Mark Gregory Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) They are probably selling it to buy an Electric Mustang ? ? Original Steve McQueen Bullitt Mustang may sell for a cool $4 million by owner whose father bought it for just $3,500 in 1974 A car owner may get as much as $4 million for the green Mustang made famous in the 1968 movie Bullitt starring Steve McQueen The dark-green Ford Mustang fastback is expected to break records when it goes on auction next week at an event in Florida Sean Kiernan, a Tennessee farm owner, claims he could get $5 million for it His father Bob bought it for just $3,500 in 1974 and it was used as a family car In case anyone forgot the chase scene here is part of it. Edited January 5, 2020 by Mark Gregory (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 The number they expect gets bigger every time I see it in print. $1.5 million, $2.5 million, $3 million, $4 million, $5 million. It'll bring a shockingly big number for a Mustang, I'm sure. $5 million? I don't know, but the McQueen factor is often very significant. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) NOTHING is a fleeting as pop culture fame. As popular as he was 20 years ago, in another 20 or 30 years only film enthusiasts and people over 70 will even remember who he was. Go out and ask some "twenty-somethings" to name the Beetles (I've tried this with my nieces and nephews). None of them can. Usually I get "were they some kind of rock group?" Edited January 5, 2020 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Very iconic car - my guess is that it does do well into the lower millions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 1 hour ago, JV Puleo said: Go out and ask some "twenty-somethings" to name the Beetles Bingo, Bango, Bongo and Irving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 I've never been interested in owning a celebrity car. But I did buy a Highland Green 1968 Mustang fastback 390 back in 1974. Paid $1000. That was close enough to Bullitt for me. A burgundy 289 1967 Mustang fastback I also bought was a real bargain that same year for $400. It was in about the same shape as the McQueen car is now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooklyn Beer Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 They keep saying the Bullitt chase was the best ever but the chase in the French Connection was better and today there is a netflix movie out called "6 underground" that has an ever better and longer car chase then any of them all through the narrow roads and alley's of Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 55 minutes ago, Brooklyn Beer said: They keep saying the Bullitt chase was the best ever but the chase in the French Connection was better and today there is a netflix movie out called "6 underground" that has an ever better and longer car chase then any of them all through the narrow roads and alley's of Italy. "French Connection" on the El is pretty awesome. I also like the one in "To Live and Die in LA" and "Ronin" has not one but two good ones. The "Borne" movies do car chases pretty well, too. Nevertheless, the "Bullitt" scene is the only one I watch repeatedly and for its own merits, because the rest of the movie is pretty ordinary. I don't know why that chase works so well. The bachelor jazz soundtrack? The driver's unpleasant double-take when he sees the green Mustang appear in his mirror after losing it? The "buckle up 'cause sh*t's about to get serious" moment? The little smirk when he thinks he's lost Bullitt? I think the "Bullitt" scene goes beyond choreography, which is maybe why it remains appealing despite its many flaws (repeated VW sightings, the Charger loses about six hubcaps, and McQueen's Mustang has a 17-speed transmission). 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooklyn Beer Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 If you haven't seen 6 Underground and the chase that starts the movie you'll love it and it seems to last for 25% of the movie. Granted much more gory and horrific but you can tell the director took some of what you described from other great chases and incorporated them into his movie. Lots of cringing and "Oh that hurt" moments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Someone with very deep pockets can afford to buy the Bullitt Mustang for their movie car collection. This car was featured on a TV show with the son of the owner and the car was in rough shape. They had some repairs done to it to make it drivable but it still was showing the effects of years of neglect. I agree the movie chase seen is one of the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Helfand Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 There was more then one car built and used in the movie so I wonder just what that means/ Perhaps this is the only one left? I always got a kick out of how the chase jumps all over town. If you know San Francisco you might notice he turns the corner in one part of town and finishes the turn in another! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S. Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 What makes the movie special to this day, is the fact that it was made 52 years, and for all of the Johnnie come lately chases that fol;lowed,. it still remains pretty amazing. What they did, was take two Mustangs and Chargers, beefed up the suspensions, and firm up the bodies for something that was totally unheard of for that time. I have the original Road AND TRACK article on the chase. and when stunt driver Bill Hickman took the stock Charger and launched it up and down a hill, he broke all four shocks. They then reworked the suspensions on both cars. It didn't hurt to have McQueen behind the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 The scene where they are screaming downhill towards the camera and a Cadillac pulls out and stops abruptly was real. Some older gentleman got by some barricades and was almost nailed. Good thing he had good reflexes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE POLLARD Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 56 minutes ago, John S. said: . and when stunt driver Bill Hickman took the stock Charger and launched it up and down a hill, he broke all four shocks Bill Hickman also did the stunt driving in the 1973 film " The Seven-Ups. You can see some of the similarities.... also, I recognized some of the chase locations: Taconic State Parkway and the Palisades Interstate Parkway here in NY. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BucketofBolts Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 My 13 year old son and his pals do not even know who "Steve McQueen" is much less care about his green car used in a film. Someday down the road the person with too much cash to spend will scratch his head and exclaim, "What was I drinking when I decided to buy that car?" . Al Jolson owned back in the early 1930s a 1933 Cadillac which is 100% restored and in a museum in Reno. Most people who view it do not know who Al Jolson is but think the car is a very magnificent and beautiful vehicle. In 25 years what will anyone say about this green muscle car with a sign that says it was driven by a long dead Steve McQueen in some long forgotten movie? I admit that whoever is wealthy enough to have an extra $4 million+ to spend on this vehicle may see it differently. However, to my taste for that kind of money I would rather purchase 4 to 5 Duesenberg's fully restored and likely as a package deal would be able to negotiate a free chicken dinner thrown in with Jay Leno being the waiter to serve me and my family the meal. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooklyn Beer Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Same car sounds in the 7 ups as Bullitt. ha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Personally I would prefer a Steve McQueen motorcycle memorabilia item as his appearance in the low budget “On Any Sunday” motorcycle documentary helped fuel my interest in participating in off road motorcycle events. He would enter as “Harvey Mushman” so they would not know his real identity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Definitely you are going to have to pay a crazy price for either of the Bullet Mustang's . Very famous cars amongst us boomers, buy yes as others have pointed out largely unknown amongst younger people. I can't even justify todays cost on an ordinary Mustang. Owned a couple many years ago when $1000.00 - $1200.00 bought a pretty decent one { 1970's }. My 10 year old 1966 2 + 2 fastback had a few rough edges and was all of $650.00, drive it home. Exhaust needed work plus some front end wander. Less than a grand total investment and it was a nice car. I would probably have to spend $40,000 Canadian to replace it today , simply not going to happen. Lots of nice, non - Mustangs out there for 1 /2 or less. Greg in Canada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil morse Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 On 1/4/2020 at 6:21 PM, JV Puleo said: Go out and ask some "twenty-somethings" to name the Beetles How about asking them to name the Beatles? You might get a different answer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil morse Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 12 hours ago, Lawrence Helfand said: I always got a kick out of how the chase jumps all over town. If you know San Francisco you might notice he turns the corner in one part of town and finishes the turn in another! Yes, as great as the Bullitt chase sequence is, that is an amusing side light for anyone who's familiar with the lay out of San Francisco. As you say, they start in one part of town and jump to another in the blink of an eye. But it's still one of the all time great cinema car chases as far as I'm concerned. One of the things I love about it (alluded to by Matt) is how menacing those guys in the Charger look -- obviously professionals! They even wear a suit and tie to work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 7 hours ago, neil morse said: How about asking them to name the Beatles? You might get a different answer. No...I wasn't asking them via the internet. But it does show how much they interested me. I couldn't name them in the 70s. It is the conceit of every age to presume that what they are interested will survive for ever. I'm sure there were Romans who thought their favorite gladiator would be remembered forever. It won't be all that long before Steve McQueen, or the Beatles, are no better remembered than Jenny Lind or Edwin Booth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 It's a mistake (one I've made many times