A major component of James Dean’s well-known Porsche 550 Spyder recently surfaced, 65 years after the infamous crash. After being hidden from public view for more than 30 years, the original and complete transaxle assembly, which was kept in a wooden crate in rural Massachusetts, was again found. It was Porsche collector Don Ahearn who announced the discovery of the part of the car that is arguably one of the most famous of the Porsche marque.
The 550 Spyder only has three permanently traceable components, the chassis, the engine, and the gearbox/transaxle. The transaxle has a correct factory serial number #10046 stamped on it, and what makes it special is that it could possibly be the only documented and provable part of what is now known as the James Dean Spyder, to still exist.
