James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) [View all]

[Miles Archer]

James Dean and Porsche racing mechanic Rolf Wuetherich in Dean's 550 Porsche Spyder nicknamed "Little Bastard."

http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/James-Dean-60-years-since-fatal-crash-6537391.php

"Little Bastard."

It was the nickname given to James Dean's Porsche 550 Spyder — the car the actor drove to his death in a terrible wreck near Cholame, California in 1955 — and the alleged curse surrounding the car has intrigued car nuts for decades.

Dean was just 24-years-old when he and friends were on the way from Los Angeles to Salinas, Calif., to participate in a sports car race. But he never made it.

Dean's racing career was short but showed early promise. Using money from his first lead role in "East of Eden" in 1954, Dean bought three sports cars including a Porsche 356 speedster, which he raced to a second place finish in his class at the Palm Springs Road Race in 1955.