Posted on 07/02/2018 1:09:42 PM PDT by BBell
The iconic car emerged earlier this year after years out of the spotlight. The Ford Mustang GT 390 driven by Steve McQueen in cult classic Bullitt is set to make its first ever appearance outside of the United States at this month's Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The car is one of the most famous and iconic cars from the silver screen. Two were used in the production – a stunt car (serial number ‘558), and another (serial number ‘559) which was driven by McQueen himself. The stunt car was uncovered in Mexico last year, but the hero car has been hidden, presumed lost, for several decades.
However, it wasn't lost. Not quite.
Robert Kiernan bought the car for $6,000 in 1974 ($30,000 in 2018) after noticing an advert in Road & Track magazine. Kiernan's wife Robbie used the car for some time as her daily driver, during that time Steve McQueen managed to track down the car and wrote to the family pleading with them to sell it to him, but they had no interest in parting with the car.
(Excerpt) Read more at motor1.com ...
More pictures at the site.
Very cool.
L
I saw when it was on display on DC. I wish it had been cared for better. Keeping it original is one thing, but letting it rust out is another. The thing is a real mess.
I agree with that about the rust. I like the originality but the rust is a real letdown.
Blue Bloods had an episode on this car, but it was supposedly pristine in a collector’s hands. Fiction.
I own the movie on DVD and that is one of my favorite car chase scenes. I remember when the movie first came out though and even on my first viewing I could tell they kept showing the same action from different angles. That Volkswagen Beetle was just too unique, I guess.
In the TV show, Suits, in one episode Harvey drives up to the front of a mansion in what I guessed was the original Bullitt Mustang in pristine condition and talks to the owner, a legal adversary. He tells him to get that hunk of junk off his property.
Must have just been one that looks like it.
I wanted one (a ‘67 fastback) but just couldn’t find one that was within reach. I finally located a ‘69 fastback and I’m happy as a pig in poop ;’}
The bad guys car was cooler I thought, a ‘68 Dodge Charger 440 Magnum.
I already saw that episode of Blue Bloods.
Movie was released in 1968. The date on the plate says 71
Was never a huge Mustang fan, but the Bullit Mustang always appealed to me in spite of that.
There’s a pic of a new Mustang at the site. Is it just me or is Ford mutating the styling towards the revived GTO that was so unmemorable? For awhile I thought Ford really had something going with the new Mustang style wise. Maybe it’s a bad angle...
With the right wheelman, the 440 Mag would have spanked that Ford all day
Good catch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31JgMAHVeg0 Chase scene part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk9SZbrh_Tg Part 2
I may mean July 1. 1968. I’d have to check
Youre full of shit.
The 71 is the District Sales Office which in this case is L.A.
I searched and the story is legit.
As a TV ad said long ago when promoting tge airing of Bullitt:
“Tomorrow: See the chase scene that started it all.”
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