Hunter at Mettler Station, south of Bakersfield, for driving 65 mph (105 km/h) in a 55 mph (89 km/h) zone. Īt 3:30 p.m, Dean was stopped by California Highway Patrol officer Otie V. They then headed north on the Golden State Highway ( US 99, now part of Interstate 5 ) and then through Grapevine toward Bakersfield. They stopped for gas at a Mobil station on Ventura Boulevard at Beverly Glen Boulevard in Sherman Oaks at around 2:00 p.m. The group had coffee and donuts at the Hollywood Ranch Market on Vine Street across from Competition Motors before leaving around 1:15 p.m. Because the Spyder had not yet been driven enough miles to qualify for the race, Wütherich recommended that Dean drive it to Salinas to accrue more time behind the wheel. Roth, who was planning a photo story about Dean at the races for Collier's magazine.
#1955 PORSCHE 550 SPYDER PROFESSIONAL#
Dean originally intended to tow the Porsche behind his 1955 Ford Country Squire station wagon, driven by Hickman and accompanied by professional photographer Sanford H. On September 30, 1955, Dean and his Porsche factory-trained mechanic Rolf Wütherich, were at Competition Motors in Hollywood preparing the "Little Bastard" for the weekend sports car races at Salinas. Car crash Ĩ Salinas, intended destination Junction of SR 46 (former US 466) and SR 41 as it looked in 2007 And Dean wanted to get "even" with Warner by naming his race car "Little Bastard" and defiantly show that despite the racing ban during all filming, he would be racing the "Little Bastard" in between projects. Warner had once referred to Dean as a little bastard after he refused to vacate his temporary East of Eden trailer on the studio's lot.
Another version of the "Little Bastard" origin – corroborated by two of Dean's close friends, Phil Stern and Lew Bracker – is that Warner Bros. Hickman says he called Dean "little bastard", and Dean called Hickman "big bastard". Hickman was part of Dean's group driving to the Salinas Road Races on September 30, 1955. Purportedly, Dean had been given the nickname "Little Bastard" by Bill Hickman, a Warner Bros. The tail stripes were painted by the Stuttgart factory, which was customary on the Spyders for racing ID. The red leather bucket seats and red tail stripes were original. He also painted "Little Bastard" in script across the rear cowling. Īccording to Lee Raskin, Porsche historian and author of James Dean: At Speed, Dean asked custom car painter and pinstriper Dean Jeffries to paint "Little Bastard" on the car:ĭean Jeffries, who had a paint shop next to Barris, did the customizing work which consisted of: painting '130' in black non-permanent paint on the front hood, doors and rear deck lid. He also purchased a new 1955 Ford Country Squire station wagon to use for towing the "Little Bastard" to and from the races on an open wheel car trailer. On September 21, as Dean was finishing Giant, he suddenly traded in his Speedster at Competition Motors for a new, more powerful and faster 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder and entered the upcoming Salinas Road Race event scheduled for October 1–2. Dean was told that the Lotus delivery would be delayed until autumn. In July, Dean put down a deposit on a new Lotus Mark IX sports racer with Jay Chamberlain, a dealer in Burbank. Dean and his Porsche Speedster 23F at Palm Springs Races, March 1955ĭuring the filming of Giant from June through mid-September, Warner Brothers had barred Dean from all racing activities. His final race with the Speedster was at Santa Barbara on Memorial Day, May 30, where he started in the eighteenth position, working his way up to fourth before over-revving his engine and blowing a piston. Dean also raced the Speedster at Bakersfield on May 1–2, finishing first in class and third overall. He finished first overall in Saturday's novice class, and second overall in the Sunday main event. Just before filming began on Rebel Without a Cause, Dean competed in the Palm Springs Road Races with the Speedster on March 26–27. He traded the Triumph T110 for a 1955 Triumph TR5 Trophy three days after filming wrapped on East of Eden. In March 1955, Dean traded the MG for a new 1955 Porsche Speedster purchased from Competition Motors in Hollywood, California. In April 1954, after securing the co-starring role of Cal Trask in East of Eden, James Dean purchased a 1955 Triumph Tiger T110 650 cc motorcycle and, later, a used red 1953 MG TD sports car. He had previously competed in several auto racing events, and was traveling to a sports car racing competition when he was involved in a car crash at the junction of U.S. Hollywood actor James Dean was killed at age 24 in an auto accident on September 30, 1955, near Cholame, California.
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