One of the most legendary cars in Hollywood history may have been found after nearly 50 years.

The 1968 classic “Bullitt” had two stars in it: Steve McQueen and his Highland Green 1968 Mustang GT. A more iconic on-screen duo there never was...for car lovers, at least.

However, there were actually two Mustangs used during filming: one kept neat and tidy and another that did most of the dirty work during the movie’s groundbreaking chase scene. The pampered star car was preserved and sold three times over the years and is very privately owned today, while the stunt car was beaten up so badly by the end of production that it was sent to the wrecking yard.

At least that’s what most people thought happened to it, but a member of the Vintage Mustang Forum claims the car recently surfaced in Mexico. Its exact location undisclosed.

Fede Garza posted photos of a Mustang that, in an ironic twist, was about to be converted into a replica of the “Eleanor” Mustang from the film “Gone in 60 Seconds” at his friend’s restoration shop. But when the owner of both the car and the business researched the vehicle identification number (VIN), he learned that he might have something special on his hands, which were shaking when he brought Garza the news.

If authentic, the number is a match with the missing movie car. The vehicle also features other telltale features that it could be the real deal, including reinforced shock towers, a custom 9-inch rear axle, and holes in the trunk that are presumably there to accommodate a generator used to run the in-car camera lights. Garza says the Mustang had been rotting away in Baja California Sur for 20 or 30 years, its history heretofore unknown.

Kevin Marti of Marti Auto Works in El Mirage, Ariz., is one of the world’s top experts on classic Fords and owns the exclusive license to the production records of every car the company built from 1967 to 2012. It was a report from his company that tipped off the owner to the possible treasure he had, and Marti tells Fox News that he’s heading to northern Mexico on Friday to validate the car’s provenance in person. Although he’s only seen photos so far, he says he's very optimistic that it’s legit.

If Marti gives it his seal of approval, Garza says the plan is to display the car at a local Ford dealership and then send it north of the border for a proper restoration. The timing couldn’t be better. Next year is the 50th anniversary of “Bullitt”, and a recent Ford promotional video staring Dwayne Johnson suggests that the automaker is working on a special edition of the current Mustang to mark the occasion.

Automotive journalist Brad Bowling is one of the few people who knew the identity of the third buyer of the other Mustang, but says he passed away a few years ago. He always kept the car hidden away and once told Bowling that he’d only show it publically if Ford built an official Mustang museum, but his heirs have been silent on the subject since his death, so that mystery continues.

But if all goes well, and it doesn’t turn out to be some elaborate hoax, the Mexican Mustang could be all fixed up and ready for its close up just in time to celebrate next year. Just don’t expect to see it chasing that black Dodge Charger through the streets of San Francisco. The filmmakers may have considered the Mustang to be disposable, but it’s worth far too much today to end up in that ditch again.

http://www.foxnews.com/auto/20...found-in-mexico.html

Cool!
Thanks for posting this. In my mind I can still hear that cars sound.

Silent

A 2015 "Blue Bloods" episode had a sub-plot involving this car. At the end they showed in in a very high security building with the guys in the cast admiring it. That certainly may not have been accurate. That was obviously supposed to be the nice car. The one in Mexico was pretty well trashed by the movie and is in even worse shape now.

Been a lot of rumors through the years and rewards offered for the second car. Everything from it was crushed to a secret owner on the east coast. Supposedly McQueen was in touch with the secret owner to try and get it back in as is condition. Will see what Marti has to say, he is more of a records guy not sure how he 100% verifies this car (even if it has "the" VIN). But as stated if it's the real one (I have my doubts) it will be worth a mint.

Don't know if Ford is working on another Bullitt, they have done two. But would be a good ploy to get interest in them, they have left clues like this in the past about coming cars.

As to the Blue Bloods episode, neither were the known surviving Bullitt.
http://screenertv.com/televisi...tang-on-blue-bloods/

I thought there were five or six cars that were used, not just the two mentioned in the article.

https://www.google.com/amp/www...rt-confirms.amp.html

Fox News is reporting that this is the real deal

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:
I thought there were five or six cars that were used, not just the two mentioned in the article.

