Paying over 3 for a transaxle sounds rather unbelievable, unless it is the transaxle of the Porsche 550 in which James Dean crashed on September 30, 1955, near Salinas, California. Dean was an enthusiastic amateur racer and had bought the 550 Spyder to participate in SCCA events. However, he would not enjoy it for long, as he crashed a few days after the purchase.
James Dean and his Porsche 550 Spyder
The Porsche 550 Spyder after the fatal accident
The wreck was reportedly sold by Dean's insurance company to another amateur racer in California, and the transaxle was later separated from the rest of the car before disappearing into storage for decades.
The current owner purchased the transaxle in March 2020 and it is now mounted on a display stand supported by casters. It looks reasonably complete in the photos; drum brakes, a starter motor, and even intact CV joint protectors are all present. This is likely the largest remaining piece of Dean's 550 Spyder, as the body has been missing for decades.
A Volkswagen serial number (the transaxle was a reused VW Beetle example) stamped into the magnesium housing is what identifies this transaxle as the one from Dean's car, according to the documentation. This documentation, which shows that the number matches the serial number of the transaxle installed in Dean's car, is included with the sale.
transaxle from James Dean's Porsche 550 Spyder
And who would shell out over 3 for a part of a celebrity's car that died in a crash? The winning bidder is reportedly Zak Bagans, the star of the Travel Channel series “Ghost Adventures” and owner of The Haunted Museum in Las VegasSo this macabre relic may soon be on public display.
