Hickman that was following in the wagon with the trailer. Hickman was Dean's friend and race driving tutor. It was Hickman that drove the black Charger in the filming of Bullitt.

 

Interesting


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I may be, been a while since we discussed this.

 

Did Dean's wrecked car disappear?

 

one thing for certain James Dean is more famous dead than he would have been had he lived.

 

Ask @Ryan

 

Didn't it disappear, than parts were dispersed to others with an accompanying curse?

 

Search out the "$1M offered for James Dean" thread to find some answers - but not really.

There's also a TON-ish of other threads about it, a general James Dean Porsche search will turn them up.

 

Guess they should have left the Porsche on the trailer. I’ve read Barris had something to do with buying the Porsche after the accident and displaying it. Had a curse as I remember..

 

Link (with a lot of added crap) shows some photos of the Porsche and a shot of The shoebox.
Never-released photos of James Dean's fatal car crash go up for auction next month (cnn.com)

The whole story of that car is one that is hard to believe though.

 

Barris had made the paint decoration of the Porsche..

 

James Dean got pulled over in "Little Bastard" by the California Highway Patrol a couple hours before his death. I don't know the authenticity of this photo or the ticket.

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Anyone on here know how to exorcise a fender?

 

Holy smokes, what is that CHP carrying? A .357 with a 10" barrel?

 

I also have been trying to pick a part the 2 above photo's to see any discrepancy's, shadows, etc. In the top photo, between the air inlets on front valance there seems to be a definite outline of "something" and some lettering? In bottom pic its's not there or is not as defined.
truck64, I think that might be a club, my Dad had a police holster that was also where the night stick/club was attached....................

 

My cousin married into the Turnupseed family years ago. They are in Tulare California and the electrical contracting business is still going.

 

I wondered about that too. For dispensing "Hickory Shampoo?" (I've been reliably informed at one time every good cop shop had a couple patrol cars with dented trunk lids in the lot. Hm.)

 

Look like about 235s

 

Maybe (probably) the traffic stop pic is from the James Dean biography movie from '76.

The whole look seems like a "hazy memory" through a "contemporary" eye (from '76), the cop's uniform, the tires on the cars, the haircuts, the barbwire fenceposts all seem a little more modern than '55.

Maybe it's just me.

 

Yea although the guy that replaced him became pretty famous. LOL Come to think of it he played cars and motorcycles too.