The year is 2000. The movie? Gone in 60 Seconds. And from behind the wheel of a ’67 muscled-up Ford Mustang, dubbed "Eleanor," Nicholas Cage and cast inspire a new generation of muscle car fans thanks to one very special Ford.
And now you can own it. Crossing the block at Mecum’s Austin 2014 auction, will be one of three original Eleanor Mustang hero cars, specially built for the 2000 remake by Hollywood’s Cinema Vehicle Services.
Penned by renowned hotrod designer Steve Stanford, CVS got down to work by mocking up the car’s aggressive features using clay and wood. Fiberglass molds were then made to flesh-out the Mustang’s stylized front end, bulging fender flares, hood, side skirts and scoops, and the rear trunk lid. Though undeniably cool, the side exit exhausts were reportedly added after filming.
Inside, Eleanor resembles your typical top end pro-touring Mustang, complemented by a period-accurate ’67 dash, gauges, steering wheel, and enhanced of course by the ‘Go-Baby-Go’ shift knob.
Underneath, the old girl packs enough performance to match its high-powered looks. The Mustang fits a burly 351-ci Ford Racing crate motor, complete with a Holley 700 four-barrel carb and backing up to a four-speed manual gearbox. A positraction rear end and 17-inch Schmidt wheels help put that power to the ground.
Although it’s designated as the seventh of 11 Eleanor Mustangs built for filming, this fine example and its two sister hero cars were the only ones used in scenes involving the star-studded cast.
Considering the provenance of Gone in 60 Seconds and the fact that another Eleanor Mustang hero car sold through Mecum last year for an astounding $1 million…we ought to see some big money thrown around for this one.