The car in which Bonnie and Clyde took their final ride!
The car in which Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow took their final ride is famously known as the 1934 Ford V8 Deluxe Sedan. It became a grim icon of the outlaw era during the Great Depression.
Key Details:
Date of ambush: May 23, 1934
Location: Near Sailes, Bienville Parish, Louisiana
Incident: Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed and killed by law enforcement officers in a hail of bullets. The car was riddled with over 130 bullet holes.
About the Car:
Make/Model: 1934 Ford Model 730 Deluxe Sedan
Ownership: The car was stolen from a man named Jesse Warren in Topeka, Kansas. He later sued to get it back but was unsuccessful.
Current Location:
The bullet-riddled car is now on display at the Primm Valley Resort and Casino Nevada, near the California-Nevada border. It’s preserved behind glass, complete with some blood stains and bullet holes still visible.
The Car: 1934 Ford V8 Deluxe Sedan
Engine: Ford flathead V8 — powerful and fast for its time, a favorite among gangsters and law enforcement alike.
License Plate: At the time of their deaths, the car bore a stolen license plate from Louisiana.
Color: Beige or “Cordoba Gray” originally, though photographs often show it in black and white, adding to the ominous tone.
The Ambush: How It Went Down
Date: May 23, 1934
Lawmen Involved: A six-man posse including Texas Ranger Frank Hamer, former sheriff Ted Hinton, and four others.
Setup: They set a trap along a rural road in Louisiana. Bonnie and Clyde were lured by an accomplice’s family member pretending to have car trouble.
Result: The posse fired over 130 rounds into the vehicle in seconds. Bonnie and Clyde never had a chance to return fire.
Aftermath
Autopsy: Both were riddled with bullets—Bonnie was hit about 26 times, Clyde about 17.
Public Reaction: Crowds flocked to see the car and their bodies. They became both feared criminals and folk anti-heroes.
The Car: After the deaths, the car was returned to its original owner, Jesse Warren, who rented it out for display. Eventually, it was sold multiple times.
It’s on display with:
Original bullet holes
Blood stains
Clyde’s shredded shirt
Informational plaques
Letters and artifacts
Pop Culture Impact
The 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde” (starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway) helped solidify the car’s legend.
The actual car has made appearances in various exhibits, documentaries, and true crime shows.
THE FULL STORY OF BONNIE & CLYDE’S FINAL RIDE
THE CAR ITSELF: 1934 FORD V8 DELUXE SEDAN
Stolen Vehicle: The car wasn’t theirs — it was stolen from a man named Jesse and Ruth Warren of Topeka, Kansas, just weeks before their deaths.
Why This Car? Clyde was known to steal Ford V8s because:
It had unmatched speed for the era.
He once wrote a fan letter to Henry Ford, praising the V8’s reliability.
“Even if my business hasn’t been strictly legal, it don’t hurt anything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V8.” – Clyde Barrow in a 1934 letter to Ford Motor Company
THE AMBUSH IN DETAIL: DEATH ON A BACKROAD
Location: Near Sailes, Louisiana, on a remote road in Bienville Parish.
Set-Up: The posse used Henry Methvin’s father as bait — pretending to need help on the roadside.
The Posse: Included legendary Texas Ranger Frank Hamer, along with:
B.M. “Manny” Gault
Ted Hinton
Bob Alcorn
Henderson Jordan
Prentiss Oakley
Execution: No warning was given. The officers opened fire immediately, fearing any hesitation could cost lives.
107 official bullet hits were recorded in the car.
Clyde was shot in the head instantly, the car lurched forward.
Bonnie screamed — she was hit multiple times while still in the seat.
Autopsy Notes:
Clyde: Shot at least 17 times
Bonnie: Shot at least 26 times, legs badly torn
Both had been wearing bulletproof vests, but they were ineffective at close range with rifles.
THE AFTERMATH & LEGEND
The Car Became a Sideshow Attraction:
First shown at carnivals and state fairs.
People paid to sit in the bloody seats and take pictures with the bullet holes.
It was once advertised as “The Death Car of Bonnie & Clyde!”
Ownership Battle:
Jesse Warren tried to reclaim his car but was unable to prove ownership due to a lack of insurance.
The car was bought and sold by collectors and promoters over the years.
CURRENT DISPLAY: PRIMM VALLEY RESORT & CASINO
The car is housed in a glass display case.
Accompanying items:
Bonnie’s bloody dress remnants
Clyde’s shredded shirt
Period photographs
Newspaper clippings
Condition Today: Still bears:
Original bullet holes
Some blood stains
Original interior
LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS:
They had an arsenal in the car:
Shotguns, automatic rifles, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Bonnie had a camera with undeveloped film:
Some iconic photos of the pair posing with guns were found and developed posthumously.
Clyde’s Foot: He walked with a limp — due to self-inflicted injuries in prison to avoid hard labor.
Bonnie’s Writing: She was an aspiring poet; “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde” was written by her shortly before they died.
BONNIE & CLYDE IN POP CULTURE:
Films & TV:
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
The Highwaymen (2019 – focused on the lawmen, starring Kevin Costner & Woody Harrelson)
Music: Several songs reference the couple — including “Bonnie & Clyde” by Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Video Games: The car and their story have inspired elements in games like Mafia, Red Dead Redemption, and L.A. Noire.
