Why start a search now for the missing Bullitt Mustangs?
With the 50th Anniversary of the film Bullitt in 2018, rumors began to resurface about the fate of the cars. One was alleged to be in hiding somewhere in the Midwest, and another was claimed to be the car supposed to have originally been crushed. In each case, while there has been lots of rumors and speculations, there have been very few verifiable facts.
Chad McQueen, the only son of Steve and the founder of McQueen Racing, was determined to find out what happened to both cars, and felt that a serious investigative effort, involving details about the original cars and backed up with proper documentation, would help uncover their whereabouts and prove conclusively whether any claimed car is legitimately one of the missing Bullitt cars.
Wait? Wasn’t a Bullitt Mustang claimed to have been found in Mexico, and wasn’t another one stored somewhere in the midwest?
Recent news stories reported that a Mustang was found in Mexico and claimed to be one of the Bullitt Mustangs, and media outlets also reported that a Mustang expert believed the owner’s claim the car was authentic after inspecting the car and certain records. Matt and McQueen Racing have not inspected the “Mexico car”.
Similarly, online posts mention the history and possible whereabouts of another Bullitt Mustang. This article claims the owner wanted to remain anonymous, and no information about its current status or whereabouts exists that would enable the claim to be verified.
The Finding Bullitt investigation hopes to unearth irrefutable information that will help establish the legitimacy of any claim on the whereabouts of any of the missing Bullitt Mustangs. As part of this search, Matt hopes to contact all owners of Mustangs that are claimed to be legitimate Bullitt cars and where appropriate, examine the cars once he has information that is sufficient for him to reach any opinions on the cars.
Why was Matt Stone chosen to lead the investigation?
Matt Stone has the knowledge and background on Mustangs, having written extensively about them while serving as an executive editor of Motor Trend and Motor Trend Classic magazine, as well as providing the history and detail of classic Mustangs as a commentator for the televised Barrett-Jackson Auctions. He is the expert on the cars and motorcycles owned by Steve McQueen, and has covered the Bullitt story for nearly two decades. Matt’s pedigree as a judge at prestigious concourse events, and his reputation as a journalist gave McQueen Racing the confidence that Matt was the best choice to unearth new information and lead an objective investigation.
What information does Matt hope to find?
Matt will be given unprecedented access to the archives and materials of Ford, Warner Bros., and Solar Productions (Steve’s production company who purchased and prepped the cars), to help develop information relevant to establish the legitimacy of any claimed Bullitt car. He will also seek to review photo archives, notes, and footage, and talk with people and experts knowledgeable about the film, the stunts, the prep of the cars including their modifications, and records about how the cars were handled after filming ended. He will be aided by expert archivists who helped locate the “missing million feet of footage” from the classic McQueen film “Le Mans”, which was presumed lost to history until it was located hiding and forgotten underneath a Hollywood sound stage.
How can I keep track of Matt’s progress?
Matt will post regular updates on the Finding Bullitt Facebook page, and periodic updates on this website.
What if I have information about the missing Bullitt Mustangs?
Visit here to report any information or tips.