The next bizarre twist in the story of James Dean’s supposedly cursed Porsche is that after buying it, William Eschrid decided to race a friend. He and the friend, another doctor named Troy McHenry, raced each other in cars that each had parts from the Spyder.
Eschrid sustained serious injuries when his car locked up and rolled over as he attempted to make a turn. McHenry lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree. He was killed on impact. The Spokane Daily Chronicle reported the story on October 24, 1956, with the headline “Hint Of ‘Legend’ Linked To Crash.” Pictured here is James Dean’s crash site.
Enter George Barris, “King Of The Kustomizers”
George Barris was a celebrated car customizer who was famous for creating the Batmobile for the 1960s television series (pictured) as well as many other iconic Hollywood custom cars. He called himself the “King of the Kustomizers” and said that he had customized Little Bastard for Dean, a claim that has been disputed.
Regardless of who customized the Spyder, Barris ended up with the mangled car body after William Eschrich had stripped it of its engine and other drivetrain components.
Eerie things continued to happen after Barris got the car.
Barris Claimed The Car Was Cursed
According to the “King of the Kustomizers” George Barris, who later wrote a book called Cars of the Stars, there was an odd incident as he transported the wreckage of the Porsche to his shop. The vehicle somehow slipped off its trailer and broke a mechanic’s leg.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Post Comment