Someone who worked on the movie said there were three. But the movie was made fifty years ago and the old fellow is about 85 now. It's not unusual for our memories to go a little faulty as we age.

Good Post OP, thanks.
I had a friend who bought one of the Ford remakes of the Bullit car, same color Green, same wheels and supposedly the same sound. It really sounded good. He hardly ever drove it though. He claimed that Ford bragged that his year Bullit was one of the least number of Mustangs Ford manufactured. Less than even the Shelby Mustang years of the late 60s. I never checked it out to know for sure though.

Interesting about the Ford remake of the Bullitt car. I always wondered if Bullitt did for the Ford Mustang what Dirty Harry did for the S&W Model 29.

What the heck might as well watch it, again, never gets old....




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vNvc9n1ikI

What engine was supposedly in this machine? The 302 or the bigger 427 or 428?

If it's real, how much would the car be worth restored?

quote:

Originally posted by cooger:
If it's real, how much would the car be worth restored?

I feel like Antique Roadshow always says the value goes down if people try to restore things.

quote:

Originally posted by cooger:
If it's real, how much would the car be worth restored?

Consider that his private Ferrari sold for over $12 million, a one of a kind movie car from Bullitt? Priceless..

http://www.vanityfair.com/cult...-is-worth-12-million

quote:

Originally posted by MRMATT:
What engine was supposedly in this machine? The 302 or the bigger 427 or 428?

They were both 390's.

quote:

Originally posted by Aquabird:
He claimed that Ford bragged that his year Bullit was one of the least number of Mustangs Ford manufactured. Less than even the Shelby Mustang years of the late 60s. I never checked it out to know for sure though.

He must have had a 2009 as generally the Bullitt's had much higher production numbers than the orig Shelby (and some other Ford niche cars).

2001 Bullitt
Total Produced: 5,582
Dark Highland Green 3,041
Black 1,819
True Blue 722

2008 Bullitt
Total Produced: 5,808
Dark Highland Green 4,377
Black 1,431

2009 Bullitt
Total Produced 816
Dark Highland Green 635
Black 181

1965 Mustang Shelby
GT350 Street Model 525
GT350R Competition Model 37

1966 Mustang Shelby
GT350 Street Model 1438
GT350 Hertz Model 936
GT350 Convertible 6

1967 Mustang Shelby
GT350 Fastback 1175
GT500 Fastback 2050

1968 Mustang Shelby
GT350 Fastback 1253
GT350 Convertible 404
GT500 Fastback 1140
GT500 Convertible 402
GT500KR Fastback 933
GT500KR Convertible 318

1969 Mustang Shelby
GT350 Fastback 1085
GT350 Convertible 194
GT500 Fastback 1536
GT500 Convertible 335

1970 Mustang Shelby
GT350 Fastback 315
GT500 Fastback 286

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
What the heck might as well watch it, again, never gets old....

While Bullit is one of my favorite movies, it is so sad to see that awesome 68 Charger R/T, with pistol grip manual trans, get beat up like that.

Growing up, one of my dad's friends had a pair of GT500KRs. One in white with blue stripe, and one in green. Although it was nearly 40 years ago, I can still remember the rumble they made as if it were yesterday.

I'm happy they found the Bullitt. I hope they get a proper restoration done, and drive the hell out of it and enjoy

quote:

Originally posted by AGFNTB:

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
What the heck might as well watch it, again, never gets old....

While Bullit is one of my favorite movies, it is so sad to see that awesome 68 Charger R/T, with pistol grip manual trans, get beat up like that.

In 1968 a friend had what was nearly the twin to that car, though it was before the movie came out. His had a white vinyl top, automatic transmission and a 440 Magnum Police Interceptor package rather than the Hemi in the movie cars. We saw some really obscene speeds on public roads in it, well in excess of the 155mph where the speedometer was pegged.

In that chase, it's hard for me not to root for the Bad Guys!

quote:

Originally posted by OldChimney:

quote:

Originally posted by MRMATT:
What engine was supposedly in this machine? The 302 or the bigger 427 or 428?

They were both 390's.

^^^^^^yes^^^^^^