Bullitt Style: 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback

The famous Steve McQueen “Bullitt” Mustang of movie fame was a 1968 model. The car shown here is a 1967 Mustang Fastback that very much resembles that iconic piece of pop culture history (details below). But to his credit, the seller in this ad, placed here on eBay, doesn’t use the “B” word, except for once. Instead, he presents his car as a driver fastback with a C-code (289 cubic-inch) V8. Sounds pretty pedestrian, but with eight days to go and the bidding at $35 grand already, this thing is likely to head for the sky. So the real question is not, “What’s a shadow Bullitt worth?” so much as “What’s an average Mustang Fastback worth these days?” If you want it, find your way to Jackson, Ohio, to pick it up.

The original Bullitt, again a ’68, had several distinguishing features, many shared by this car. Highland Green paint. Zero exterior badges. No Mustang emblem in the grille. This 1967 almost carries that forth, except for the FORD and MUSTANG badging respectively on the hood and trunk. This car also has stock-appearing styled-steel wheels, rather than the American Racing wheels of the movie car, and whitewalls, which strike the viewer as a bit goofy, actually. Maybe that’s from looking at too many Bullitt clones.

Perhaps the better question than how closely this car resembles a Bullitt is, “What are you getting for what could be a rather insane price when this auction sees its final bid?” To start, the aforementioned 289, which would run into the 1968 model year before being supplanted by the 302. In this car, that engine is backed up by a four-speed manual transmission, definitely high on the desirability list. Add to that power steering and brakes, and you have a package that should be pleasantly drivable. The fact that the Mustang has an aluminum radiator could point to cooling problems, though, or perhaps a too-aggressive overbore of the engine. But nothing is said, so it’s up to you to guess, ask, or inspect in person.

The seller, in fact, describes this as a “quality driver car,” but a “driver,” as we all know, is also a “ten-footer,” and this car has had enough work done to it to merit inspection prior to committing. The list of changes includes a new interior (with seat surfaces done horribly wrong in what looks like grey velour cloth), new front and rear bumpers, and undercoating. The latter cuts you loose of high-end show trophies and leads one to ask how clean the car is underneath. Said another way, the restorer/seller seems to have outfitted the car to live in snow and salt, but who’s going to expose a vintage fastback to those conditions? More likely, something’s lurking under the goop. This suspicion is multiplied by the fact that there are no in-trunk pictures to verify the solidity of the unibody. And, not to pile on, but the engine compartment looks crusty, and the engine itself is validated not by a claim of its originality, but only by the listed mileage of 61201 and the word that the current owner took the car to town 45 minutes away and made it back OK. What does this signify? That if you want this kinda-Bullitt, think through the evidence, talk to the seller, and make an informed decision before you pay #1 money for a #3 car.