Christine is one of Stephen King’s most popular novels. It was made into a major motion picture in 1983. The story follows a young man who discovers his car has a life of its own. Not only is it sentient, it’s evil, and offers him the power to do what he wants. He also learns that no matter how pleasant his new life may be, the car has its own plans for him, and he will face consequences if he attempts to deviate from its wishes.
It makes for good reading, but was it based on reality? Many suspect Mr. King based the infamous fictional automobile on a 1955 Porsche Spyder, owned by actor James Dean.
About James
James Dean remains a romantic Hollywood icon decades after his death. Dean’s first successful movie was Rebel Without a Cause. He became a nationwide heartthrob after the release of his film. With his fame and fortune, Dean became a car collector. It was only inevitable that his love of cars inspires a love of racing. Dean then gained notice for his skills in various racing circuits.
The Car
Eventually, Dean purchased the Porsche Spyder. Only 90 in were ever made. The silver car drew attention, but most likely not the attention he expected for a high-end car. Dean’s automotive customizer, George Barris, said the vehicle brought about, “weird feelings of impending doom.”
His friends warned him. Other young actors of the era, from Nick Adams and Ursula Andress, to Eartha Kitt, hated the car as soon as they saw it. None of them could say exactly what was wrong with it, they just didn’t like it. Malia Nurmi, better known as “Vampyra,” stated she was horrified when she saw the car. She begged him to sell it. He then gave the car its infamous nickname, “Little Bastard.” Despite the numerous warnings, he wouldn’t sell his new car.
The Legend Begins
Dean drove Little Bastard to a race on September 30, 1955, where he was involved in a head-on collision. He died en route to the hospital. The insurance company sold the wreckage soon after, and it was taken to a nearby garage. The lore was almost instantaneous, but it’s easy to see how the legend gained a foothold with the mishaps that occurred.
According to the story, the wreckage slipped from its trailer and broke a mechanic’s leg while in the garage. It’s easy to dismiss that as mere coincidence, but it doesn’t stop there.
Calamity Strikes
Dr. William F. Eschrich purchased the wreckage from the insurance company for $1,000. He thought it was a bargain, as he anticipated on getting $4,000 for the parts. He installed the Spyder’s drive train in his Lotus. His friend in racing, and fellow physician, was Dr. Troy McHenry. McHenry installed the Spyder’s engine in his vehicle. On October 2, 1956, just over a year after Dean’s death, the car again brought about tragedy.
The two doctors raced in the same competition. McHenry lost control of his car and hit a tree. He died instantly. Eschrich rolled in a curve and was seriously injured.
The tires were the next items salvaged from the Spyder wreckage. The purchaser returned them the next week. Both tires blew, simultaneously, and sent his car into a ditch.
Suspicion continued to mount and souvenir thieves began to steal from the wreckage. Two thieves attempted to steal from the Porsche and both were injured. One of them reached into the car’s interior, but immediately had to be taken to the hospital. A shard of metal that protruded from the car’s interior gashed his arm open the whole way up.
The California Department of Transportation then took the vehicle for a display car. The display warned against racing and showed the dangers of reckless driving. It was carried across the country, but foul luck didn’t stop.
The car was exhibited in Fresno, California. The storage garage where it awaited display went up in flames. Everything was consumed in the fire, but the Porsche wreckage. It survived with minor paint damage.
The car was taken to a high school for display and, yet again, injury followed. The bolts holding the wreckage for display snapped and fellow on a student. Two different reports emerged. One claimed the student suffered a broken leg, while the other stated he sustained a crushed hip.
Injury again followed the car when it was being transported atop a truck. The driver lost control and was thrown from his vehicle. He survived that ordeal, but the wreckage fell from the trailer and crushed him.
The car’s legacy ends in Miami, Florida, in 1960. The remaining wreckage was boxed up to be carried, via train, from Miami to Los Angeles. It never arrived. When the train arrived at its destination, the car was opened, and the wreckage was gone.
The Uncanny
Unlike most legends, this tale does have some provenance. The wrecks of Dr. McHenry and Eschrich are well documented, as is there use of the Spyder’s parts. Their wreck occurred in Burbank, California, on October 21, 1956. Eschrich owned the car, at that time, and thought the curse was nonsense. Another unbelievable coincidence emerged when it was revealed that Eschrich installed the Sypder engine in a Lotus, which turned out to be the same car Dean ordered before he decided on the Spyder.
The car was displayed as early as December 31, 1956, sponsored by the National Safety Council. This exposition happened at the Los Angeles International Motor Sports Show.
Tom Pittman was a up-and-coming actor in 1958 Hollywood. His image was much like that of James Dean. He left a Halloween party on October 31, and seemed to disappear, along with his own Porche Spyder. His family filed a missing person’s report, but there was no trace of him. On November 19, the authorities scoured the hillside around the Hollywood Hills area. They found Pittman’s body in the wreckage of his Spyder. He’d been dead for some time. He was at the bottom of a 150-foot ravine. Pittman had recently starred in Verboten, the last film for both Pittman and RKO Studio.
There are suspicions that the car was junked because it was worthless, but again, only 90 cars were made for that model and year. Or did, like several legends suggest, someone send the cursed car to the bottom of the Atlantic in Florida? The one thing we do know is that the legendary Little Bastard remains missing.