Photo: www.chromecars.de
Even in less-than-ideal condition, a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 440 with a 4-speed manual makes for a gem. However, the one we have here doesn't just come in pristine condition, but is also said to be the only survivor of the two Chargers that gave Steve McQueen's 1968 Mustang GT 390 a hard time in the Bullitt motion picture from the said year.
Now, this kind of find has the potential to make one's head explode, especially since the said 'Stang managed to grab $3.4 million back in January, at the Mecum auction in Kissimmee, Florida. However, that car was unchanged from its camera days, while fully certified by the Blue Oval, while this Mopar machine is neither of those things.
For starters, the Warner Brother records that could've helped verify the identity of the car were destroyed somewhere along the line. As such, we have to rely on other types of clues.
As anybody who's enjoyed the motion picture can tell you, the Charger was black, but this wasn't a color Dodge offered for the 1968 model year. As such, it appears that Bill Hickman, a stuntman who got behind the wheel for the movie, bought two Dodge Chargers from Glendale Dodge in Southern California in 1968, a blue unit and a yellow one.
The blue car is said to have been used for the "battle" moments and was featured in the exploding gas station scene (this is quite late, so it doesn't count as a spoiler). As for the yellow example, this was used as a camera vehicle for the in-cabin shots and went back to Glendale Dodge following the production.
The dealership reportedly resprayed the vehicle, going for the original yellow and found a new owner for it. However, it seems that a certain buyer grabbed the machine from the Valley Dodge car dealer in Van Nuys, California in 1970 and sold it to Arnold Welch of Tucson, AZ in 2002.
And while Welch was in the process of restoring the Charger, he didn't just come across the said layers of paint, but also found the camera mount holes mentioned above on the dashboard.
This Charger was featured in the February 2009 issue of Mopar Collector's Guide, was displayed at the 2011 SEMA and helped recreate the iconic Bullitt chase at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed (minus the San Francisco inclines, obviously).
The Dodge Charger is currently listed as part of Chrome Cars' inventory. We're talking about a German specialist who seems to offer quite a few movie car originals and replicas, among others, with the company’s website explaining the acquisition was made in 2015 - there's even a Bullitt Mustang replica.
Oh, and if you need a starting point for the monstrous homework such a potential purchase obviously requires, feel free to start with the image gallery above, which comes from the said specialist.
For starters, the Warner Brother records that could've helped verify the identity of the car were destroyed somewhere along the line. As such, we have to rely on other types of clues.
As anybody who's enjoyed the motion picture can tell you, the Charger was black, but this wasn't a color Dodge offered for the 1968 model year. As such, it appears that Bill Hickman, a stuntman who got behind the wheel for the movie, bought two Dodge Chargers from Glendale Dodge in Southern California in 1968, a blue unit and a yellow one.
The blue car is said to have been used for the "battle" moments and was featured in the exploding gas station scene (this is quite late, so it doesn't count as a spoiler). As for the yellow example, this was used as a camera vehicle for the in-cabin shots and went back to Glendale Dodge following the production.
The dealership reportedly resprayed the vehicle, going for the original yellow and found a new owner for it. However, it seems that a certain buyer grabbed the machine from the Valley Dodge car dealer in Van Nuys, California in 1970 and sold it to Arnold Welch of Tucson, AZ in 2002.
And while Welch was in the process of restoring the Charger, he didn't just come across the said layers of paint, but also found the camera mount holes mentioned above on the dashboard.
This Charger was featured in the February 2009 issue of Mopar Collector's Guide, was displayed at the 2011 SEMA and helped recreate the iconic Bullitt chase at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed (minus the San Francisco inclines, obviously).
The Dodge Charger is currently listed as part of Chrome Cars' inventory. We're talking about a German specialist who seems to offer quite a few movie car originals and replicas, among others, with the company’s website explaining the acquisition was made in 2015 - there's even a Bullitt Mustang replica.
Oh, and if you need a starting point for the monstrous homework such a potential purchase obviously requires, feel free to start with the image gallery above, which comes from the said specialist.
Google News