The 1968 film Bullitt changed the landscape of cinematic car chases with its adrenaline-pumping, nearly silent sequence through the hilly, winding streets of San Francisco. Starring the inimitable Steve McQueen, this electrifying 11-minute pursuit set an unprecedented standard for realism and intensity in automotive action.
Forget flashy special effects and exaggerated stunts. Bullitt‘s brilliance lies in its authenticity. Steve McQueen, a skilled race driver himself, performed many of his own stunts, lending a grittiness to every turn and jump. The chase pits Bullitt’s dark metallic green Ford Mustang GT against a satin black Dodge Charger, a pairing that has become legendary among car enthusiasts.
Bullitt was released in October 1968 by Warner Bros. It was a critical success, with considerable praise for its screenplay, editing, and action sequences: its car chase sequence is regarded as one of the most influential in film history.
Two 1968 Ford Mustang Fastbacks were used in Bullitt. Both were extensively modified for performance and stunt work, with reinforced body frames, upgraded suspension, and tuned 390-cubic inch engines. Aesthetically, they featured blacked-out trim, removed make and model emblems, custom American Racing wheels, and unique modifications like painted trim and scuffed paint for a rugged appearance. The 390-cubic inch V8 engines were fitted with milled cylinder heads, a high performance carburetor, and an aftermarket ignition electrical system to increase power. The stock transmissions were replaced with more durable Borg-Warner T-10 heavy-duty ones.
To handle the demands of stunts and jumps, the suspension was reinforced with high-rate flat springs, heavy-duty Koni shocks, reinforced crossmembers, and thick anti-roll bars. Aftermarket exhaust headers and straight-piped mufflers were added to give the car a louder, more aggressive sound. The factory wheels were replaced with custom 15-inch American Racing Torque Thrust wheels. Along with factory badges and emblems, even the backup lights were removed for a cleaner, more understated look. All exterior trim, including the front grille and side trim, was blacked out, and certain areas were painted to match the Highland Green exterior. One of the cars received a dented front fender to give it the appearance of a well-used detective vehicle. The factory fog lights were removed, and a mesh screen was fitted in their place on the grill. The stock passenger-side mirror was replaced with a round, Yankee Metal Products-produced mirror.
While our article is focused on the Mustang, let’s not ignore the 1968 Dodge Charger featured in Bullitt. It was the menacing black “villain” car, driven by stuntman Bill Hickman. Two Chargers were used: a genuine 440 R/T model and a look-alike 383, both were repainted black for the film to enhance the sinister image of the hitman’s vehicle from their original yellow and blue finishes. One Charger was destroyed during the climactic gas station explosion stunt , while the other, the 383—a camera car that survived the production, was repainted its original yellow after the movie was made, and was eventually found and restored.
The choice of the villain’s car, a Dodge Charger, was advocated by mechanic Max Balchowsky for its sturdiness, despite the Ford Motor Company’s preference for a Ford product to compete with Steve McQueen’s Mustang GT. The veteran stuntman Bill Hickman drove the Charger, a role that included performing powerful drifts, leaps, and hard landings throughout the famous chase sequence. The Charger used for the stunts was the R/T model. It met its end when it was forced by the Mustang into a gas station, explosive charges simulated an explosion, and the vehicle was destroyed.
Years later, in 2008, a Mopar enthusiast named Arnold Welch purchased a car in Arizona that he believed to be the surviving Bullitt movie Dodge Charger. Welch’s car had original camera rig mountings and evidence of its yellow-to-black-to-yellow paint scheme. After being authenticated, the car was restored to its Bullitt specifications.
Enjoy the epic 11-minute race scene in San Francisco from the movie that blew the standard for automobile chases.