James Deans Speedster

[Chad Comeau]

Since his 550 is getting so much action. I thought his Speedster deserved its own thread, after all he actually raced this car. Any leads on 80126/41014?



All taped up and ready to race!


I decided to open up the vault tonight.......here is some great James Dean Stuff:

Entry form to his last race at Santa Barbara 550.



Pit Passes for the 5/28/55 Race at Santa Barbara, This last race he participated in! Yes they are the real!



Front Page Entry List for the Santa Barbara Race -VON NEUMAN, John #11 Porsche Spyder



Second Page of the Entry List-DEAN, James #33.....Porsche Speedster


Front Page of the Program for the Santa Barbra Race!



Unfortunately his last race was a DNF as he blew a piston. After all he was running the first 3-Piece 1500 Super Engine in his Speedster:


My Favorite James Dean Picture Speedster Picture:

[Chad Comeau]

James Dean Checking out John Porter's 550 Spyder at Santa Barbara

[Guest]

CLICK HERE for some more....

[Larry Wilson]

Hi Chad,

Some trivia about the May 28-29, 1955 Santa Barbara Road Race entry list posted above:

In addition to James Dean in his Speedster and other notables, Sam Weiss is listed in the May 28-29, 1955 Santa Barbara Road Race entry list for the same race driving car #59, an M.G. Special. At the time, Weiss was owner of Oxford Motors in Sacramento, CA and was a dealer for most British cars and Porsche. George Grinzewitsch was service manager and Gordon Glyer was sales manager. Weiss became the FIRST Porsche dealer for the Sacramento valley in 1954 and, about the time of the Santa Barbara race, his salesman Bob Kimball sold my Speedster (COA DOB April 13, 1955) to its first owner.

Later in 1955, Weiss took delivery of a new Porsche 550 Spyder and in 1956 finished 3rd in the car's debut at Pebble Beach. Until late 1959 Weiss was a top 550/RSK racer (car #55) on the West Coast after previously racing Ferraris and various British cars. He lost his Porsche franchise with the big shake-up in the fall of 1959 when Porsche Cars Pacific and Reynold C. Johnson (the VW distributor in San Francisco) replaced Norwitt Motors of San Francisco as Porsche distributor in Northern California and dumped any dealer who was not also a VW dealer.

Larry Wilson

[Mark Pribanic]

Weiss lost his Porsche franchise with the big shake-up in the fall of 1959 when Porsche Cars Pacific and Reynold C. Johnson (the VW distributor in San Francisco) replaced Norwitt Motors of San Francisco as Porsche distributor in Northern California and dumped any dealer who was not also a VW dealer.

Larry Wilson

Larry, et al, does anyone have any old pictures of the above mentioned dealership's/distributor's? How about any literature or license plate frame's?

Thanks for the history lesson, I was not aware of this.

[simon barr]

wow, those are some fantastic documents posted up on here, thanks for letting people see them. I recently came across a pic of a Oxford motors Sacramento dealer frame, which would probably be correct on the speedster mentioned above.

[Chad Comeau]

Here are a couple picture of his 550 Spyder Transaxle

[Chad Comeau]

Interesting thread on Pelican Parts about his Spyder

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthre ... f&t=385299

[steverestelli]

Porsche Cars Pacific License Plate Frame

[Peter Chifo Jr]

I have the deposition of the witness to his fatal crash as well as a few other documents between the witness, insurance company and Dean's relative who raised him. Pretty interesting stuff.

[Robert Thiemrodt]

Hanging out with James Deans cousin in Fairmount where Jimmy spent time growing up. You couldn't meet a nicer guy. Here in my Speedster recreating the famous shot.

[Charles H Jacobus]

VERY COOL!!

ChuckJ

[David Jones]

Robert, you should have swapped seats then you would at least have had a bit of James Deans DNA in your drivers seat.

[lee raskin]

Thanks to my 'Deaner" / Registry friends who let me know when something pops up on JD and his Speedster and Spyder. Here's the latest. No breaking news on either Porsche. The ongoing story about the lost Spyder that was secretly hidden in a faux wall in WA State...was a hoax...the last hoorah by George Barris to get some hype before he died in November 2015. See the most complete article on FOX Sports http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story/wh ... che-111515 The 80126 Speedster ( I released the actual VIN in 2004) is still MIA...and the chances of finding it are about 10,000 times better than finding the remains of the Little Bastard Spyder. If you have James Dean: On The Road To Salinas ( 2015) you will figure out why the Speedster could be found. Can buy this book on Amazon, or StanceandSpeed.com or contact me for a personalized inscription/signature. The latest: Watch for a UK/USA cable channel Special to air on or about the legendary September 30th weekend...Titled: Autopy: James Dean's final Days. it's a no BS detailed documentary on James Dean's final trip...On The Road To Salinas...with interviews by Mark Winslow, Lew Bracker, Toni Lee Scott and me-- providing the final days details. At the end of the year, Christophorus will feature a story on Lew Bracker, James Dean's close racing friend and Lew's historic racing career with the ex-Dean Speedster and a new Carrera Speedster during 1956/57. I supplied key race photos of James Dean and Lew Bracker. Will post when I know the exact date and cable channel in UK and USA.

Lee Raskin
James Dean historian/author

[Robert Thiemrodt]

Robert, you should have swapped seats then you would at least have had a bit of James Deans DNA in your drivers seat.

That never occurred to me David. He said I could come back anytime, guess I'll have too!!