From the moment it stole the show at the NAIAS, I've been reading and watching every video and social media post about "The Real" Bullitt Mustang! When it was announced that it would be at the Hagerty headquarters in Traverse City, I knew that it was the closest opportunity that I was going to ever get to see a part of Automotive and Pop Culture history.
Now before I get too far ahead of myself, I've been a fan of this car for many years... However, it isn't its Hollywood fame and connection to the "King of Cool" Mr. Steve McQueen that has me completely hooked. For me, it's more personal...
The moment I read Sean's story of keeping the secret, the bond he shared with his father, and the decision to fulfill his father's wishes...it resonated with me as I think about my father and the role my 1969 Mach 1 Mustang plays in our relationship. You realize that Sean isn't some arrogant "high-end classic car collector", he's just another classic car owner who shared memories with his father. It just so happened that the particular car they bonded over just happened to be Bullitt. You start to understand that while the entire automotive world sees Bullitt as some priceless artifact because of the movie and the connection with McQueen, it's priceless to Sean for so many other reasons.
I can't help but think back to the times my father would take me for rides in my Mach 1, watching him bang through the gears, and just barely being able to see the "shake" of the Shaker hood scoop because I wasn't tall enough to see over the dash yet!
The sudden loss of my uncle in September has left a hole filled with questions, regrets, and guilt. However, I've been trying to fill the void by talking with my dad about the different cars that he and my uncles owned growing up. It's easier to "talk cars" than anything else between my dad and I. I think it's bringing us closer...I'm definitely enjoying the stories and imagining what it'd be like to still have some of those cars today. I'm sure there would be some awesome Mopar and Mustang projects being built.
Getting back to Bullitt, it took a good 5-10 minutes for it to actually sink in what I was looking at. Once I got over being "starstruck", I started to really notice the details of the car. The square tubing that was welded to the undercarriage of the car, for the camera mounts is really cool to see. It's one of those details that hit you to prove that it was in fact a movie car. I must have walked to each side of the car 4-5 times, studying each dent, ding, crease, and patch of rust.
As I was pacing back and forth, my dad began to ask one of the sales representatives different questions about the car. When I returned from snapping a couple photos, I joined in on their conversation.
Coincidentally, she grew up around cars and drag racing. She owns a 51 Ford F100 pickup and a 2001 Mustang GT with her husband, so she knew exactly what I meant when I chuckled at the "drip pan" under the front of Bullitt. It's just one of those things you do, when you own a classic vehicle. The conversation bounced back and forth from Bullitt, to racing, to those old cars that my dad and my uncles once owned.
It's crazy how cars have the ability to bring people together and to feel like you've known someone for years, even though you just met them five minutes ago.
The longer that I stared at the faded green paint on Bullitt, the more I started to fall in love with its charm. It was an experience that I'll never forget. It felt good to spend time bonding with my father and creating memories to hold onto.
