James Dean's 1954 Speedster Found?

356 Porsche-related discussions and questions.
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Neil Bardsley
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Re: James Dean's 1954 Speedster Found?

#16 Post by Neil Bardsley »

Ron LaDow wrote:I have to admit to some curiosity regarding the importance of a car once owned by an actor famous for pouting and little else. Other than dying in a road accident, that is.
I saw "Rebel Without a Cause" and wondered why it was filmed; the concession stand was mobbed.
I understand where you are coming from. I sometimes wonder about the whole McQueen worship. In JD's defense he seems like a proper Porsche fan that would of probably used some of your products on his racing car!

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Adam Wright
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Re: James Dean's 1954 Speedster Found?

#17 Post by Adam Wright »

Jay Wiener wrote:
bil brown wrote:If ever found, no matter what condition.........it would be the most expensive of ALL Speedsters!

I might have to go with McQueens BLACK speedster with KNOCKOFFS. Either way, I'd say 7 figures for either
It doesn't get much cooler, right?
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Adam Wright
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Re: James Dean's 1954 Speedster Found?

#18 Post by Adam Wright »

Ron LaDow wrote:I have to admit to some curiosity regarding the importance of a car once owned by an actor famous for pouting and little else. Other than dying in a road accident, that is.
I saw "Rebel Without a Cause" and wondered why it was filmed; the concession stand was mobbed.
Ron-
There's a little more to it than that, he died in a road accident on the way to a race, in a Porsche 550. No one drove a 550 to a race unless they were passionate about the Marque.
He could have picked any car, but he picked Porsche. So their fates are forever intertwined.
I agree that celebrity provenance can be silly at times, like the time a guy was trying to sell Johnny Carson's Jag sedan from the 80s, nothing really special there. But a pre-A Speedster is cool enough in it's own right, but a Pre-A Speedster owned by an actor that died in his pursuit of glory in a Porsche, that's special. Much like Steve McQueen, these guys could have been useless actor's that sat by the pool, but they spent their Saturday's the same way you and I do, enjoying Porsches. That's a kin-ship, pure and simple.
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Steve Proctor
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Re: James Dean's 1954 Speedster Found?

#19 Post by Steve Proctor »

It could be worse. How 'bout these celebrity-owned gems from Barrett Jackson last year. Made especially for Sony and Cher by George Barris. They were sold complete with the tasteful plastic furnace grills pop-riveted to the hoods and Kustom interiors...and yes, they DID sell
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John Lindstrom
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Re: James Dean's 1954 Speedster Found?

#20 Post by John Lindstrom »

James Dean was a bad ass.

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