Posted on 04/28/2009 9:42:42 AM PDT by Notoriously Conservative
Who was James Dean?
James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) was a two-time Oscar-nominated American film actor. Dean's status as a cultural icon is best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause, in which he starred as troubled stereotypical high school rebel Jim Stark. The other two roles that defined his star power were as the awkward loner Cal Trask in East of Eden, and as the surly farmer Jett Rink in Giant. His enduring fame and popularity rests on only three films, his entire starring output. His death at a young age helped guarantee a legendary status. He was the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and remains the only person to have two posthumous acting nominations.
How did he die?
On September 30, 1955, Dean and his mechanic Rolf Wütherich set off from Competition Motors, where they had prepared his Porsche 550 Spyder that morning for a sports car race at Salinas, California. Dean originally intended to trailer the Porsche to the meeting point at Salinas, behind his new Ford Country Squire station wagon, crewed by Hickman and photographer Sanford Roth, who was planning a photo story of Dean at the races. At the last minute, Dean drove the Spyder, having decided he needed more time to familiarize himself with the car. At 3:30 pm, Dean was ticketed in Kern County for doing 65 in a 55 mph (89 km/h) zone. The driver of the Ford was ticketed for doing 10 mph (16 km/h) over the limit, as the speed limit for all vehicles towing a trailer was 45 mph (72 km/h). Later, having left the Ford far behind, they stopped at Blackwell's Corner in Lost Hills for fuel and met up...
(Excerpt) Read more at nowthatsnifty.blogspot.com ...
another bone smuggler.....why are they heroes???
I need to drive 25 miles to his hometown and gravesite, dig him up and kick his @ss. Without James Dean getting himself crashed and dead, we maybe wouldn’t have had to endure Martin Sheen all these years..
Helluva story, particularly Alec Guiness’ comment to Dean.
Ping, having seen your spyder.
GOOGLE “Kevin Dillon Porsche Spyder” and the first result will be the DIY network’s profile of his obsession with Dean and this car. He had one made for himself down to the last detail. He wasn’t even born by a longshot when Dean died in ‘55, but the legend is very very powerful.
I’m not one to believe in curses, but this is interesting.
Also, 550 Spyders are pretty doggone cool. :) But I feel that way about almost any air-cooled Porsche.
Two interesting items there, and thanks for posting - first, that Dean wasn’t speeding (which I’d assumed for years) and second, that prediction by Alec Guinness that is really creepy. For a three-film actor Dean created quite a stir. His Wiki bio says he wanted to quit in favor of directing. What it might be like to be directed by a “method” actor like Dean is interesting to contemplate.
The Porsche was in fact a stopgap for Dean, as delivery of a superior Lotus Mk. X was delayed
It's a real stretch to call the Mark X superior. There were only 6 or 7 made and the 550 Spyder won many races.
From what I have read in the past, Dean was some nut homo although the studios were hiding it.
Yes, he was a great actor. He just couldn’t get his life together.
Mine is a 550A. Still the aluminium shell and mid-engined, but instead of a pure ladder frame, it has a primative space frame of sorts.
Automotice legends just re-badges a replica known as a “Vintage Spyder.”
They are nice copies, but if you look, the rear wheel arches are too big.
Chuck Beck has been making replicas for a long time and they are very fun, but they are still fiberglass
The only replica maker that makes a “true” replica (that I know about) is here:
I think a good alloy replica runs about $80-150K.
“But I feel that way about almost any air-cooled Porsche.”
Man after my own heart.
Drove to work today in a 1998 Porsche 993 Turbo. Last of the aircooled, big ass tail.
So far I’ve never owned anything with a Porsche badge, but my uncle once let me drive his ‘57 356A coupe. It had a big-bore kit and a pair of Weber downdrafts, along with disc brakes off a 356C.
I don’t know if it was any faster than my Miata is, but it was still pretty fun to drive.
If I ever have the opportunity to own an air-cooled P-car, my first choice would probably be a mid-80’s 911 Carrera.
Actually, the 3.2 911s are the best deal right now.
Very bullet proof, fun, car.
Wife had a bug-eyed pink (er, “rasberry”) one.
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