1968 Ford Mustang 'Bullitt' Homage

The original Mustang was exactly the right car at the right time and consequently, this 'sports car for the masses' sold 1,000,000 in less than two years. The secret of the Mustang's success was a broad appeal that extended beyond the target market thanks to a great value-for-money package, combining sporty looks, decent economy and brisk performance. Available as a Notchback Coupe, Convertible or, from 1965, as Fastback Coupe and the array of trim and engine options meant that there was a 'Stang' to satisfy everyone. The fastback Coupe is an effortlessly cool shape and is the Mustang profile that people default to in their mind's eye. Mustangs could be ordered in specifications ranging from six-cylinder economy to V8-powered luxury, whilst customers could choose from an extensive range of factory options with the result that seldom are two Mustangs identical.

Already an outstanding success, the Mustang was turned into a legend overnight following its appearance in the Steve McQueen film, Bullitt  in 1968. In one of the most spectacular car chases ever seen in a motion picture, McQueen's maverick cop, Frank Bullitt, wowed audiences as he was pursued by two hitmen driving a Dodge Charger 440 'Magnum' in a high-speed chase through the streets of San Francisco. Bullitt essentially did for movie car chases what Star Wars did for science fiction films. That's because, unlike other movies at the time, the stunt driving was all real; there were no cheap rear-screen projections used for the close-up shots of the actors, and none of the scenes were sped up in post-production to heighten the sense of speed. They didn't need to be, because those cars really were barrelling through the streets of San Francisco at over 110mph! There was a real sense of danger, unlike any movie chase before it, as the two muscle cars weaved through traffic and jumped over the hills of San Francisco, while the camera literally put you in the driving seat. The soundtrack is glorious too, and we don't mean the music soundtrack. Not a word of dialogue is spoken during the 11-minute long sequence. Apart from the scene-setting jazz score that does a great job of building tension before the chase erupts in a cloud of tire smoke, there's no music either, allowing you to appreciate the sound of two thunderous V8 muscle cars and their screaming tortured tyres battling it out. It promptly became an unforgettable part of cinematic history and confirmed the Mustang as one of the all-time classics.

The car presented here is a 1968 Ford Mustang, Steve McQueen 'Bullitt-style' Fastback with subtle upgrades to get it to the level of accuracy we see today. It’s supplied with a Marti Report (see image attached) which shows that it was an original Highland Green Fastback built at Ford’s Dearborn plant and sold by the Rebsamen Motor Company in Little Rock, Arkansas. Before leaving the USA, it was registered and used in California and a copy of the California Title is present. The car arrived in the UK in 2015 and is registered correctly with all import taxes paid.

The paintwork is very good throughout, dressed in movie-correct, Highland Green, and the exterior has front and rear bumper guards, screen sun-visor, correct inset sidelights, front and rear inset reflectors, original-style chrome mirrors and twin 2-inch exhaust pipes. The car sits on period-correct Torq-Thrust wheels with 225/55/16 Bridgestone Sport tyres. The private McQueen movie number plate 'JJZ' is also supplied with the car.

The interior has been fully restored with movie-correct, black deluxe seats, woodgrain dash panel and door cards, and new carpets and headlining. The correct, 4-speed, top-loader, manual gearbox has the Hurst GT shifter with a white ball GT gear knob and was refurbished recently (an invoice refers). 3-point front seat belts and rear lap belts are installed. The 302ci V8 starts on the button and sounds great with its nickel-plated, 'shorty' performance headers and full X-pipe custom large dual Magnaflow exhausts. Steering is power-assisted, and disc brakes are fitted on the front. The indicated mileage is 4,642, the MOT is valid until 8th August 2024 and there is a small service file with some bills. Our vendor has spent £12,000 in further improving this car’s driveability, with recent work to the gearbox and suspension, plus some other minor touches (see invoices attached), to make this a really spot-on classic muscle car, with the sure-fire cool-factor of its Bullitt-style demeanour.

We welcome any inspection of this iconic piece of American automotive history. Here is your opportunity to purchase an accurate homage to the world's most famous Mustang - unleash your inner McQueen!