Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Bullitt 1968 Ford Mustang GT


mrmike

Recommended Posts

I have had this kit in the stash for some time now and with the recent articles about the Bullitt Mustang now in print and the hero car being found on the East Coast as well as the jump car being found in Mexico, I was influenced to build mine now.  I am starting with the Revell Bullitt 1968 Mustang GT kit 85-4233.  I also have the '68 Mustang GT kit 85-4215 that I will use the Cobra Jet headers from.  I will be following the build by Marcos Cruz for mine.  I will eliminate the metal axles from this kit, close the gap in the engine bay to the front fenders, and try to find a close paint color match.  I started assembling the engine and the headers.  I'll wire the engine and I'll rummage through my parts box for a separate carb and an open element air cleaner.  And, I am done...not!   This is a diecast Revell Bullitt Mustang that I built many years ago.  This came from the same molds that Revell used for the plastic version that I am about to build.  As the market changed, Revell converted many of their diecast molds to plastic and this is one of them.  The only change I can find is to the dash.  The current version has two gauges mounted under the dash and my diecast version does not have them.  I'm surprised that no one has built a '68 Charger R/T from the Revell '68 Charger kit and yes, I have the diecast version of that car, too!

More to come...

Bullitt01.JPG

Bullitt02.JPG

Bullitt03.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure Scalefinishes would or MCW or even Gravity Colors.  But, I am trying to find what I need locally, be it in a hobby shop or auto parts store and I am trying to avoid going to the internet.  If I go to any of the aftermarket suppliers, it'll be as a last resort.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, vamach1 said:

You could always do a what it looks like now version and you will just have to replicate rusty and faded Ivy green. :rolleyes:

You mean this one????..... Yep! The genuine article..? I took these pictures at the Ford world headquarters in Dearborn last August....

IMG_20180819_090529.jpg

IMG_20180819_090452.jpg

IMG_20180819_090516.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/25/2018 at 10:51 PM, vamach1 said:

You could always do a what it looks like now version and you will just have to replicate rusty and faded Ivy green. :rolleyes:

Ivy Green and Highland Green are two different shades of green.  The color of the Bullitt Mustang is Highland Green.  And, if it ain't shiny, it ain't mine! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/27/2018 at 6:26 PM, montelsc said:

if that is the actual bullitt mustang from the movie doesn't the son still own it ??

heard at one time he had one from the movie and one modified and restored 

The McQueen family has tried to buy the car back from the owner going back to the 80's when the owner was not really a secret.  It was in hiding for decades until Ford made an offer the owners son could not refuse.  The father did not realize the gold mine he was sitting on or did not care - not sure which.  Either Ford will buy it eventually or it will go to auction and the seller could buy every year Mustang ever made to be able to drive a different one every week assuming he had a place to store them all.

Edited by vamach1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The current owner has said repeatedly that the Mustang will stay in his family.  He has absolutely no plans to sell the car to anyone.  His father knew that the car was valuable and he could care less.  The car has been in his family since 1974 and it will remain there as a part of his family.  There are two articles, one in Road and Track and one in Car and Driver magazines about the Bullitt Mustang.  I would suggest you read them and discover what the whole story behind the Bullitt Mustang is all about.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, mrmike said:

The current owner has said repeatedly that the Mustang will stay in his family.  He has absolutely no plans to sell the car to anyone.  His father knew that the car was valuable and he could care less.  The car has been in his family since 1974 and it will remain there as a part of his family.  There are two articles, one in Road and Track and one in Car and Driver magazines about the Bullitt Mustang.  I would suggest you read them and discover what the whole story behind the Bullitt Mustang is all about.  

Everyone has a price.  I'd sell the car I've had since 1981 if the offer was ridulous enough.  It's pretty hard to rationalize keeping a hunk of steel that is worth 100 mores than a similar one that was not in a famous movie unless you a just not a fan of money.   Sure money isn't everything but to get enough to pay off a house, pay for kids college and and maybe help out your parents versus having a car should be an easy choice.  The son is enjoying an all expenses paid road trip touring with the car but the excitement will were off.  I read about this car 20+ years ago when a person that was supposed to keep any details secret did say he say the car and that the owner wanted it to remain in hiding (for whatever reason).  Now the son has done pretty much the exact opposite which is a lot better that's lettting it rot away unseen.  Just my opinion of course but I'm probably not in the minority in my view.

