Ford Mustang Fastback GT "Bullitt"

The “King of Cool”, the Mustang, and the mother of all chase scenes Icon, classic, cult – terms that are used almost too frequently in our fast-moving times.Indeed, the things that are considered cult items often quickly become yesterday’s model. It is quite a different thing, however, when the name “Bullitt” is mentioned. This classic thriller from 1968 featured not one, but two icons: Steve McQueen, Hollywood’s undisputed “King of Cool” of the 1960’s and early 1970’s, and the Ford Mustang Fastback GT 390 in the classic Highland Green that made motion picture history like no other car before or since. McQueen stars as Detective Lt. Frank Bullitt of the San Francisco Police Department, who is ordered by an ambitious politician to protect a gangster set to testify as the chief witness in a mafia trial. When this witness is (seemingly) murdered, Bullitt is hot on the heels of the two killers – or put more precisely, on the bumper of the Dodge Charger 440 Magnum they are driving. The two killers initially follow the detective and his Ford Mustang Fastback GT 390, until the cop turns the tables and hunts the murderers through the hills of San Francisco and past the city limits. While the Charger and its occupants meet with a spectacular yet unpleasant end, Bullitt and the Mustang escape with just a few injuries. The reason “Bullitt” and the Ford Mustang Fastback became part of movie history is due entirely to McQueen. However, it was not just because the superstar delivered a taciturn performance here befitting his rebel image. “Bullitt” was also the first movie in which McQueen, through his production company Solar, was not just the producer but also the executive producer. As a result he was able to have significant influence on the action, and of course over the highlight of the film, the legendary chase scene. The rest is (cinematic) history…

A spectacular chase scene like no other The almost 10-minute-long wild chase, filmed in part with subjective camera so that the viewer only sees what the drivers of both muscle cars see, is a cinematic masterpiece. In the beginning while the cars seem to stalk each other, music can still be heard in the background. Then the gangster in the Charger speeds up abruptly, and for a few minutes you hear only the exhaust pipes of the eight-cylinder big block engine, the shrieking brakes, the squealing tires, and the sound of the chassis when the cars skid on the asphalt after jumping over the crest of a hill. Skidding, indeed: McQueen, who was known for his lead foot anyway, insisted on doing even the most daring sequences himself. After he rammed the Mustang into two parked cars driving around a curve during filming and his wife at the time, Neile, made a huge scene on the set, director Yates only let stuntman Bud Ekins drive in the more difficult scenes from that point on. Of course, this had no impact on the film’s success. “Bullitt” wrote not only cinematic history, but automotive history as well With this movie classic, the Mustang Fastback 390 became an automotive icon. The Dodge, with a strong 375 HP 7.2 L V8 engine and a brawny appearance, was no doubt a powerful car, but seemed a bit too arrogant with a somewhat stodgy demeanor. The lines of the Mustang by contrast seemed more restrained and less brash, but nonetheless strong and ready at all times. There are many car lovers who include the elegant 67/68 Fastback among the most beautiful classic cars, even in the same category as the Jaguar E-Type and the Mercedes SL, which is confirmed in polls taken around the world and as well as across Germany. More elegant, yes, but definitely not weaker. With a strong 6.4 L V8 Big Block power plant, the Ford could give the Charger a run for its money any time, which the film established quite convincingly. The Mustang went from 0 to 60 mph in only 5.5 seconds and took the quarter mile is 13.8 seconds, with a maximum speed of 140 mph. The Charger’s numbers were only marginally better, going 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds and covering a quarter mile in 13.6 seconds. Its maximum speed limit of 136 mph was just a bit slower. Movie director Yates set a speed of about 70-80 mph for filming. However, McQueen and the stuntmen really let loose and brought the speeds up to 110 mph. These speeds were reached in part with slight modifications to the camshaft, carburetor, ignition, and cylinder heads. There were other differences from the stock version of the Fastback GT, including removal of the fog lights and all emblems from the car, painting the taillight frames and the side aluminum fairing in Highland Green, and replacing the steering wheel with a black Shelby steering wheel and the rims with 15-inch-large “American Racing Torq Trust” aluminum rims.

USCars24 – Your Partner for the Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback At USCars24, we specialize in importing the legendary Ford Mustang Fastback 390 Big Block as well as the restoration of these vehicles. We always have a few models in our warehouse, from project cars to completed rotisserie restorations. The “Bullitt” Mustang (it is called this only colloquially; the first “Bullitt” model wasn’t made until 2008 for the film’s 40 year anniversary) is today considered the Mustang most stable in terms of value and promises even further appreciation. A Big Block Mustang restored by us in Germany, in both fastback and convertible versions, is without a doubt one of the most promising investments in the classic car market. If you are looking for a Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback, whether in the best condition (meaning restored) as an investment or as a daily driver, and you want to feel like Frank Bullitt on the streets of San Francisco, then we are the right point of contact for you. Steve McQueen would definitely be pleased with our cars…

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Bullitt - The Chase (Part 1)

Bullitt - The Chase (Part 2)