A Real ‘Christine’? The Curse of James Dean’s ‘Little Bastard’

Here we are during the most superstitious time of year, looking back on the rough year behind us, and making a long list of plans and wishes for the new one just a few days away. John Carpenter’s awesome film adaptation of Stephen King’s Christine (1983) turned 40 this month. What better time to talk about the real-life case of a cursed car: James Dean and his 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder which he called “Little Bastard.”

There’s something intrinsically special about the relationship between a driver and their car. If you’ve ever sat behind the wheel of a machine you know you’re lucky to have, you cherish it. You take care of it. Keep it clean. You name it. You definitely ignore your friends when they complain about it. Heck, you might even imagine it doing your bidding for you. But be careful what you wish for.

Rising Hollywood bad boy, James Dean, had a passion for racing. One that had the big wigs at the major studios wringing their hands with worry. No one wanted to see their biggest box office draw actually break a leg. Dean followed the rules of his contract and finished filming the western epic, Giant (1955), before purchasing a beautiful new 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, and heading to Salinas, California where he was set to race on October 1st. Dean was so proud of his new purchase.

But not everyone was a fan. When British actor, Alec Guiness saw Dean’s new ride, he got nothing but bad vibes from the vehicle from the moment he laid eyes on it, and he told Dean as much. “The sports car looked sinister to me… exhausted, hungry, feeling a little ill-tempered in spite of Dean’s kindness, I heard myself saying, ‘Please, never get in it… if you get in that car you will be found dead in it by this time next week.'”

Dean laughed it off.

The plan was to tow the Spyder, but James and his mechanic friend, Rolf Wütherich, decided he should get used to the vehicle before the race in Salinas.

On September 30th, 1955, at about 5:30pm, James Dean collided with Donald Turnupseed’s 1950 Ford Tudor at the intersection of highways 41 and 46 in Cholame, California. He had been flying down the road at an estimated 85 miles per hour, and received a speeding ticket not long before. Wütherich was thrown from the vehicle, suffering serious injuries. Dean died on impact from a broken neck and multiple lacerations and broken bones. Donald Turnupseed fared well with just a few scratches, and when you compare the two vehicles you can see why – the Spyder didn’t stand a chance.

If he wasn’t that famous before, having starred in only three major motion pictures (East of Eden, 1955; Rebel Without a Cause, 1955; Giant, 1955), the crash made James Dean immortal. Even I have made the pilgrimage to Cholame and Dean’s hometown of Fairmount, Indiana for the annual James Dean Festival. In his 24 years, James Dean made a mark on this world that he never could have imagined, and for those who knew him, it never seemed real. If you ever get the chance to visit Fairmount, you’ll find the people there more than accommodating, and James Dean’s beloved cousin, Marcus Winslow still lives in the home where he and Dean grew up.

In the aftermath of the crash, Dr. William Eschrich purchased the totaled Spyder from a salvage yard and stripped it for parts. An avid racer himself, he restored and put the engine in his own Lotus IX and sold the transmission and suspension to fellow doctor and racer, Dr. Troy McHenry.

Here’s where it gets weird.

Both Eschrich and McHenry (in the cars containing parts from Little Bastard) crashed in a race in 1956. Eschrich survived, but McHenry hit a tree head-on and passed away.

Then, known publicity monger and Hollywood custom car guy, George Barris bought what remained of Little Bastard, promising to restore it back to it’s original beauty. (Cue “Harlem Nocturne” by The Viscounts) However, it was beyond repair (record scratch), so he decided to capitalize on Dean’s death by loaning the still-blood-stained wreckage to the National Safety Council. It toured car shows, cinemas, and bowling alleys from 1957 to 1959.

Barris claims that several of his employees were injured by the vehicle when parts of it would cut or fall on them, but none of these claims have been substantiated It did fall on a bystander while on display in Sacramento, breaking the boy’s hip. And it did fall once again, on George Barkus, the driver who transported it to a road safety expo, killing him.

Barris sold two of the Spyder’s tires and both reportedly blew at the same time, sending the new owner careening off the road. They thankfully survived.

In March, 1959, the garage where Little Bastard was being stored mysteriously caught fire – but Little Bastard sustained little damage. Singed paint and a melted tire.

So, where is this dangerous hunk of metal now? No one knows. The Porsche disappeared from a sealed box car in 1960 while in transit from Miami to Los Angeles and hasn’t been seen since. Some say Barris staged the disappearance to further stoke the cursed car rumors. The only person who could answer this question is Barris, and he passed away in 2015.

On July 20, 1981, an intoxicated Rolf Wütherich lost control of his car and crashed into a wall. He passed away at the scene.

So, if you’re lucky enough to have your wishes come true this year, and you get the ride of your dreams, just do us all a favor and be real careful. Make sure you know where it came from, who owned it before you, and if it has a body count. And if your friend tells you it’s evil – it probably is.

Be safe out there.