Fans weep over rediscovered Bullitt Mustang

[slusher]

2 year old article I found

report by Jeroen Booij:
One of the world’s most celebrated movie cars has resurfaced, but in deplorable condition. It’s a sad story, as fans of the 1968 Steve McQueen movie have hunted the remaining Ford fastback for years, all to no avail. It now turns out that the car with chassis number 8R02S125559, was sold in 1987 to a 39-year old man who’d supposedly made his fortune in real estate in and around San Fransisco - not coincidentally the place where the movie was set. 

One night, just weeks after the car was sold, the new owner decided it was a good idea to re-enact some of the notorious chase scenes in San Fransisco together with a friend. The duo supposedly trashed the car hard before jumping it at considerable speed in Kansas Street. Here, they went airborn, just like in the movie. However, they landed significantly less lucky. As a matter of fact, the touch-down had such an impact on the Mustang that it virtually broke in half. Although severely damaged the car may have been saved. Unfortunately the new owner, presumably so ashamed about his own stupidity, decided to get rid of the wreck and stored it in a Nevada yard, where it has now been rediscovered. To make matters worse many parts have been sold. The new owner is never the less planning a full restoration. 
 

[espo]

What a shame to have more dollars than common sense. This new owner has a very large and expensive rebuild ahead of him. I remember seeing where someone was making reproduction bodies for this model Mustang. If he now has the title and depending on what state he intends to title it in this maybe the best way to go. Many states frown on moving the Vin. number from one car to another.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

I have to wonder about the truthfulness of that photo actually being the car it's purported to be.

One, it has a red decklid.

Two, it looks like it was repainted blue, not green...over a much lighter color.

Three, it also looks like the unibody has rusted and collapsed, not broken as a result of a jump.

Four, the LF fender visible in the photo doesn't have a hole for the side-marker light, visible on the movie cars.

Four, the car in the photo has "MUSTANG" letters on the front fender. These were removed for the movie cars.

Edited August 24, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

Yup. I tracked the photo to this site. It DID rust in half and apparently isn't the McQueen car...at least the one in the OP photo isn't.

http://rustingmustangs.com/1968-mustangs-for-sale/1968-fastback-rust-bucket

PS. It's a good story, Carl. I hope the car really HAS turned up and gets brought back. If it's been stored in Nevada, it ought to be still more-or-less structurally sound, and not terminally rusted like the car shown above.  

Edited August 24, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[Mike Chernecki]

Doesn't anyone watch Blue Bloods, the car is sitting in a garage in New York in perfect condition.... If only that were true. I would love to have a Bullitt Mustang.

[Snake45]

Didn't Danny Count build one for Rick Pawnshop a couple years ago? And you know how cheap Rick is, so it couldn't have cost megabucks....

[Ace-Garageguy]

I ran the VIN shown above, 8R02S125559, through google. This is what I came up with. Read the rest here:   http://www.ponysite.de/barn5.htm

Dave and Jim Smart tried to investigate into the whereabouts of the real BULLITT car in the early to mid 90ies. It took them years after years to trace down the history of the real thing. Share their feelings, and read on, when they finally got a hint on the whereabouts of the real car...


Dave reported: 
"The fellow who spotted it sent me some photos, but I swore they would not be published anywhere. He does not know the owner of the car, but rather the man whose barn the car is stored in. 

I know it's really *the* car, as the VIN 8R02S125559 matches that on a letter from Warner Brothers confirming that the surviving car was sold to an employee of the studio. The letter is dated 1970, and is on Warner stationary.

As the car sat when the photos were taken, it was in about #4 condition. Though there was a lot of surface rust on things like fasteners and suspension parts, the body seems to be fairly rust-free. It has spent most of its life in the state of New Jersey, near New York. In the photos, the car still wore its New Jersey license plates.

Here's a quick rundown of the condition: 66,000 miles on odometer; car seems to have been in a minor front collision -- bumper, valance and grill are all missing, radiator support is bent; engine is in place but does not look like it has run in some time; carburetor missing; upper shock absorber mounts missing; many holes in inner fenders where extra bracing had been installed; the interior (Deluxe) is mostly intact, but quite dirty with trash all about the floor; 4-speed transmission still there, but stock shifter has been replaced with a Hurst unit (in the film, the car had a stock Ford shifter); clutch pedal sits on floor -- as if the clutch or linkage are damaged; original American Racing wheels still on car, with rusted lug nuts; a non-sock (cheapie) steering wheel resides where McQueen's favoured leather wrapped Shelby steering wheel once served steering duty; Max Balchowski's numerous welded-on camera supports and modified exhaust (with glasspack mufflers) are still in place but badly rusted; extra bracing on rear leaf spring mounts; there is a factory "fog lamp" switch below the ashtray (car in movie had them removed, obviously).

