Art and cars #12 - James Dean and the 1949 Mercury Coupe

[Ray B.]

Who is he, and what car can he be associated with in his work?

Art and cars. Painters, writers, musicians, actors, movie makers: in a nutshell, artists. Cars of special importance in their work, or in their life.

Rule of this puzzle is: you identify the artist, you have one week to find the car. After that, the hunt is opened and anyone can rob you of your point.

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Thanks!

[Ray B.]

In need of expertise.

[Ray B.]

No interest shown by experts either.

[Otto Puzzell]

Author?

[Ray B.]

Nope. When I said that this one was easy, I wasn't kidding. Most of the subjects of my Art and Cars puzzles are very well-known in their field, if the photos are untypical. This one is no exception. But you get me wondering...

[Ray B.]

I know, I know, I've been accused to deprive experts of a chance to take a shot at some puzzles that I had moved directly to the Pro and Feature Writer section.

Well, here is their chance: I am moving back this one to the FREE FOR ALL section!

[Allemano]

famous actor?

[Ray B.]

Very famous.

[DynaMike]

I'm really not good in faces... but could this by any chance be Charlie Chaplin? And then linked to e.g. the 1024 Rolls-Royce  40/50 hp Springfield as used in 'City Lights'?

[Ray B.]

I'm really not good in faces...

... and of course I choose untypical photographs. No, he was born many years after Chaplin.

[Allemano]

I'm really not good in faces... but could this by any chance be Charlie Chaplin? And then linked to e.g. the 1024 Rolls-Royce  40/50 hp Springfield as used in 'City Lights'?

Believe it or not, but I had the same idea. Lucky me I've kept it for myself...

[DynaMike]

Very famous.

But not only as an actor? With the risk of making once again a fool of myself... Could it be Ronald Reagan, and so e.g. linked to one of his presidential Cadillacs?

[Ray B.]

Very famous, and only as an actor. Sorry if my reply wasn't obvious. I thought it was.

[DynaMike]

Nothing wrong with your reply, Ray... 

[Ray B.]

This is the one I still don't understand how he hasn't been unmasked...

[Paul Jaray]

Let's bump this back to the top:
Kurt Russell?

[Ray B.]

Nope. He would be much older.

[Ray B.]

Even if you seem to experience hardship in recognizing this lad, this one is SO EASY that I would feel ashamed to giver you any clue.

[streamliner]

Must be a non-brooding James Dean...

...and his cursed Porsche 550 Spyder.

[Ray B.]

AT LAST!!!

I'll accept the Porsche, because I hadn't specified what kind of relation with the car I meant. But at the time, having already done Isadora Duncan, Jayne Mansfield, all those ghastly deaths where cars were involved, I was in a lighter mood.
Can you give me another car for Dean, largely as emblematic as the Porsche, but less tragic.
Locked for streamliner

[streamliner]

If it's a Porsche, then I'll have to go with his illustrious 356 1500S Speedster, the one he replaced with the 550, since the 356 went too slow.

But where is it now???

[Ray B.]

If I write "largely as emblematic as the Porsche", I obviously mean not another Porsche, don't I? Try a movie car instead.

[streamliner]

It could be read as "the Porsche" or just plain "the Porsche".  I picked the former...  But now I'm picking something non-Porsche, namely his 1949 Mercury Six-Passenger Coupe from "Rebel", now in the National Auto Museum. 

[Ray B.]

Thanks, that what i expected.
This one has left so many puzzlers stranded that it's definitely worth 2 points.