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Mustang1260
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Can't recall off the top of my head but the answer is in the Shelby steering wheel---I think it was thinner and maybe a larger diameter. Don't research the Bullitt per se but research the 67/68 Shelby steering wheel and you should find discussions as to how and why that wheel was different then a stock Mustang steering wheel at that time.
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UAmach1
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I can totally see that being the reason, I'm just a little surprised that will how well known it is that it had the wheel swapped it was never directly mentioned or seemingly asked. :shrug:
Maybe at the time it was just one of those popular mods for those cars so people don't question it?
GNN60GT500
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I thought I read somewhere the steering wheel was replaced...if so and it was replaced with the Shelby wheel ...well it sucks as the flashy horn button goes against what the Bullet was..
Bullitt
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Steve McQueen liked to customize a lot of his interiors (some even done by Von Dutch himself). The original Bullitt steering wheel was a 1967 Shelby GT500 wood wheel but was wrapped in leather by Tony Nancy under McQueen's guidance. I've never seen a reason why wheels were swapped other than McQueen customized the Mustang like he would have if it was his own.
If you're curious to learn more about McQueen's cars both personal and in his movies, pick up the book "McQueen's Machines". Gives some really great insight into the type of enthusiast he was, along with some humorous stories. For example, California Highway Patrol had a running offer to all officers that the first one to catch McQueen speeding and give him a ticket would be awarded a steak dinner. Nobody could catch him lol.
If you're curious to learn more about McQueen's cars both personal and in his movies, pick up the book "McQueen's Machines". Gives some really great insight into the type of enthusiast he was, along with some humorous stories. For example, California Highway Patrol had a running offer to all officers that the first one to catch McQueen speeding and give him a ticket would be awarded a steak dinner. Nobody could catch him lol.
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Mustang1260
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From the posted article (original steering wheel in the car was stolen yrs ago).
Mustang steering wheels of the day were plastic and were very slippery. Thus Shelby went wood. A wood wheel wrapped in leather is for comfort and grip while driving hard.
"The car’s path to New Jersey included a stint as a commuter for a movie editor, as illustrated by the Warner Bros. parking sticker on the bottom right corner of the windshield. It also passed through the hands of Frank Marranca, a police detective, who bought the car from the studio in 1971 with a letter from Ford certifying that the Mustang with VIN 8R02S125559 had been purchased by Solar Productions for the movie. Marranca shipped the car to New Jersey, and along the way, the shift knob and the aftermarket wood steering wheel were stolen. When Marranca’s growing family needed a station wagon, he put the otherwise untouched car up for sale."
Mustang steering wheels of the day were plastic and were very slippery. Thus Shelby went wood. A wood wheel wrapped in leather is for comfort and grip while driving hard.
"The car’s path to New Jersey included a stint as a commuter for a movie editor, as illustrated by the Warner Bros. parking sticker on the bottom right corner of the windshield. It also passed through the hands of Frank Marranca, a police detective, who bought the car from the studio in 1971 with a letter from Ford certifying that the Mustang with VIN 8R02S125559 had been purchased by Solar Productions for the movie. Marranca shipped the car to New Jersey, and along the way, the shift knob and the aftermarket wood steering wheel were stolen. When Marranca’s growing family needed a station wagon, he put the otherwise untouched car up for sale."
Mustang1260
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Also think back to the movie...the 'bad guy' with his leather driving gloves (grip) while the King of Cool (I don't need no stinking gloves - I got a leather steering wheel haha) went bare handed. Lt. Frank Bullitt was just not the type of guy to stop and put on 'driving gloves'. All about image and character. And it shows just how much 'little stuff' this movie had. McQueen wasn't in a flashy car (paint hit with steel wool to cut down on the shine) but it wasn't a secretary Mustang either. Understated but obvious performance enhancement...exhaust, torque thrust wheels etc....
thumper
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in one of the videos i watched (hagertys?) it was mentioned that while in the current owner's family's possession, someone broke into their place where the car was being stored and stole the air cleaner... wtf?
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