While at the Mecum auction yesterday, I saw the Bullitt Mustang--like, the real deal. It crosses the block on Friday. Right now it's locked in a giant glass box. (Maybe it's made of plastic, to be honest.)
So, what's this car worth? Is it a Mustang in need of a restoration or one of Hollywood's most popular cars?
We just posted something about this over on the Classic Motorsports site, and I'd love to hear your opinions.
I asked this question months ago. The responses were a little disappointing. I guess it will be at least one meeeellion dollars.
It is worth what someone is willing to pay just to have it. I am sure the collectors are securing enough cash to ensure it is theirs. As you stated, it is a Mustang in need of a restoration. Should it be restored? Will a restoration lessen the value or the desire to own it? No more room to store it, so that leaves me out.
does it have enough paperwork to prove it is the one ?
original motor ?
And how many were there when they were filming Bullitt ?
it will not sell for the $400-$600k it will be bid up to........
Reserve is probably a million plus !
No reserve.
More than any of us can afford............uh wait, is there a well heeled dweller the resides in the hive that might have the 'BANK' to take it home..........stay tuned
In reply to californiamilleghia :
The car has supposedly been vetted. It wasn’t very difficult. Previous owner even has a letter from Steve McQueen trying to buy it back.
There were 2 cars used. The other car was used for the jumps and was found in Mexico in a poor state. This car was used for the closeups.
As far as I know it still has the original engine which needs a rebuild. The car was used as a daily driver by the former owner’s wife until it needs some work and when it was parked.
I think to restore it would decrease its value.
$1.2 million and it won't be restored!
definitely north of $500k. Would love to see it end up in Jay Leno's garage.
hey, wearymicrobe recently liquidated a bunch of cars. maybe that was just Bullitt prep!
What's it worth, or What will it sell for?
Two very different questions for me.
It still irks me a bit why the “real” Bullit Mustang has a factory Ford type mirror while the on-screen car had a VERY HARD TO FIND aftermarket mirror that a few of the clones have actually managed to get right.
spitfirebill said:In reply to californiamilleghia :
The car has supposedly been vetted. It wasn’t very difficult. Previous owner even has a letter from Steve McQueen trying to buy it back.
There were 2 cars used. The other car was used for the jumps and was found in Mexico in a poor state. This car was used for the closeups.
I’m dubious about pretty much everything these days. Seems very convenient that the other car wasn’t saved. It could be identified easily due to the extra bracing and reinforcements Balchowsky added to keep it together. BTW, the Charger didn’t need no stinkin reinforcements :-)
In reply to A 401 CJ :
Have you read the articles about the car? This car didn't really pop up out of nowhere. Collectors have known where it has been for a long time. The second car wasn't saved because it apparently sustained a lot more damage during the filming. That it wasn't crushed is more of a miracle.
Given how much some other McQueen items have sold for, $10M wouldn't shock me.
Hi Ian F,
Yes. I have read several articles on it. I'm still not convinced. I'm sorry if that doesn't go over well with some. And well yes, it sort of did just pop up on the radar a few years ago. It wasn't so long ago that even the most die-hard Mustang aficionados did not know of its existence. To me, for something of such a high degree of provenance, that seems odd. But I digress, sometimes rare art work just pops up out of nowhere too.
Totally authenticated in multiple ways.
A lot has been written about Bullitt but this article is the best, most thorough history of the car I've found.
I think it will sell for stupid money. Boss 429 or beyond money. It is the most iconic Mustang and movie car of all time. I wrote about it two years ago. Why Bullitt matters
I only hope that the buyer will put it on display and not hide it away.
There's no question that the car is iconic.
But if the car is NOT in the condition that it was in just post movie shoot, then why not restore it back to that? It degraded due to people not thinking it was valuable and just letting it age. To me, that does not give any value what so ever. Even if it was the original paint, if it's scratched due to how it was stored, there's no value in that.
I really don't get the "patina has value" when the patina is just neglect.
Well taken care of, or well used and taken care of- I can see that being super valuable.
But not just plain old neglect.
Why is the Mona Lisa worth so much? At the end of the day, isn't it just paint on a plank of wood?
In reply to David S. Wallens :
It's been restored at least once.
Streetwiseguy said:What's it worth, or What will it sell for?
Two very different questions for me.
Indeed.
It is worth nothing to me as I have zero desire to own an old Mustang so wouldn't offer anything for it, but predicting what it's worth might prove to be at an auction is a no win game - there are many well heeled idiots out there that want to own all sorts of things they think have worth. Get two of them bidding against each other and sky is the limit. If there are no well heeled idiots in attendance at the auction it might well go unsold, particularly if the owner has placed an unrealistic reserve on it.
Once it got past $5000 I was out
For a second there, it was $3500 and no reserve.
Don't forget the 10% buyer's premium!
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