James Dean died 55 years ago today

Guess I was the only one at the 55 year celebration?

 

This the one, Piero?

-Matt

 

I showed my wife (a huge James Dean fan)that photo and she said "I just know I've seen that before." She went off digging and if you can get a hold of "James Dean, a portrait" you'll see a brief (about a second) shot of the photo. Its a piece of film shot from a sllightly different angle to the photo. Pretty cool.

 

C.H.P. estimated JD was traveling at 55 m.p.h. at time of the accident.
The other driver failed to yield.
The original intersection now resides in a cow pasture.

JD had received a speeding ticket earlier that day
for traveling 65 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone ....

JD's head struck the other cars' grill.
He died in the ambulance en route to the hospital.

A ' must see ' is Blackwells Corner where JD last stopped
for fuel earlier that day - check out the patron at the diner.

Sexual orientation aside, acting ability aside, he was and still is
a significant cultural and cinematic footnote.

I took the following picture about a month ago at Blackwells Corner.
The tractor is a 1936 John Deere.

RIP JD


Jim

 

Stories abound as to the fate of Deans 550. I tend to lean with the theft story. Porsche 550's had almost all of their parts stamped with the serial number, 550 parts are very unique and have always been very valuable. Porsche-philes that I know claim that none of the parts from that car have ever turned up. But then, what do I know.

 

nope... never seen that one. looking close at it I don't think thats at the Barris shop.

The one we have is of the car sitting in front of the shop with the garage door closed...i'll see if I can dig it up..

 

Yep, Deans last stop was at Blackwells corner where he talked with Lance Reventlow who also was on his way to the same race but what ever happened to the James Dean memorial run where a group would meet at the former location of the hollywood farmers marktet (not the one on Fairfax) which is where Dean had lunch with his Father and Uncle before heading out. The group would follow the route, as closely as possible, until they reached Paso Roble which was to be Deans next stop after Blackwells corner.

 

...solves a personal mystery I've wondered about since
I first heard Don's name in early '70s.

I lived near Tulare during the '60s.
Was kind of a stoner/gearhead/dork.
Not part of social elite in my town.
Met some kids from Tulare and hung out there briefly.
One gal, a particularly beautiful tall, stacked cheerleader.
With legs like pythons.
Way outta my league and social circles in home town.
But as a new kid in Tulare, past bias was not a factor.
Dated that dream girl briefly, but I moved away.
Her first name was Peggy.
Last name was Turnupseed.

Don's letter mentions his daughter Peg starting school,
and mentions someone named Bruce not being able to attend school yet.
Making his daughter Peg the same age
as the Peggy I knew in the late '60s.
Who had a younger brother named Bruce.
While there were several Turnupseed and Turnipseed families in the area,
I've never seen the names of Don's kids.
Until now.
BINGO!

Sad to read Don's 1st wife passed in '76.
She was very nice to daughter's suitor.
(aka young horndog wanting to fondle her daughter)
And the younger brother was very nice as well.
Never met Don.

Our last date ended at her house, just talking, until 4am.
When I stepped out to my car,
found it completely wrapped in toilet paper.
Fortunately, no damage.
Found out later it was some harmless local boys.

A few years later, Peggy came to work where I worked.
Another female co-worker was similar tall, stacked, muscular cheerleader.
Who was object of lust from most of the male co-workers.
As Peggy soon became.
When it came out that I'd dated Peggy,
all were amazed that a stoner/gearhead/dork
could have dated such a hot chick.
Elevated my status immediately.

Thank you Deuce3wCpe for the link!

 

^^^^^^
Wow..cool story. The power of the HAMB strikes again!

Turnupseed vowed to never comment on the accident but I have to believe he confided with immediate family over the years which would include of course his daughter Peg....but I'm sure he swore them all to secrecy.