And there are two items which really point to this being the "real deal", besides the VIN. One is a fist-sized hole in the left inner fender inside the trunk. I have surmised that this was used to route exhaust from a trunk-mounted generator (to run lights and camera equipment). Nobody making a replica would likely do this, as water and mud would easily be thrown up into the luggage compartment. The second is the door tag, still in place. Everything fits the circumstances of a car intended for use by Warner Brothers. The build date (late '67), DSO (Los Angeles), and other things confirm that this is, in fact, the car.

As far as what it would take to restore the car, I imagine it would need to be a "ground-up" resto. On the other hand, one would not want to disturb the modifications too much, for fear of harming the value. I imagine that if it were mine, I would do my best to get it mechanically sound, including a rebuild of the engine and trans. You'd also need to go through the brakes, and probably replace some of the suspension components that were subject to rotting. Any car that has sat for so long (I'll estimate 13-18 years) tends to deteriorate from lack of use.

Some minor body repair on the front to make it look decent, and a refinishing of the wheels would be in order too. I imagine that not touching the body too much, it would need about $10,000 in repairs."

Update July 2002: 
Meanwhile the car has been moved from the Kentucky barn to another location. It is no more in the Kentucky barn indeed as we know. The current owner had been contacted by film producers more than once. There seems to be quite a good reason to keep the car hidden or maybe just a Man's promise, from what we know today. 

 

 

[Daddyfink]

In 1972, a 24-year-old man got the bargain of a lifetime when he happened upon the Bullitt car, with documentation, for what he says was "an unbelievably low price." Because he is now a successful businessman and has no intention of selling the car or considering any offers, we had to promise him total anonymity in exchange for his cooperation -- we'll just call him "Joe." Why do we believe this is the bona fide product? Well, Joe sent us several pages of documentation, including copies of the first owner's card (registered by Bob Ross on Dec. 14, 1968, license plate VVE 590) and the latest (registered by "Joe" in his home state on March 7, 1978, license plate 850 IPZ). Both cards give the vehicle identification number as 8R02S125559, which matches the number from the Warner Bros. letter. Joe told us that he had not actually seen the car in almost six years because it is stored in a relative's garage on the East Coast, several states away from where he now lives. He was surprised to hear that his car had been the source of such speculation. He is not a hardcore Mustang enthusiast and tells us that his initial interest in the car was a combination of the low asking price and the fact that Steve McQueen had driven it. Joe's anecdotes about driving the car back up Bill Norton's stories about it being a real handful to drive and noisy at any speed. In fact, during a rainstorm, Joe did some Frank Bullitt-style driving when he lost control of the fastback and slid 360 degrees around, resulting in some minor body damage. According to Joe, he has made no changes to the car but it was equipped with an aftermarket shifter and non-stock steering wheel when he bought it 18 years ago and that's exactly how it sits now, with approximately 40,000 miles on the odometer. "Otherwise," he told us, "the engine compartment, interior and paint all look original." Despite the fact that he doesn't get to drive it much any more, he insists that it will never be for sale. Steve McQueen himself tried to buy it back in 1977 (click here to view) but Joe had already promised that it would not leave the family, flattered though he was by the offer. What are Joe's plans for the car? Does he foresee a restoration? Steve McQueen's request not to restore the car matches Joe's own feelings about keeping it in original movie condition. Joe says that the fastback is protected from the elements and should be well-preserved for years to come. 

 

[slusher]

Yup. I tracked the photo to this site. It DID rust in half and apparently isn't the McQueen car...at least the one in the OP photo isn't.

http://rustingmustangs.com/1968-mustangs-for-sale/1968-fastback-rust-bucket

PS. It's a good story, Carl. I hope the car really HAS turned up and gets brought back. If it's been stored in Nevada, it ought to be still more-or-less structurally sound, and not terminally rusted like the car shown above.  

I watched a shown on Spike a few years ago where his son has a recreated  Mustang his dad drove. Thanks Bill I believe you, i am a big McQueen fan and of this movie..

Edited August 25, 2016 by slusher

[slusher]

The Mustang From Bullitt Recreated For Steve McQueen’s Son

567Shares

Few movies get car enthusiasts going like Bullitt. And while Steve McQueen was the one earning the paycheck, someone should have tossed a little cash over to the true star of the film, his ’68 Mustang. This recreation of the classic muscle car was built for Steve’s son and is a visually accurate creation with a handful of modern updates to make the drive feel more current. Since the car was just sold at auction, and we’re guessing you weren’t the lucky bidder, you’ll have to just check it out here and not track down any old Dodge Chargers with it.

 

[vamach1]

The story that began this thread is so full of holes it should be In a Bonnie & Clyde movie.

