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What car was James Dean driving when he died?

I’m working on a research project about James Dean for my undergrad film class. I’ve already covered most of his life and filmography, but I’m still putting together a summary of those fateful few hours before his accident. What car was he driving on the day of the crash?

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Samuel Todd · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
We’re sure that your research project will be stellar—James Dean had a fascinating life. He was driving a brand-new, $7,000 Porsche Spyder when he died.
Dean had always been a fan of sports cars, so it’s no surprise that he was driving a powerful Porsche on the evening of September 30, 1955. Though it’s hard to know the exact details of the crash, the collision was between Dean and a college student who was driving a Ford Tudor Sedan.
Apparently, the student was blinded by the sun’s glare as he approached the intersection, and he made a left turn into the Spyder’s path. The rest, of course, is history. Though the crash will live in infamy, Dean’s legend only grew in the coming years when “Rebel Without a Cause” opened shortly after his death.
If you’re an undergrad, you could probably use some extra money for textbooks.
Jerry
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