550 Spyder Transaxle On ‘Bring A Trailer’ Has Quite a Story

Parts for vintage Porsches like the 550 Spyder are pricey in their own right, but this transaxle came from James Dean’s personal car. 

James Dean was an iconic Hollywood star in the 1950s. With legendary roles in icons of the silver screen like Rebel Without A Cause and East of Eaden, his name was destined to be brought up in any acting school. Unfortunately, though, his acting career isn’t the highlight of any James Dean conversation. Sadly, his short but successful racing career is also not typically the topic of choice. That title, unfortunately, goes to a darker moment. In 1955, Dean was killed in a crash while behind the wheel of his 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, dubbed “Little Bastard,” on a rural California highway. Thus, the curse of Little Bastard was born.

Now, the very transaxle from Dean’s car is for sale on Bring A Trailer. Though morbid, these types of auctions tend to pull some absurd hammer prices. Clearly, this will be no exception. At the time of writing, the high bid is already over $100,000. So should you have the spare funding, this may be your time to prove there’s no curse. Unless, of course, you believe in it.

What is the alleged curse surrounding this Porsche?

After Dean’s death, a racer named Dr. William Eschrich purchased the totaled 550 Spyder. He put the four-cam engine into a Lotus, which he subsequently crashed in a race. Fortunately, he survived. However, Eschrich sold the suspension and this very transaxle to fellow racer Troy McHenry. Unfortunately, McHenry crashed in the same race as Eschrich and did not strike the same luck. Instead, McHenry struck a tree and was killed.

There are plenty of other alleged stories surrounding the curse, including would-be thieves getting injured trying to steal parts from the car, a California Highway Patrol garage where the car was displayed for a safety exhibit catching fire, and even a tow truck operator being run down by the car as it came off a trailer. Superstitious or not, it’s easy to see why many folks believe in the curse.

A museum piece and likely nothing more

The auction of the transaxle from the ill-fated 550 Spyder includes plenty of documentation verifying that it is indeed what the seller claims it to be. It now sits on a stand with caster wheels for display, where it’s likely to remain. Pertinent to the curse or not, this transaxle is highly unlikely to see the road or track time ever again due to its legacy. Considering Dean bought the car specifically for SCCA racing events, we find that to be a bit tragic.

Overall, this is an artifact of an unfortunate life cut short by a tragedy. It seems a bit crazy to see the desire and obsession surrounding Dean’s death and the alleged curse of the 550 Spyder and its components, but stories sell. Combine a good story with a historical tragedy, and, for some reason, you’ve got yourself a sale. At any rate, it’s interesting to see that this old Porsche transaxle so lovingly displayed. Furthermore, we’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this auction to see the final hammer price.

Photos: Bring A Trailer