There are some things that never leave you. Some memories that are too vivid, too personal and too precious to ever let the fog of forgetfulness ever cloud. For me and for many of you, the eight minute sequence of a daring San Francisco police detective out-running two Chicago hitmen from behind the wheel of his Highland Green ’68 fastback 390 GT Mustang versus their inky triple-black ’68 Dodge Charger R/T is the stuff of legend. Pay no attention that stunt driver and co-choreographer Bill Hickman’s Mopar looses no less than SIX hubcaps during the chase or that McQueen is heard shifting his 4-speed Mustang nearly 33 times; it’s the fact that no fake, hollowed-out cars, no models or fiberglass shells, or any digitally-animated replacements (even though the technology didn’t exist at the time) were used for this chase. Only real cars with real drivers on real streets. While this behind-the-scenes film has been around for ages and is part of any DVD or BluRay copy of “BULLITT” today, we still love to sit back and watch how it came to be. 

For a while, there were rumors that the production company had failed to get the proper clearance to film in San Francisco’s lauded “Mission District,” wherein all of the stunt driving was done while real pedestrians watched in curious fear as a big block 440-powered Charger barreled after the lightweight Mustang over the rolling, undulating avenues. While we’re unsure whether that story is true or not, we do see some spectators running for cover as the duo ski around corners and rocket down busy side streets.