Hollywood actor James Dean died on September 30, 1955. The 24-year-old was traveling to a race in his iconic 1955 Porsche Speedster when he crashed and perished in the accident. There were always rumors and stories about the young starlet's death due to his age, but the most popular lore was that his Speedster was now haunted.
After the car was declared totaled, the insurance company sent it to a lot for parts. That's when Dr. William F. Eschrich of Burbank bought the drivetrain of the Speedster and put it in his Lotus. Soon after, he was injured in a crash but survived. He was one of the lucky ones...
A man only identified as Dr. McHenry perished in a crash where he was driving a car that contained the engine of the Speedster. The "coincidences" didn't stop there...
At one point, a mechanic was working on the wreckage and had his legs crushed by the car. Later, a truck driver was transporting the car and was killed in an accident before he could make it to the destination.
Aar designer George Barris bought the shell and began touring around the country with it to make some easy money. After all, who wouldn't want to see the demise of a handsome Hollywood starlet? During the cross-country tour, the Speedster caught fire while awaiting display. Luckily, no one was injured.
The last time anyone saw the car was the very next year. It disappeared during transport across the country. It's unclear how someone lost an entire car, but it hasn't been seen since.