© Wolfgang Kohrn - Last updated on February 5th, 2003
| Sean Sweeney sent me month ago this shot from a 1967 Mustang in our favourite colour Highland green in the new movie "Vanilla Sky". The movie was shot here in New York slated for release on December 14th, 2001. Starring Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz. The Mustang is driven by Tom Aswell and Tom Cruise as is a 1966 Ferrari 250. Check out the trailer at www.vanillasky.com" Now it is on sale! Your golden opportunity for a movie car! The offer from the Kruse auction sounds good. Here is some info on the Vanilla Sky Mustang, which I just got from Sean resp. Kruse International. It is for sale from KRUSE, an e-bay company!(Bidding starts Jan 19, 2002): "There is something special about the look of a classic Mustang that makes it stand out in your mind. It has smooth body lines, but a strong, rough appeal. It is small yet powerful. It flexes the muscle of that beloved 60's era without compromising style and design. Quite possibly one of Ford's greatest creations, the Mustang runs wild in the hearts of those that love them. This particular vehicle is special for another reason though. This 1967 Ford Mustang was built for the newly released Paramount box office hit 'Vanilla Sky.' This feature film, directed by Cameron Crowe, stars Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Jason Lee, Kurt Russell and Noah Taylor. This film is bringing in millions of dollars at the box office and now you can own this Mustang that was used in the making of the film. Only two Mustangs were built for Vanilla Sky and the other one was purchased by Tom Cruise and given to the director, Cameron Crowe, as a Christmas gift last year. The Mustang for sale was driven by Tom Cruise in the movie. This vehicle was built for the movie by Premiere Studio Rentals, a leading supplier of vehicles for television and the motion picture industry. This gorgeous green Mustang Fastback with black vinyl interior in great overall condition. The vehicle has a 289 cubic inch engine and an automatic transmission. For the movie fan or for the Mustang fan, this is a famous Ford that is ready to serve as a conversation piece, collectorÕs item or driver if you would like. You can own the 1967 Ford Mustang created for the feature film Vanilla Sky and take a piece of Hollywood for your own." | |
BULLITT movie a milestone for seatbelt introduction? | To the left is a cut out from the California State Automobile Association magazine called "Viva". It is an article from the National Safety Council. Acc. to this California was the only state to receive an "A" grade in rating system based on seat belt use. It shows the history of the seat belt in a timeline.....Look at 1968, "Bullitt" made it because of Bill Hickman buckling his seat belt before the chase scene! It was one of the early known use of a seat belt in a movie. "Viewers wanted belt in the theater for the chase that followed". A good description of everybody's first feelings while watching the jumps in SFO. The chase scene should be used as a mental training lesson in driving schools! BTW the first US patented restraining lap belt was used in 1885 on a horse-drawn carriage. | |
Call out for eye-witnesses of the actual filming | According to Anthony Bologna there was little interest back then in 1968 in the actual filming of the BULLITT movie on the streets of SFO. However Anthony was not the only one being there. We are pretty sure some more people or tourists took out there camera and made a few pics. Well we are trying to save this material for the future. Please dig through your photo files, when you happened to be in San Francisco in 1968 and shot some pics. Please contact Anthony Bologna by e-mail if you have relevant photos and stories to share. | |
October issue of Mustang Monthly covers Dave Kunz's replica | When you think you know it all about BULLITT (from our website of course) Dave played his joker card and released some more unknown facts in Mustang Monthly October issue. Jeff Ford and Jim Smart have a word there, too (smile) and that makes a big story around Randy Lorentzens excellent pictures. Be sure to get it from those folks at www.mustangmonthly.com | |
