Have you seen Bonnie and Clyde’s death car?

[benjamin j]

Someone used to take it to all the big fairs around the country so I got to see a couple of times in the sixties.

[Guest myold88]

I googled it. It's apparently on display in a casino in Primm Nv.

[Restorer32]

I paid a quarter to see it in the local shopping mall some time in the late 1960's.

[Guest my3buicks]

I saw it in the 60's in a traveling tractor trailer when it stopped in our town.

[keiser31]

I saw it at the Michigan State Fair when I was a kid....right about the time the movie came out. My brother worked at the Royal Oak Theater and I must have seen that film 10 times. I was really into the old cars and gangsters. I was amazed that all of the cars in the movie were not Model A Fords. I just HAD to see the real deal and was amazed to see all of those holes in that car.

[Guest my3buicks]

If you look at the original pictures, the car has lost it's fancier radiator cap along the way, probably a souvenir for someone.

[AC Fuhrman]

Maybe I'm remembering this wrong - but was it run in the Great American Race once (or one made to look like it?) Maybe Newt and Ginny Withers had something to do with it?

:confused:

[trimacar]

I recall news of it touring the country in the 60's, and also recall hearing that there was one real car and one or two fakes....a good set of pictures and a 38 revolver could duplicate it....the real one seems to be accounted for, anyone aware of existence of any fakes?

[keiser31]

I have seen two fakes so far. The best way to determine which one is real is to go to Google and find actual "just after" shots. Easy to tell from those which is the fake.

[benjamin j]

http://texashideout.tripod.com/warrencar.html

link to good info on the car.

I wonder if any of the gangs other cars are still around. I like to know the history of any car I own or work on.

[Bleach]

Saw at Whiskey Pete's back in the early 90's.

[AC Fuhrman]

Found it - 1987 Great Race - also called 'The Warren Car' after it's original owner.

<CENTER>RACING THE BULLETRIDDLED DEATH CAR </CENTER><CENTER>[TABLE]

<TBODY>[TR]

[TD]In 1987 the car belonged to Clyde Wade, curator of Harrah's Automotive

Museum. It was put in running condition. The only thing changed was the

windshield, because it would not pass inspection. The steering wheel was

half rebar and half plastic. The seats were all shot up and there were

bullet holes throughout. Because all of the side windows still had holes

through them, they were covered with Plexiglas to keep out the weather.

Bruce Gezon and Virginia "Ginni" Withers raced the deathcar in 1987

in the Interstate Batteries Great Race. Wade, who is a friend of Withers

and her husband Newt, entered the car in the Great Race because he wanted

to sell it and he believed that the publicity would increase its value.

[/TD]

[/TR]

</TBODY>[/TABLE]

</CENTER>

[Guest billybird]

I have seen the real car also.

[Guest Will C]

Not so sure Id want to drive a car that once had a couple of shot up corpses in it, No matter who they where!

[dalef62]

Someone should fill all the holes and restore the car to like new!

[JACK M]

I recall news of it touring the country in the 60's, and also recall hearing that there was one real car and one or two fakes....a good set of pictures and a 38 revolver could duplicate it....the real one seems to be accounted for, anyone aware of existence of any fakes?

A 38 would not be powerful enough to do that.

[Guest Will C]

I agree, I think the original holes were made by a Thompson machine gun and a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)

[Paul Dobbin]

AC Fuhrman is exactly right about the car in the 1987 Great American Race. It was sold after the race for a reported $300,000 and went to what was then called Whiskey Pete's Casino, where it stays today (I Think with a new name)

I raced in that race in a 1934 Ford without bullet holes and was often parked next to them at stops. Their sponsor was some kind of Anti-Crime Unit with a big character crime dog.

Bruce Gazon and Ginni Withers where very helpful competitors to us in performance comparisons of our two cars.

It was really a shot up car with dried blood under the plastic seat covers. Bruce told me that it had been new when stolen and that it had only 8000 miles when Bonnie & Clyde died in it. However the suspension was worn out and it showed abuse everywhere. They had to switch the drive line and suspension for the race, from another 34 Ford and then switch back afterwards.

Here is a picture of both cars at a gas stop someplace along the 4400 mile route from Disneyland to Disney World in 1987.

I must admit ours was a prettier car, but more people looked at Bonnie & Clyde's 34.

It's also true that many fakes were made and shown a fairs and carnivals across the country for many years after they died, but the on in the 87 Great American Race was the real one.

