Follow
The iconic Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt has been found in a junkyard in Mexico
Remember the movie Bullitt and the classic Mustang driven by Steve McQueen? It appears that the car was not gone forever, as it was discovered rotting in a junkyard in Mexico. The experts confirmed the authenticity of the car.
The reports say that there were actually two Ford Mustangs from 1968 that were driven by McQueen during the iconic chase scene between the Mustang and a 1968 Dodge Charger 440 Magnum. One of the cars was bought by an employee from Warner Bros. who was working on the film when the shootings were over.
Rumors say that Steve McQueen tried to purchase this car from the employee, but he was refused and the car remained hidden in a barn and it has not been out in the streets for 25 years.
The second Mustang, which was the main car used for stunts, had a more adventurous life after the movie. It was sent to a junkyard, together with the two Dodgers, and no one knew what happened to it until last year. Hugo Sanchez was the one who found it in the junkyard in Baja California Sur.
It had a white body and no longer had the original drivetrain. Sanchez took the remains of the car to a custom shop, as he was planning to recreate Eleanor from Gone in 60 Seconds. Before they could start any operations, they discovered the car was actually the Mustang driven by McQueen in Bullitt.
They made the discovery when they saw that the car, under the white layers of paint, had the same Highland Green color from the movie. Fortunately, Marti Auto Works has a complete record of all Ford cars manufactured between 1967 and 2012.
Marti had the identification numbers (or VIN) of the two Mustangs in the film and they discovered that the car still had the original VIN. Also, it still had the modification done for the chase scene, so this was all the proof they needed that this was the Mustang from Bullitt.
This is quite a big discovery, since the Mustang is not ordinary at all. Both cars were modified by Max Balchowsky, former street racer and owner of Hollywood Motors. He was called the Master of Engine Transplants and he modified the two Mustangs for a chase at high speeds.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
