Posted on 08/21/2016 8:37:35 AM PDT by BenLurkin
There have been several magazine articles over the years that attempted to put the puzzle pieces together. Some are regurgitations of earlier pieces, other add new information. The surviving car's VIN is known, as are some details about its condition.
You'll see a reference to Jim Smart on Dave's page. Jim was editor of several Mustang enthusiast magazines over the years and has written a number of books as well. He has participated in the research on the Bullitt car, and he has a bit to risk in perpetuating some sort of hoax. I think it's a true story, with the current owners fully aware that they've got the title to one of the most highly sought cars on the planet. I'd be discreet about it, too.
If i had the money, I’d buy it!
Depends on how much money you have.
Of course, it’s also very impractical, but what the hey - life is short.
A friend of mine was a machinist who managed to accumulate a lot of engines worth some $$$ from people who dropped their stuff off, then either lost interest or didn't pay him. Two or three locked Conex boxes in his rear lot, just full of the stuff.
Then the internet came along and he realized that he could reach out directly to the enthusiasts and sell that iron for what it was really worth. Within six months, he had sold off most of his excess and had a fat stack of certified checks. The next thing I knew, a truck from Contemporary Classics was backing up to his shop. Yep, he bought a 427SC kit. Well, he already had the FE side-oiler and Toploader 4-speed.
I got to drive it a few times. It's such a different experience than driving a "modern" car. The sounds, vibrations, even the smells are all more akin to firing up a WWII fighter plane than driving a car. And yes, it's a car that sort of whispers "I can kill you, so be careful...' in your ear. Great fun.
Hmm... that was a while ago, now. Late 1980s, I believe. I guess the early Cobra replicas are now classics in their own right.
I’d still rather have the mustang Steve McQueen drove in Bullit.
Ok...I give.
Mine was only a 500 but it was a convertible. I do too.
What's the story on the Chevy?
True - some replicas don’t do justice to the original, but I suppose the owners like their cars nonetheless.
My BLISS55 is a $100,000 car (amount invested by the last owner who sold it to me) - it’s basically a new everything fame off - literally since the chassis and running gear, etc. comes from a Corvette. I always wanted one - back in the day - but they sure have become expensive! Anyway, the original running gear wasn’t all that great - so, it’s now a hot rod with a ZZ4 engine, air and ready to go.
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