“V8” obviously indicates the car’s engine, which the automaker began producing two years earlier. The V8 Ford was faster than most police cars of the day, even though it wasn’t fast enough to outrun the more than 100 bullets it took during the ambush that ended the couple’s crime spree.

But each Ford vehicle had a further model label, and Bonnie and Clyde’s specific vehicle was a stolen 1934 Model 40B Fordor Deluxe.

In 1932, two-door sedans from Ford were labeled Tudors. To riff off the name, the Canadian arm of the company began calling four-door sedans “Fordors.” In five years’ time, the term was being used by the rest of the company as well.

“Deluxe” referred to the higher trim of the car. The 1934 Deluxe trim offered pinstripes on the outside of the car.

Before Bonnie and Clyde stole the car, the original owners, Jesse and Ruth Warren, purchased it for around $800.

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What makes the car of Bonnie and Clyde such a wonder?

The legend of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow (or 'Bonnie and Clyde') and their infamous stolen Ford V8 car is a story of a murderous, thieving couple from the Great Depression.

Their stolen car played a key role in the couple’s gruesome demise at the hands of law enforcement.

Riddled with bullet holes, the exterior of Bonnie and Clyde’s death car leaves nothing up to the imagination. Inside, the interior includes faded blood stains that have been carefully preserved.

Why are people still so interested in this vehicle?

First of all, this car is an incredible piece of crime history from the Great Depression. This was an era full of inventive, high-stakes criminal activity set against the backdrop of Prohibition.

Secondly, it’s undeniable that our culture has a weird obsession with true crime stories. After all, there’s something obviously cinematic about the story of a young couple in love, making their way across the United States while robbing and killing whoever stood in their way. In fact, the story was made famous to modern audiences by the 1967 Hollywood film Bonnie and Clyde.

Finally, the process to authenticate and display the Bonnie and Clyde death car is an interesting story in and of itself, which speaks to a deeply American fascination with the spectacle of death.

Once the infamous ‘34 Fordor Deluxe was returned to its rightful owner, it ended up in the hands of a carnival owner. The car gained so much attention and so much money for the owner that replicas began popping up across the country.

In 1988, Bonnie and Clyde’s death car was finally sold for $250,000 in 1988 to the owners of Whiskey Pete’s, a casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. All the verification letters are normally on display with the car, along with Clyde’s blood-spattered “death shirt,” signed by his sister. Charming.

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Written By

Bonnie Stinson · Expert Insurance Writer

Bonnie Stinson is an insurance writer with 8+ years of experience as a content writer. They specialize in making complex topics like insurance and technology easy to understand. Bonnie has written over 1,300 articles to help people become confident car owners, from how to choose the right car and build a car insurance policy to dealing with stressful situations like car accidents and unexpected repairs. Prior to joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2020, Bonnie worked as a digital media strategist and user experience researcher, producing content for Furnishr, STACKEDD Magazine, InfinityCore Health, and the global non-profit Giraffe Heroes.

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