Police officers like a thing or two about the BULLITT Mustang | Police officers from England, Wales, Scotland, and the Bahamas met the Mustang inspired by their San Francisco PD colleague, Lt. Frank Bullitt. Twenty members of the International Reserve Police Officers Assn. visited Ford's Dearborn Proving Ground today to sample the Mustang Bullitt and other Ford products including the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor which accounts for more than 80% of the U.S. police pursuit market. (press text from FORD) | |
Ever wondered about that special double-clutching BULLITT shifting sound? | The movie audio of the Mustang at high speed is not the actual sound of the car. Apparently, the editors dubbed in the sound of a Ford GT-40 at speed. This explains the multiple upshifts and double-clutching; the GT-40 had a 5-speed non-synchro ("crashbox") transmission. There are times in the film when we hear the actual sound of the fastback. For example, when McQueen drives the car to his apartment (before the chase) and backs the car into a parking space. Also, when he starts the car and first leaves the car wash with the mobsters in tow. And pretty much all the shots leading up to when the Charger screeches away at the intersection. To achieve that sound, the car had a modified version of the stock 390 exhaust system, according to my research. In 1968, big block Mustangs -- and all Shelbys -- came with a transverse muffler mounted behind the rear axle. That muffler is a crossflow design, similar to the muffler on hi-po Camaros of the same era. Ahead of the muffler and the axle were a pair of resonators in the sections of pipe right under the floor. Those resonators were essentially small glasspack mufflers. You can see a diagram of this system in most Mustang mail order catalogs. What Max Balchowski seems ot have done is simply remove the transverse muffler and run a pair of tailpipes out the back. It's essentially a straight system with two small glasspacks. I have recreated this on my replica, using 22" glasspacks from a local muffler shop, and the sound is pretty close, judging by audio recordings I've made. However, you need to keep in mind that a 289 and a 390 sound quite different. I've never really cared for the way a small block sounds with glasspacks, the exception being the early Shelby GT-350s, which used Tri-Y headers with a much throatier sound. | |
THE SFO JUMPPictures courtesy FORD MEDIA   Pictures from David Kunz taken during staging here | ||
AFI honours BULLITT! (sort of) Screenshot courtesy MSNBC | Anthony Bologna reports: The original BULLITT movie is ranking 36 amongst top notch thrilling movies according to the American Film Institute (AFI). The news was aired on 13.th. June on CBS amongst others. No.1 is Psycho, followed by JAWS and THE EXORCIST. BULLITT is next to JURASSIC PARC and followed by CASABLANCA. Thanks to AFI. You'll hear soon more from AFI about a BULLITT hommage on this side. Here is an excert from the listing:
| |
Hot News! Picture courtesy FORD MEDIA, Randy Lorentzen | Anthony Bologna reports: Hi guys, David's Bullitt replica Mustang was transported up from Los Angeles for a publicity photo shoot with the Ford's press photographer...Chad McQueen was there to kick off the event. Ford gave him the first 001 car......The new Ford Thunderbird was unveiled too! Dave's car made the evening news! The Ford Press people had city permission to block a few of the original streets that Steve McQueen drove in the original chase of the movie "Bullitt". You could feel a presence of energy in the air as if McQueen was smiling down!!!!! With Chad at the wheel of the new Bullitt car, he was air born! The car came down with a crunch! Chad McQueen and Dave Kunz had a few minutes to chat,in between their photo shoot, about their cars and Chad's dad, the late actor Steve McQueen. Chad even autographed Dave's "Bullitt" car!!! I guess this will be an area that will never see day light!!!! Right Dave?... Here are the pictures. Follow this link | |
Bullitt virtual style..  | 'I have created one for my university degree using 3D studio MAX graphics software. I know it's wrong to
have badges, wooden steering wheel and extra chrome,
but I'm trying to pic up marks for detail.'
| |
Daves BULLITT replica out again..   | "These are pics from Dave Kunz replica at Knotts Berry Farm" | |
1st production BULLITT '01  | "This is a pic of the 1st production model of the 2001 Ford Mustang Bullitt at the Ohio All Ford Show parking lot. It's in True Blue clearcoat paint. I have one order in same color, this is what's going to look like. | |
E-Mail
Back to Bullitt Mainpage
...by Alan Moore from UK