James Dean was at the apex of his fame when he was killed in an automobile accident on September 30th, 1955. The young actor was a car enthusiast who both custom-fitted and raced sports cars, similar to his bad boy on screen persona. At the time of his death he was driving a customized 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, nicknamed “Little Bastard,” which would go on to become almost as famous as its owner.

Much like the tomb of King Tutankhamen, rumors of a curse surrounding Little Bastard soon proliferated. The car was totaled in the crash, and the wreckage purchased by George Barris, a famous car designer (you might have heard of a zippy little number he designed called the Bat Mobile) who loaned the vehicle to the California Highway Patrol for use in driver safety demonstrations. Several of the car’s parts, including the engine, were sold to collectors, and it’s from there that the curse originated. Reports of serious injuries and deaths associated with the parts salvaged from Little Bastard titillated the media.

However, much like King Tut’s tomb, the curse is most likely one big over exaggeration. According to Charlie Hintz writing for Cult of Weird, “While a few minor mishaps have been corroborated, researchers have found no evidence to support most of Barris’ claims.” One mystery associated with Little Bastard still persists, however. In 1960 while being transported from Miami to Los Angeles the car went missing and has never been seen again.

Where is Little Bastard?

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