[High octane]

What a shame to have more dollars than common sense. This new owner has a very large and expensive rebuild ahead of him. I remember seeing where someone was making reproduction bodies for this model Mustang. If he now has the title and depending on what state he intends to title it in this maybe the best way to go. Many states frown on moving the Vin. number from one car to another.  

More dollars than sense? When a person can "flash the cash" and make a purchase, any purchase it is totally up to them to do what ever they want with their purchase NO MATTER what anyone else thinks about it.

[Edsel-Dan]

I wonder how many different Mustang's were used in the filming of Bullitt

Same with the Charger. How many were used?

 

I liked that Blue Bloods episode, but had thought for a LONG time that the Mustang was Gone.

It did end up with a broken left from suspension at the end of the Chase after all!!

[Snake45]

I wonder how many different Mustang's were used in the filming of Bullitt

Same with the Charger. How many were used?

 

I liked that Blue Bloods episode, but had thought for a LONG time that the Mustang was Gone.

It did end up with a broken left from suspension at the end of the Chase after all!!

I believe I've read that there were two of each. But who knows?

[10thumbs]

"Bullitt" was shown again recently here on TV.  I noticed at least two Mustangs, every once and a while the car is missing an outside rear mirror, then it pops up again.  This was before it got beat up and crashed.  I read once about the Chargers, but don't remember how many.  I do know, the 440 Mopar ran circles around the puny 390 and this irritated "The Man".  So Jack Roush did some work on it which improved the performance.  Still wasn't enough though.  Interesting too, the Mustang was peg-legged.

Great movie, I still enjoy watching it.

[JTalmage]

2 Mustangs, and 2 Chargers (one a was a 383 auto, the other a 440 4spd I believe) . 1 of each were obliterated. The Charger resurfaced recently and was restored to the movie black paint. (wasn't originally a black car)

The Mustang, was not modified by Jack Roush. It was modified by Max Balchowsky, Look that guy up. 

The top pic isn't the real car. It's been moved from KY to TN. Too many things wrong and not the same w/ that car.

Supposedly the real deal is now in the owners garage. Why they don't get it into running condition is beyond me. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

The Mustang, was not modified by Jack Roush. It was modified by Max Balchowsky, Look that guy up. 

The top pic isn't the real car. It's been moved from KY to TN. Too many things wrong and not the same w/ that car.

Yup. Balchowsky was one of my early heroes. Another guy who, like Mickey Thompson, built world-beater cars from junkyard bits.

[JTalmage]

Yup. Balchowsky was one of my early heroes. Another guy who, like Mickey Thompson, built world-beater cars from junkyard bits.

And if that's not inspiring, I don't know what is.

[SteveG]

I wonder how many different Mustang's were used in the filming of Bullitt

Same with the Charger. How many were used?

 

I liked that Blue Bloods episode, but had thought for a LONG time that the Mustang was Gone.

It did end up with a broken left from suspension at the end of the Chase after all!!

  I recall reading a story about the Bullitt Chargers and that one said there were three.  There was the close up car that was always black, one that was original blue that they crash at the end.  You can see the blue paint exposed near the end crash seen where the door handle was ripped off.  The third one was a Camera car and believe it was yellow before the repaint.  I'm pretty sure that last car was found and restored.

Steve

[10thumbs]

I just watched the chase on the tube.  The Charger handled similar to a hearse!  Geez, what a sled.  What did that thing weigh anyway?

lol, the flying hub caps!

[Ace-Garageguy]

I just watched the chase on the tube.  The Charger handled similar to a hearse!  Geez, what a sled.  What did that thing weigh anyway?

lol, the flying hub caps!

Yeah, American cars of the day weren't known for their ability to go around corners well; even the "sporty" cars were wallowing hogs compared to something light and agile like a 911 or an old Alfa. 

[fairlane1320]

[Lovefordgalaxie]

Didn't Danny Count build one for Rick Pawnshop a couple years ago? And you know how cheap Rick is, so it couldn't have cost megabucks....

LOL!!!!!!! I almost peed myself while reading this. That guy for sure is cheap. I remember the episode where he bought a real deal Cobra body and frame for a pretty low amount. The money was what I have seen people to pay for a fiberglass replica around here...

[Bill J]

I asked Steve and got no answer.

[Mike999]

Just to confuse things further!

Loren James, stunt driver on "Bullitt," says there were THREE Mustangs.  As for the Chargers...

"Further research on his part showed that there were two Chargers purchased by Bill Hickman from Glendale Dodge in Southern California.  One was a blue non R/T with an automatic transmission that was used in the final scene where the Charger was blown up as it crashed into the gas station.  The other was a yellow R/T with a 440 Magnum engine and a 4-speed transmission.  Both cars were painted black for the movie.

For some reason the surviving R/T Charger ended up back with the dealer and was re-painted yellow and sold."

https://jimsgarage.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/the-missing-bullitt-charger/