January 16: One movie, one car, the Bullitt Mustang

You remember that classic movie from way back in 1968. The movie that was good, maybe not great, but a ten minute scene in the middle of this film made it the classic it has since become. The movie, of course, was Bullitt, but what defined it was the classic car chase between a new Charger and a new Mustang. This scene set the benchmark for car chases to this day and to this day, although there has been some very good on screen action since then, nothing has been quite as thrilling as this good guy verses bad guy chase thru the streets of San Francisco. Even watching it on the small screen can give your stomach flips, as these cars bound up and down those notorious hills. That big motored Charger chased by Lt Frank Bullitt's modified 390 Mustang GT is still talked about fifty years on.

One more thing about this chase, it made a hero out of one of the cars. As nice as that Charger R/T was, it was Bullitt's gently modified Mustang that set folks' hearts to racing. Something about that beautiful dark Highland Green car, with the Mustang emblem removed from the front grille and those iconic Torque Thrust rims made this average car a big screen winner, so much so that one of the most anticipated intros at this week's Detroit auto show was a new 2019 Bullitt Mustang.......

Funny how that one car from one movie made such an impact. Good thing the car buying public didn't feel quite the same way about the Family Truckster in Chevy Chase's vacation movie. I shudder at the thought.

Was it the way Steve McQueen's character drove his classic ride?

Or was it the fact that it came out the winner? Or was it simply because it was a Mustang and this was a great car chase? Whatever the reason, this car made its mark so deeply that Ford has released several Bullitt Mustangs over the past twenty years. All in Highland Green and all with those mods which made the original so cherished..........

 All were and are limited edition models (whatever that means) and all have had their exhaust sounds modified to mimic that manual shifted 390 from back in '68. Whatever the reason, the debut of yet another Bullitt Mustang special edition sets enthusiasts' hearts a flutter. Maybe they should had unveiled it in a cardiac ward?

For any number of reasons, this Mustang has been loved for fifty years. Imagine if the original was ever found or if it even still existed? Well folks, surprise, surprise, there are actually two original Bullitt Mustangs. One was for stunts and one was for "driving". Both still exist and here is the stunt car as it was found in a Mexican junkyard not long ago and validated..........

Once restored (and judging by its condition, this will be a project), watch the auction action on this icon.

A thought.........maybe the Charger didn't become the anointed one, since something was slightly off about it. Maybe it was because it lost FIVE hubcaps during the chase?

For those of you just coming out of long term hibernation, you can check out this chase online, but make sure you catch the whole thing, including the build up to the real action. Looks like McQueen is doing the driving and he started to, then relinquished the wheel to more experienced stuntmen.

Love nostalgia. Love the movie? Love the Mustang? Got a cheque book? If you checked off all those boxes, head down to your nearest Ford dealer and get your order in. Time's a wasting.

Until next time.......