Authentic Bullitt Mustang heading to public sale, may command tens of millions
The 1968 Ford Mustang GT used within the filming of the 1968 movement image “Bullitt,” lengthy regarded as lacking till it resurfaced only a couple years in the past, is headed to public sale early subsequent yr, giving each auto fanatics and movie buffs the chance to personal a particular piece of film historical past.
Th Highland Inexperienced GT is one among two automobiles that had been used to movie the Steve McQueen basic. The opposite, which was outfitted with a roll cage and used for the movie’s gnarlier stunts, was consigned to the crusher after filming concluded.
The Mustang appeared together with the 2018 Mustang Bullitt on the 2019 Detroit Auto Present after it hadn’t been proven in public for many years. On the time, Hagerty speculated the automotive was price about $four million.
1968 Ford Mustang from Bullitt and 2018 Ford Mustang Bullitt
That is once we realized extra in regards to the automotive’s historical past. In 1974, the Mustang was bought by Robert Kiernan, Jr., who noticed it marketed in Highway & Monitor because the automotive from “Bullett” [sic]. He paid $6,000 for it. He was, because it turned out, the third individual to buy the automotive after its starring function.
Three years later, Kiernan was contacted by McQueen, who was concerned with shopping for it because it sat. Kiernan turned him down. Kiernan by no means acquired round to restoring the automotive, and it sat for many years.
The automotive handed to Kiernan’s son, James, when Robert died in 2014. It was the youthful Kiernan who made preparations with Ford to indicate the automotive in public final yr in Detroit. The looks coincided with the 50th anniversary of the movie.
On the time, James had no plans to eliminate the Highland Inexperienced GT. He as a substitute wished to construct reproduction automobiles for his personal movie undertaking, then public sale them off to help the Michael J. Fox Basis for Parkinson’s Analysis in honor of his father, who suffered from the illness.
The youthful Kiernan’s plans have clearly modified, and he might be in for a giant payday. The “Bullitt” star will cross the block on the Mecum Kissimmee 2020 public sale to be held Jan. 2-12 in Florida.
