When Bullitt roared onto theater screens in 1968, it didn’t just turn Steve McQueen into an icon—it made the Mustang GT 390 a symbol of pure American cool.
When Bullitt hit movie screens in 1968, it didn’t just cement Steve McQueen’s legend—it turned the Mustang GT 390 into something timeless. That Highland Green fastback flying over San Francisco’s hills wasn’t just another movie car; it was a declaration. Overnight, every young gearhead wanted that same sound, that same stance, that same aura of untouchable cool. The GT 390 transcended its role as a muscle car—it became an icon of American grit.
There’s a certain poetry in a car finding its way back home after thirty silent years. When the man behind My Dirty Garage got a call from an old buddy asking for help resurrecting a 1968 Mustang GT 390 four-speed, he had no clue it was the very same car he’d worked on as a young mechanic. The inspection stickers he’d once applied were still there—faded, cracked, but holding on—a quiet record of time’s slow march across Detroit steel.
He hadn’t laid eyes on it in nearly three decades. As the garage door creaked open, he braced for a sad sight—a rust-eaten hulk, stripped and forgotten. Instead, he met a survivor. Beneath its weary paint and patches of primer lay a surprisingly solid body. The floors, frame, and inner structure were all there, like a time capsule waiting for another chance.
The current owner, an old friend, had done what he could to keep it alive. Years earlier, he’d pulled the interior apart, planning a full restoration—but life got in the way. Gas prices went up, kids came along, work took over. The Mustang was left to slumber in the dark. Now, decades later, it’s back in the same shop, in the same hands, ready to breathe again.
This isn’t a quick flip—it’s a reunion. The same car wearing his original stickers has rolled back across the years, and the job is clear: make it run, make it safe, and don’t erase its soul.
Under the hood lies a piece of Ford heritage—a 390-cubic-inch FE V8 paired with a four-speed manual. This one’s topped with 428 Cobra Jet heads, a period-correct upgrade the mechanic remembers bolting on years ago. Whether the long-stored motor will roar to life with some careful tuning or demand a full rebuild remains to be seen. Either way, the goal is revival, not reinvention.
The paint won’t be touched. Its faded green finish and primer patches tell its story—the road miles, the summers, the quiet years. Fresh chrome trim will accent the scars, not erase them—like jewelry on a fighter who’s earned every mark.
The plan is straightforward: overhaul the brakes, rebuild the hydraulics, check the driveline, service the gearbox and axle, refresh the fuel and ignition systems, and chase down any leaks time has left behind. It won’t be over-restored. It’ll be honest, dependable, and true to its past—just as its owner remembers.
Cars like this aren’t just metal and bolts—they’re chapters in people’s lives. For the host of My Dirty Garage, this isn’t just another project. It’s a return to an earlier page, guided by steadier hands and older eyes, bringing a familiar friend back into the light.
Production-wise, 1968 was a milestone year for the Mustang. Ford built 317,404 of them, with 17,458 wearing GT badges, and 8,458 fitted with the 390-cubic-inch big-block. The GT Equipment Group added dual exhausts, front power discs, fog lights, and that signature “C” stripe—subtle signals that this pony was built for more than show.
Look closer at the 390 GTs and you’ll see how buyers leaned. The four-speed manual was the top pick—around 4,778 cars went to drivers who wanted both hands in the action. Roughly 3,280 went with the Select-Shift automatic, trading engagement for convenience. The base three-speed manual was rare—about 400 cars total—an unusual match for so much torque. However you cut it, most preferred shifting their own.
In 1968, a GT 390 fastback started around $3,100 before options—money that bought 325 horsepower and 427 lb-ft of torque. The numbers told only part of the story; the way that FE V8 carried its weight made the car feel light on its feet when the road opened up.
Through winter, this survivor will wait its turn among the shop’s other patients while parts are cataloged and the plan finalized. The mission remains simple: get it running, get it stopping, and get it back on the open road—wearing its sun-faded history with pride.
Today, an original 1968 Mustang GT 390 four-speed ranges anywhere from the mid-$50,000s for a solid driver to six figures for cars with pristine documentation. Survivor paint, matching-numbers powertrains, and vintage performance parts—like those CJ heads—can move the needle upward. But more than market value, the real reward here is seat time. Authenticity has become the new currency, and this car is about to prove why the genuine article still matters.