This was initially reported some months ago, but it’s always exciting when a rare, one-off vehicle – thought to be long lost – shows up in strange places. So, we’ll tell the story about a particularly special car that’s been missing for decades: Steve McQueen’s original Bullitt Mustang stunt car – the very same car that ran one of the most iconic car chase scenes in Hollywood history.
Hugo Sanchez, Ralph Garcia, Jr., and Kevin Marti stand beside their amazing Mustang find
Pictured above is Kevin Marti, a renowned Mustang enthusiast and professional auto parts maker who works in the Arizona desert. Next to him is the luckiest individual alive in the Mustang world, Ralph Garcia, Jr., the man whose Mustang restoration company found the car.
The story begins with Garcia’s company, a firm that restores all manner of classic cars, including replica GT500s from the film Gone in 60 Seconds. Garcia sent an associate, Hugo Sanchez, to a junkyard in Baja, Mexico, to inspect a potential donor car, a white 1968 fastback, for their Eleanor project. Upon Sanchez determining the car was a good donor, Garcia bought the car and shipped it to one of his restoration facilities in Mexicali.
As is standard practice, Garcia ordered a VIN check by a Mustang community expert, Kevin Marti. See, Marti is the kind of man who sleeps and dreams Mustangs. He’s memorized VINs of particularly note-worthy cars, like those raced in original Trans-Am series and Hollywood cars.
Marti often gets requests for Bullitt VIN reports, and he always asks the caller if they actually have the car in question in their possession. The answer to that question – unsurprisingly – was always, “No”.
Steve McQueen unsuccessfully tried to hunt down and buy the car he fell in love with during filming
Until February, 2017, that is. When Hugo Sanchez called Marti and provided the VIN to the stripped down, white ’68 fastback they bought in Mexico, Marti asked the question for the umpteenth time: “Do you have this car in your possession currently?” Hugo replied without any concern, “Yes”.
Marti double-took and paused, likely wondering if he’d heard that correctly. He asked Sanchez, “Do you know what this car is?” Hugo did not. Marti explained that it’s very important someone inspects the car they bought in Mexico before doing any work to it. Sanchez and Garcia both agreed Marti should be the one to do it.
The original Bullitt was found rotting away, white paint covering its iconic Highland Green finish
Marti flew to Mexicali, Mexico, where Garcia showed him the car in question. Every detail of the car – details not widely known to most – was a perfect match. The car sported reinforced strut towers, a thicker sway bar, and an incorrect rear axle pulled from a ’67. Most notably and unmistakably a confirmation of the car’s authenticity, large holes were drilled through the rear cargo area for studio lighting and an electric generator.
Marti was 100% certain the car is authentic. It is the original Bullitt Mustang that Steve McQueen launched across San Francisco’s streets almost 50 years ago.
Today, the original Bullitt is the subject of a frame-off restoration. It wears a new roof, new floor pans, and a fresh coat of Bullitt-authentic Highland Green paint. Garcia has reportedly partnered with Ford to ensure the restoration is completed as close to factory specifications as possible.
Unsurprisingly, co-owners Sanchez and Garcia have refused a slew of offers to buy the car as it sits – some industry experts say the car could be worth over $1 million in its current state, and most agree had the car been left untouched, it could have been worth even more.
At press time, the the original Bullitt is currently still unavailable for sale, with no official declaration by the co-owners that the car will be made available at auction or sale. Personally, we hope they showcase the car and drive it, just as McQueen would have wanted.