Gruesome but interesting to hear about the law enforcement guys having to use bigger weapons to pierce the strong steel of the body. After owning 1934 Fords for over 40 years, I'm still glad nobody shoots at us. Once on a Glidden Tour in New Hampshire I had the drivers suicide door open at 50 MPH. No dents as it hit the rear fender, but it did bend all three hinges. (Needed to change my shorts too)

Edited December 12, 2013 by Paul Dobbin
added some (see edit history)

[Dwight Romberger]

Someone should fill all the holes and restore the car to like new!

Don't restore it! It's only original once.

Edited December 11, 2013 by Dwight Romberger (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

I watched the A&E/Lifetime/History Channel "Bonnie & Clyde" earlier this week, and while I've always enjoyed the story, I sure did hate seeing all those 30s Fords getting shot up. Same with the "Lawless" movie that came out last year. You have to wonder how many good cars were sacrificed in these movies.

If the Bonnie & Clyde death car ever came thru here, I don't remember it. I'm sure my mama would have prevented me seeing it anyway as I was out on my own before I ever saw the 1967 movie.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Do you think that Bonnie and Clyde might have escaped the road block if they were driving John Dillenger's preferred (faster) Terraplane Eight?

[dan at larescorp]

Hudsy-Faster or not I still can't see it out running those bullets.

Paul- I bet it was a blast cruising with that car during the great race.

I have still yet to see this car in person. I suppose it's time to plan a road trip.

[39BuickEight]

Paul-what great information and a neat story!

[Guest Will C]

It would had made no difference as to what they were driving at the time as they were stopped to help the old man. Once the bullets started flying the story ended right there.

[Guest my3buicks]

where's that armored car when you need it!

[Kimo]

There is a letter dated 1934 in the Ford Museum in Dearborn that is purported to be from Clyde about a month before he was killed, though is could have been written for Clyde by Bonnie or it could be an advertising trick by the Ford public affairs office at the time. In any event it reads:

10th April

Mr. Henry Ford

Detroit Mich.

Dear Sir: --

While I still have got breath in my lungs I will tell you what a dandy car you make. I have drove Fords exclusively when I could get away with one. For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got ever other car skinned and even if my business hasen't been strickly legal it don't hurt anything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V8 -- Yours truly

Clyde Champion Barrow

There is another letter that has stronger certainty from John Dillinger that reads:

Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 6th, 1934

Dear Mr. Ford.

I want to thank you for building the Ford V-8 as fast and as sturdy a car as you did, otherwise I would not have gotten away from the coppers in that Wisconsin Minnesota case.

Yours until I have the pleasure of seeing you.

John Dillinger

[Hudsy Wudsy]

It would had made no difference as to what they were driving at the time as they were stopped to help the old man. Once the bullets started flying the story ended right there.

I know, Will, I recall the story fairly well. I was just goofing around by putting in a shameless plug for a Hudson product. Still, as I write this, it occurs to me that I have no idea what the price difference was between a Ford V8 and a Terraplane 8. Anybody got a guess?

[Guest hearseguy27]

I saw it just after I got married. My wife and I went to Vegas on our honeymoon and I actually convinced her to drive to Primm to see the Bonnie and Clyde death car. At that point I knew that I had chosen the right girl to marry. It is quite an impressive sight.

[1937hd45]

I filled the "Bullet" holes in a 30-31 Ford Coupe that was in Lawless. They took a fairly solid body stuck it on a so so A chassis, ok Hollywood car. Holes were punched in it with a pick hammer, charges placed in the body, Bondo covered and a quick spray paint job. I could put a finger in every hole, they hammered out and together without much trouble. Bob

I watched the A&E/Lifetime/History Channel "Bonnie & Clyde" earlier this week, and while I've always enjoyed the story, I sure did hate seeing all those 30s Fords getting shot up. Same with the "Lawless" movie that came out last year. You have to wonder how many good cars were sacrificed in these movies.

If the Bonnie & Clyde death car ever came thru here, I don't remember it. I'm sure my mama would have prevented me seeing it anyway as I was out on my own before I ever saw the 1967 movie.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

I came across this story about Dillinger and Terraplanes.

http://texashideout.tripod.com/dillingercar.html

[Kimo]

I know, Will, I recall the story fairly well. I was just goofing around by putting in a shameless plug for a Hudson product. Still, as I write this, it occurs to me that I have no idea what the price difference was between a Ford V8 and a Terraplane 8. Anybody got a guess?

For folks like Bonnie and Clyde, I don't think price mattered at all. They did not pay for their cars, they simply stole whatever they liked best.