A few months ago, I photographed the original “hero car” of the movie BULLITT, a 1968 Highland Green Ford Mustang GT that Steve McQueen drove in the film through various parts of San Francisco while being pursued, and then pursuing, a 1968 Black (no fancy TYPE of black, just “black”), Dodge Charger R/T. Despite plenty of rust, scratches, and dents, the BULLITT Mustang really made an impression on me. As much, actually, as the movie itself.
I've had this bad disease for some time now, and that is the troublesome habit of falling in love with a different car, (doesn't matter, new, antique, domestic, foreign), about every two years or so. At age 67, the motto, “So many cars, so little time,” really applies to me. I've just got so many driving years left, and I really need to experience as many as possible. And my taste in cars, like my music, have a wide array of choices.
I have no desire, or budget, for the Asian, Italian and German exotics. While beautiful, fast, and stunning, I am still a guy from Dearborn, Michigan whose mid-Western tastes, and wallet, knows its limitations. Dirty Harry once uttered, with disgust, words to that effect, and they are wise words, indeed.
Then there's the issue of storage. A one car garage, holds, well, one car. At our house, it's a constant battle with my lovely wife Joann, who thinks the garage is partly hers, and stores/hoards her treasures where A CAR should go. That battle will never end.
I thought it would be easy. Buy a 2008/2009 BULLITT Mustang, and sell the Honda S2000. Or sell the S2000 first, and then buy the BULLITT Mustang. Timing is everything when it comes to chasing and selling cars. While actively looking around the country for the BULLITT, an extremely low-mileage 2008 found me locally. Owned by a Mustang enthusiast, and who also was a former police officer, the car was immaculate and had only hit the road for 5,700 original miles. A very low-mileage, stock garage queen; that's my kind of car. It had me at Highland Green.
The 2008-2009 BULLITT Mustang appeals to me on several levels. Like the movie car, I love the “sleeper” look. No badging, no chrome, no frills. Of the three modern versions, (the 2001–the 2008/2009—-and the 2018 hitting showroom floors now), I think the '08-'09's have the closest look to the 1968 car. The wheel treatment on the '08-'09's also come very close to the American Racing Torq Thrust wheels on McQueen's car. Just a green fastback with plenty of grunt. The wonderful Ford 390 cubic inch engine is long gone, but the 2008's 4.6 liter or 281 cubic inch, modern version is just a great power plant. Coupled to a Tremec five-speed manual transmission, and some Ford Racing suspension updates, the performance level of my 2008 is all I need.
And as wonderful a job that Ford does with these cars, because the movie AND the car's history are so important to Ford, I'd be remiss to not single out, and highly praise, the exhaust note. Intoxicating. Speeding ticket inducing. So original to the '68. If you are a car person, you can pass on the music selection IN the car. Roll down the windows, rev it up, back it off, and listen to some sweet notes coming out of the ass end. For all of the reasons listed above, I know I bought this car to listen to it. The exhaust note is superb. Especially to a 67-year old kid from Dearborn.