I've often wondered why the press didn't hound Wütherich more. He's really the only one who knew what happened and how fast Dean was traveling, etc. and he lived another 25 years after the accident.
Was a lot easier for these folks to go into hiding back then...today Geraldo and Nancy Grace would be camped out on their front lawn......







.

 

I have a friend big in porsches and VW he told me to this day porsche as well as many others watch for any part numbers to come to light. He told me the axel from it went to a doctor in the area and he was killed in a race I dont know if its a fact but I have never known him to BS abut facts. also the pic is just kool

 

I do not believe that this photo is at the Barris shop. I think it is wherever both cars were taken after the accident. I believe that the car directly behind the Porsche steering wheel in this photo is the Turnupseed Ford. It is likely an impound garage used by local authorities or C.H.P. Possibly Paso Robles, as it would be the largest community in the vicinity.
Someone who knows the facts can probably give more info.

 

Post #3 shows both cars in storage after the accident.

 

Rehashing old stuff but this is the first time i've seen pix of Donald Turnupseeds car and discovered it was customized. Interesting to read his letter about the bored and stroked Merc engine.

Even more interesting is his mention of "the time trials".

" have my hands just about on a virgin 1930 rag top truck I have been trying to get for the past few months. I wish you were close by to go through it with me. I have a 310 (?) Crysler engine setting in the garage crying to see the time trials. "

Was he a racer too? Drags or dry lakes maybe? Be cool to see pre crash pix of his 50 Ford.

 

Is there someone in the kustom scene, that made a "turnupseed clone"?
Or, just like TomP64 said; pre crash pics of the '50 Ford?...

 

Maybe this is old hash that has been covered before. If so, I apologize but I just discovered this thread and I think it is fascinating.

Anyway, I've always thought that a gray or silver colored car is dangerous because that color blends away out of sight easily. Think of the old adage that red cars get more tickets because of their high visibility and contrarily how motorcycles get tuned out from the visibility of drivers. So, if I have this right, Dean went blasting along around dusk in a silver/gray roller skate and this fellow Turnupseed turned in front of him? I do not believe that I saw any mention of Dean's headlights being on. Looks to me that this is just an ironic tragedy, the type of thing novels are based upon.

P.S., I love the axiom, "legs like pythons". Oh my..........

 

He would probably be doing commercials for some environmental group to pay his bills if he was still alive. That seems to be the trend for movie stars and maybe not.

 

RIP,,,,,,,,,,

 

You people are crazy, he didn't die he just went home!
Him and Janis Joplin are pack on there home planet livin' large!!

Doc.

 

R.I.P boys, a sad page in the history of hot rods and sport cars. ~sololobo~

 

donalds car was a nice mild custom and later in his life he went on to build some amazing hot rods! as far as a turnupseed clone car i am unsure of but i hear there is a man in eureka ca that owns his original car and has restored it to the way donald had it! and correct donald never @ one point gave an interview and peggy was his daughter, and two sons bruce and david! i would love to find out if someone really did restore his ford donald is my grandfather and it would be really neat to be able to see it in person!

 

for real ?

 

hahah yeah! my name is aaron turnupseed he was my father bruce's dad!

 

wow thats interesting , just curious how old were you when you found out about what happened

 

Any way you look at it a tragic accident happened and took away a really gifted actor.We saw every movey Dean made and marveled at his abilitys as an actor. He was way to young to die and was missed by millions of fans at the time. RIP DEAN

 

im not sure i just kind of remember always knowing about it , but i do remember i was about 13 or 14 when i talked to him about it

 

that letter is fact donald did write it

 

Watch Rebel With Out a Cause and in the scene where "Jim" is in his bedroom on the wall is an add for 54-55 Porche.

 

donald raced vw and corvair powered sand rails! also use to drag a blazer

 

Your grandfather? Wow...I guess that is pretty special for you. You don't have any photos of the shoebox before it was crashed? Would have been interesting to know more about this car...Did he customize it himself?

 

from the letter he was a gear head.. cool s tuff.

chris.