Inside the Legend of Bonnie and Clyde’s “Death Car
The Curious Case of the Bonnie and Clyde “Death Car”
Step right up, folks! Few artifacts of American crime lore have captured the public’s imagination quite like Bonnie and Clyde’s infamous getaway car. For decades, people have lined up at fairs, carnivals, and museums to catch a glimpse of what’s come to be known as the Death Car. But as with any good legend, the truth is layered with spectacle, mystery, and more than a little deception.
A Car Fit for Outlaws
In March 1934, the Warren family of Topeka, Kansas, purchased a brand-new Ford. At the time, it was a marvel—fast, powerful, and one of the finest machines rolling off Henry Ford’s assembly lines. Little did the Warrens know, their prized car would soon be stolen and thrust into the center of one of the most notorious manhunts in U.S. history. Clyde Barrow was no stranger to Ford’s engineering. The outlaw himself even wrote a letter to Henry Ford praising the company’s V8 engine, calling it the perfect car for his bank-robbing pursuits. And on the night of April 29, 1934, with the keys left in the ignition, the Warren’s Ford was stolen and taken by none other than Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Just weeks later, on May 23, 1934, the duo met their violent end. Law enforcement officers staged an ambush, unleashing a hail of bullets that tore through the Ford. With over 100 bullet holes riddling its body, the once-family car was forever branded as the Bonnie and Clyde Death Car.
A Macabre Attraction
News of the shootout spread instantly. As the blood-stained Ford was towed into town—with Bonnie and Clyde’s bodies still inside—throngs of spectators swarmed it. Eager onlookers tore away at the car for souvenirs, a frenzy more akin to celebrity hysteria than a crime scene. Soon, the car became a traveling attraction. From local fairs to sideshows, it drew crowds wherever it went. Promoters touted it as a living warning against a life of crime. The Warrens themselves leased it out for exhibitions, and in 1939, it was sold to a flamboyant showman who went by The Crime Doctor. Over the years, the car’s fame only grew—and so did the profits. Exhibition fees alone reportedly generated over $10 million.
The Rise of the Fakes
Wherever money goes, fraud tends to follow. By the 1940s, duplicate “death cars” began popping up across the country, each claiming to be the genuine article. It got so bad that the rightful owner of the real car offered a $10,000 guarantee to anyone who could prove his vehicle was a fake. These knockoffs were often disturbingly convincing, right down to carefully replicated bullet holes. Some unscrupulous promoters even placed live chickens inside cars and shot them to reproduce the gory bloodstains left in the real vehicle. One such fraudulent car would later play a bizarre role in Hollywood. After its touring showman was arrested for fraud, Warner Bros. acquired the vehicle as a reference for their 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde.
The Car at Volo
The car displayed today at Volo Auto Museum is one of these fraudulent “death cars.” Despite its dubious origins, it holds a place in history in its own right. Used in exhibitions, referenced in the Warner Bros. production, and even featured in an A&E documentary, it continues to fascinate visitors.
From 1968 until 1993, the car was exhibited at the Tragedy in U.S. History Museum in St. Augustine, Florida. And while the authentic Bonnie and Clyde car rests at Whiskey Pete’s Casino just outside Las Vegas, the Volo car keeps alive the carnival-style showmanship that first made the vehicle a cultural icon.
Fun Facts
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The real Bonnie and Clyde death car has 107 bullet holes.
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When recovered, it carried both a Kansas license plate (#317198) and an Arkansas plate (#15368).
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At the time it was stolen, it had only 1,200 miles on the odometer. The Barrow gang drove it an additional 7,500 miles in just a few weeks.
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Fraudulent versions of the car toured widely between the 1930s–1960s, fooling thousands of spectators.
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The Volo car was even used in an A&E documentary on Bonnie and Clyde.
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From 1968 until 1993, the car was exhibited at the Tragedy in U.S. History Museum in St. Augustine, Florida.
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The showman who once toured the Volo car was eventually arrested for fraud, paving the way for Warner Bros. to purchase it.
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To simulate authenticity, promoters sometimes placed chickens inside the fraudulent cars and shot them to mimic blood stains.
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Historians estimate there were five to six fraudulent “death cars” circulating during the mid-20th century.