myself) to assume that if you're not interested in something, nobody is. There are plenty of cars that I've dismissed as uninteresting only to have people fighting to own them, and the cars I think are a slam-dunk sometimes sit without any interest at all. The McQueen name still resonates (heck, the main character of the Disney "Cars" movies is named "McQueen") and in particular, it resonates with the only guys who have real money to spend: old white guys. There's no doubt this car will bring big money and I doubt the buyer will feel any remorse after the fact or in the future. The latest Hagerty magazine has a few items that were subject to the "McQueen Factor" and it remains rather startling: Persol sunglassses: new retail $400, McQueen's glasses sold for $70,000 1970 Porsche 911S: average sale price $72,000, McQueen's sold for $1.375 million 1958 GMC pickup: average sale price $27,500, McQueen's sold for $92,000 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4: recent auction $3.1 million, McQueen's sold for $10.175 million Personally, I don't get it, particularly on restored vehicles so you don't even get to sit in the same seat as McQueen, but there it is. It's real and undeniable. And quite honestly, you guys know comparing this car to a garden-variety 1968 Mustang isn't reasonable, regardless of who knows what about Steve McQueen or movies. It was THE car used in THE car chase that defined the term. If, in the future, the owner of this car wants to see why it's famous, all he has to do is Google "car chase" and see it (it's also worth noting that millions of people continue to watch that particular chase on YouTube, so it obviously means something to someone--it's not just one guy watching it millions of times). Scratching your head like you just don't get it is kind of disingenuous. No matter who was sitting in the seat, a famous movie car is going to bring a substantial premium. It's all about context. Heck, here we are, paying what might appear to an outsider big money for obsolete cars that don't even work as well as the cheapest new Kia. It would be quite easy to think us fools without context, would it not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S. Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 21 hours ago, Lawrence Helfand said: There was more then one car built and used in the movie so I wonder just what that means/ Perhaps this is the only one left? I always got a kick out of how the chase jumps all over town. If you know San Francisco you might notice he turns the corner in one part of town and finishes the turn in another! I read that the second Mustang was found in Mexico. It was a little more than a shell, but the found numbers on the car that matched. They also found the Charger that was used for the street scenes, and not the chase. The two Chargers were not originally black. One was Yellow, the other was B5 Blue. They were painted black for the movie. Filming chase scenes on location are difficult, setting up shots, closing streets, blocking off regular traffic, crowd control, etc. Warner Brothers wanted the chase to be filmed on the back lot, but McQueen said no , so it was filmed on the actual streets. The editing makes it look like one long chase. The film won an Oscar for editing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jframe Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 I would also venture to say that the backstory since the movie was made helps to add to the provenance. Kiernan's dad was reclusive about the car, especially after someone leaked out the news that it was sitting in his barn. He wouldn't allow any magazines or enthusiast news outlets to do a story on it or photograph it, so the MYSTERY of it turned it into somewhat of a legend. Add McQueen's connection to the car, and the documentation that Kiernan's son has including the letter McQueen sent to his Dad in 1977 trying to buy it, and I think it will add up to $$$$ this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
md murray Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 If this thing sells for $5mill what does that make John Belushi's Bluesmobile worth? -way better chase scene too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Not to be ghoulish, but if they knew that all things Steve McQueen owned or used would be worth so much, his life would have been in jeopardy! There is a lot of motivation there to do something terrible for some. Big bucks for an abused Mustang, have at it boys! As a contractor I worked for years ago, Carl Didas used to say "Money's only paper." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil morse Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 To Matt's point, part of what we're debating here is why something of little intrinsic value becomes "priceless" because of its connection to an historical event or a noteworthy person. Take sports memorabilia, for example. Mark McGwire's 70th home run baseball sold for $3 million in 1999, and the record was eclipsed two years later. How much is that ball worth today? The whole thing makes no economic sense. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 2 hours ago, Matt Harwood said: It's a mistake (one I've made many times myself) to assume that if you're not interested in something, nobody is. This is so true, I have a hot rod friend who looks at my antiques and shakes his head, saying "no one wants those original old cars anymore" and "all the people who wanted those are dead now". Somehow he misses the irony that I'm standing there, alive, and love the original cars.... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 18 minutes ago, trimacar said: This is so true, I have a hot rod friend who looks at my antiques and shakes his head, saying "no one wants those original old cars anymore" and "all the people who wanted those are dead now". Somehow he misses the irony that I'm standing there, alive, and love the original cars.... I have a friend the same way. Difference is he's 78 and I'm 45. He has a 51 Chevy Belair with a small block Mustang II the works and I'm sure it drives like a sports car and has air. He was a field engineer for Cadillac and is fussy so he redid everything that was done on the car when he got it because it wasn't good enough, and we are talking mechanics not any paint or body work. He laughs when he sees my latest interest but does come by to lend a hand if i need it or let me pick his brain when I have a problem. I've been on a hunt to find something old and unusual just to make him pull the last of his hair out trying to help me fix it. Was offered the chance at a 1919 Mitchell touring car in pretty good but needy shape a couple of weeks ago. That might be just obscure enough to do the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-mman Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 2 hours ago, jframe said: Add McQueen's connection to the car, and the documentation that Kiernan's son has including the letter McQueen sent to his Dad in 1977 trying to buy it, and I think it will add up to $$$$ this weekend. And the biggest winner of all, will be the government collecting their fair share, in the form of capital gains tax. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 7 minutes ago, m-mman said: And the biggest winner of all, will be the government collecting their fair share, in the form of capital gains tax. I'm no accountant, but I think the seller will still be OK with his $3500 investment's rate of return, even with that "token" tax taking a pretty small bite out of a very big pile of cash. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE POLLARD Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 3 hours ago, John S. said: They also found the Charger that was used for the street scenes, and not the chase. The two Chargers were not originally black. One was Yellow, the other was B5 Blue. They were painted black for the movie. John - do you or anyone know if the Charger used for the street scenes restored & sold ? Thanks ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 5 minutes ago, STEVE POLLARD said: John - do you or anyone know if the Charger used for the street scenes restored & sold ? Thanks ! Well....there is THIS....https://www.carlylemotors.com/vehicle-details/1968-dodge-charger-r-t-440--bullitt-charger--coupe-eb9cd4a309244e4193d64ac1ba3ee3ec 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 And this.... Who owns the charger from the movie Bullitt? The black second-gen Dodge Charger was once owned by actor Bruce Willis, who then sold it off to Jay Kay of Jamiroquai who imported it to the UK around eight years ago.Feb 12, 2018 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 And this....https://bringatrailer.com/2013/01/14/million-dollar-claim-the-bullitt-1968-dodge-charger/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE POLLARD Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 I always liked the Charger in the movie... I was too young to see it when it first came out, but watched it a few years later when it was on local tv. My parents got me a Kingsize Matchbox toy of a Charger, which I destroyed ( what a normal 5 year would do ). I replaced it a few years ago. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S. Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 1 hour ago, STEVE POLLARD said: I always liked the Charger in the movie... I was too young to see it when it first came out, but watched it a few years later when it was on local tv. My parents got me a Kingsize Matchbox toy of a Charger, which I destroyed ( what a normal 5 year would do ). I replaced it a few years ago. Steve, Revell produced die cast kits of the Mustang and the Charger back in the Nineties . I have both cars. You can probably pick them up on ebay. They are pretty well detailed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 On my shelf right this moment: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE POLLARD Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Makes me wonder if McQueen's son has any interest in the Mustang ? 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S. Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 9 minutes ago, STEVE POLLARD said: Makes me wonder if McQueen's son has any interest in the Mustang ? 🤔 No, saw an interview about him about the Mustang. They had a deal with Ford for the new Bullet Mustang, and then it's off to the auction. Just watched the chase scene from the "7 Ups" that you posted. They drove up 96th. Street and crossed Broadway about 4 times heading for the West Side Highway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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