Steve McQueen "Bullitt" fans: Which car would you pick: 1968 GT Mustang or 68' Dodge Charger?

[brentspeak]

You win a game show, and get to pick either of the following:

The 1968 V8 Dodge Charger:



The 1968 390 CID V8 Ford Mustang:

[JeffR]

1. Problem with the Charger was it had a tendency to hit a gas station

and explode. Think I'll have to take the Mustang.

[JBoy]

2. I know the Charger had a seat belt. Not sure about the Mustang.

This is my Dad's all-time favorite movie. He flipped out when I got it on DVD for him.

[mokawanis]

3. That Charger is a real honey

but I always liked Mustangs, included the '68 Mustang I totaled.

[Fenris]

4. Definitely the Mopar.

[ldr65]

5. I'll take the 68 Mustang. n/t

[flvegan]

6. So this is a 440 v 390 thread. Okay.

The Charger in that flick was a 440. Very nice. The Mustang a 390. That's 375 hp v 335 hp. Pretty even.

I have to take the Mustang. Why? That 390 can get stroked and bored out. The 440...that's about it. Plus, I'd take the Ford over the Dodge. Better looking, easier to work on.

[brentspeak]

9. Ah, but both Mustangs' suspension in the shoot had some trouble negotiating the San Fran hilly roads

While neither of the Chargers had any trouble at all.

[flvegan]

12. Yeah, but I'm not going to drive like that

I'm not recreating the movie. Sticking with the 'Stang.

[Gold Metal Flake]

26. I'm a Ford guy, but let's not get carried away here...

First, you might want to take a look at all of the stroker options for the 440.
You also might want to look at the stroker options for the LB as well. 450+ cubes out of a 400 block. Less weight, tons of torque.
As for the Ford FE, I do have some experience with that engine. It is very rare that you will find a 390 block that can be bored much beyond .06". Boring a 390 out to 428 cylinder size (.08" overbore to 4.13") without sonic checking the block is a great way to get yourself some yard art.The walls are thin, but the real issue is core shift. Even the thicker FT blocks have problems with core shift. Core shift in my FT block is one reason why I scrapped my stroker FE plans and went with a 460.
You might get lucky and find a 428 block or a 406 crossbolted block, it's possible. 427 blocks are still out there.

Lets just say that with the car came an aluminum block of your choice. In your case, pick up a Genesis, Shelby or Holman FE block. The mope guys can buy an Indy block.

Me, I'd take the Stang and build a Cleveland. But, I kinda feel protective of the Charger. Like if I got it I would be saving it from some asswipe who would swap on some '69 sheetmetal and make a Gen Lee clone out of it (and, of course, destroy it jumping something).

[leeroysphitz]

7. I'd take the Mustang, but not by much. n/t

[DS1]

8. Mustang

Looks like far less weight to be throwing around, and with those thing 60's tires, probably not much of a performance benefit in the straight line.

[Ptah]

10. Mustang for me.

[mitchum]

11. The Mustang

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

13. I love 'em both

but I'll take the green horsey.

If you pay attention to that chase you can hear Steve double-clutching it when he shifts. He was a fantastic driver.

[montanto]

15. I've never understood why

they put that in the soundtrack. You don't need to double-clutch a sycro tranny during acceleration, in fact, if you were really in a hurry, you wouldn't get off the gas at all. Sure you would on a racetrack, decelerating, cornering, so you don't break loose when you downshift, but he does it all the time.

Besides, the cars used in the film were automatics.

That doesn't take away from his skills though. :D

[montanto]

17. The MoPar any time.

[ForrestGump]

14. Neither. I'd take the little

green Volkswagen that manages to get ahead of Steve's Mustang and the other car two or three times during the big chase scene. Now that is a fast bug...makes Herbie look like a slacker.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twQfwR9LuNM

[BrotherBuzz]

18. The continunity director lost it in that movie.

The Charger loses six hubcaps and has different ones missing in different shots on the hills, yet they all magically grow back for the flatland shots until it loses its last hubcap as it runs into the gas station and explodes.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. Tang

sentimental reasons ;)

[lildreamer316]

19. ELANOR!!!

Although the Charger is the shit, and the one in Burn Notice is very, very nice.
Have you seen the new Charger?

[Bunny]

20. You guys can keep the cars. I'll take Steve McQueen.

Dude was hawt!

[Gold Metal Flake]

27. Well, then I call dibs on Jacqueline Bissett

[brentspeak]

21. Afternoon kick

:kick:

[enigmatic]

22. 1970 Dodge Challenger

That's my pick:



http://recluseshow.blogspot.com/2008/06/vanishing-point-1971.html

[KG]

23. the ubiquitous VW

[jmowreader]

28. 1973 Super in a thread about 1960s cars?

How we know it's a 73: they didn't curve the windshield until 1973, but they used energy-absorbing bumper brackets in 1974.

[bridgit]

24. Umm, if its remake time, all snazzy and shit - Shelby 'concept' Mustang Cobra

[bamacrat]

25. I would take the Mustang, because I dont like Mopar.

But the 440 would smoke a 390 on its worst day.

[LowerManhattanite]

29. That mean-assed, shark-like Charger, thank you...

Saw a guy sitting in that exact model, exact color Charger on Fulton St. near Utica Avenue here in Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago and that is simply a vicious-looking piece of Detroit iron. Some cars LOOK fast while sitting still, and the Charger is one of 'em.

Thing had a big ol' black-faced tach sitting right next to the wheel. Spartan interior.

Just a brutal machine—and it's bad-ass.

[Rabrrrrrr]

30. Can I opt for a 20-year old rusted 1987 Chevy K-car?

[Bombero1956]

31. Stang

But then again I'm prejudiced in the Blue Oval's favor. The original Mustang is still with us somewhere but the Mopar is lost to history. From what I have read the current owner refuses to sell or restore the car, what a shame.

From a Mustang site;

McQueen tried to persuade the new owner to resell it, but to no avail. The new owner did promise to contact him if he ever did decide to sell. McQueen died in 1980 with no contact from the owner. Whenever contacted by prospective buyers or media, the owner has refused offers of purchase or publicity. The car has been in non-running condition for some time.

The fellow who spotted it sent me some photos, but I swore they would not be published anywhere. He does not know the owner of the car, but rather the man whose barn the car is stored in.

I know it's really *the* car, as the VIN matches that on a letter from Warner Brothers confirming that the surviving car was sold to an employee of the studio. The letter is dated 1970, and is on Warner stationary.

As the car sat when the photos were taken, it was in about #4 condition. Though there was a lot of surface rust on things like fasteners and suspension parts, the body seems to be fairly rust-free. It has spent most of its life in the state of New Jersey, near New York. In the photos, the car still wore its New Jersey license plates.

[Joe Fields]

32. The Mustang. Chargers were great on straightaways, but piss poor

on curves.

[ElboRuum]

33. Neither...

They're both nightmares of engineering, wannabe sports cars.

[lutefisk]

34. I guess I'd take the 2008 Bullitt Mustang (pic & link):

http://www.fordvehicles.com/mustangbullitt/?intcmp=r_lautoshowsite_bullittlink_bullittreveallandingpage_071112