Edited by vamach1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The way I understand it, based on what I have read, is that Robert Kiernan bought the car as family transportation.  At one point, his interests turned to horses until he realized that the car need to be put back together, but by then he was very ill and passed away in 2014 and his son, Sean inherited the car and he rebuilt the Mustang and said that the car was to remain in the family and hidden away from the public,  just like his father wanted it to be.  The car had become part of the family and it was his intention to keep it in the family.  That's why he refused to sell it.  It was HIS car!  Ford Motor Company found the car with help from some other people, wanted to help hide the car out of fear that it could be stolen and so it was hidden down in the archives of Ford.  They felt that having the actual Bullitt car on the 50th anniversary of the movie and the introduction of the new 2019 Bullitt Mustang would be worth all the added secrecy.  If Sean decided to sell the '68 Bullitt Mustang, he would command his price for the car, which would be in the millions of dollars.  AFAIK, no one has place a value on the car.  This car has been described as 98% original and the car found in Mexico is 98% unoriginal or rebuilt with new parts.  The car from Mexico or the "jump" car would be worth some money, but IMHO, will not get the kind of money that the "hero" car would get because it was rebuilt with new parts or restored.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I filled the hole in the engine block and added plug boots to the wired distributor from Parts by Parks.  Part of the die-cast molds is the notches on the cowl and the hood.  Unless I want to do extra bodywork, which I don't want to, these are staying.  There was two raised circles for the backup lights and the Bullitt Mustang doesn't have any.  Out came the sanding stick and away went the raised circles.  A fellow Club member has a 2 oz. bottle of Ford Highland Green Metallic by ScaleFinishes that he is going to give me.  Thanks Joe Angers!

More to come...

Bullitt04.JPG

Bullitt05.JPG

Bullitt06.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been picking away at the Bullitt Mustang.  I painted the headers flat white, the distributor semi gloss black, the engine block got a second coat of paint, and I made an ignition coil since there is none in the kit.  The shifter got a new shifter ball made from a piece of jewelry bead and painted flat white.  Now, if I can only find a 4-speed shift pattern decal.  There was a set of gauges under the dash and I cut them off since the Bullitt Mustang doesn't have them.  I drilled some holes in the steering wheel spokes and I messed up on some of them.

More to come...

Bullitt07.JPG

Bullitt08.JPG

Bullitt09.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I was looking at the steering wheel and the mis-guided holes, I remembered that the Revell '68 Mustang kit 2 'n 1 kit has all the extra parts in it for the Bullitt Mustang.  This time I used my magnifier and carefully, well much more carefully, drilled 12 new holes in the steering wheel spokes.  Some cleanup and Bob's your uncle!

More to come...

 

 

 

Bullitt12.JPG

Bullitt11.JPG

Bullitt10.JPG

Edited by mrmike
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been working on the 390 CID engine.  I added the headers, the fan and fan belt assembly, and a Demon carb.  I choose this carb since it does have a lot of detail to it, even if it is not correct for the Bullitt Mustang.  The interior is under construction.  I used embossing powder for carpet, added the shifter and front bucket seats.  I painted the wheel backs for the American Racing wheels and detailed the steering wheel.

Bullitt13.JPG

Bullitt14.JPG

Bullitt15.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A little progress on my Bullitt Mustang.  The wheel spokes were painted on the wheels I plan on using for this build.  I still need to do some touchups. b bAt last weeks Classic Plastic Model club meeting, I had talked about my plans for this build and Club member Joe Angers offered me his bottle of Highland Green paint from Scalefinishes.  Thank you very much Joe!  At our last Play Date, my friends Paul, Barry and I were looking at pictures of the "hero" Mustang and we had noticed an Optima battery in the picture of the 390 CID engine.  Paul offered me this resin Optima battery.  I'll cut out the regular battery, make a new battery shelf and added this resin battery once I get it painted and detailed.

More to come...

Bullitt16.JPG

Bullitt17.JPG

Bullitt18.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I took the interior apart and got out my photoetch saw and started cutting out the kit battery from the engine compartment.  A mock up with the resin Optima battery shows that I need to clean up the battery and maybe remove some more material from the engine compartment and create a new battery shelf.

More to come...

Bullitt19.JPG

Bullitt20.JPG

Bullitt21.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With some careful measuring, I cut some 0.020 styrene into three squares and added them to the hole I had cut into the engine bay.  All the pieces were glued with Testors Liquid Cement.  I mock up the resin Optima battery and the new battery tray looks perfect.  Before someone panics and says that the battery will hit the hood, there is a 1/16" gap that runs between the fender and the engine compartment that is a leftover from the diecast mold.  The gap will be filled at a later date.  I need to repaint the engine compartment and the new battery tray.

More to come...

Bullitt22.JPG

Bullitt23.JPG

Bullitt24.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...