Where Did The Ford Mustang Eleanor Go?

The Ford Mustang nicknamed Eleanor is one of the most famous examples of an iconic American car. It’s the only vehicle to be credited with a starring role along with human actors in the title of a movie, the 1974 classic “Gone In 60 Seconds.” Eleanor definitely deserves a spot alongside equally renowned machines like the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am from “Smokey and the Bandit” or the lovable Herbie, the 1963 Volkswagen Beetle from “The Love Bug” franchise.

Decades have passed since the original film and its 2000 remake with Nicholas Cage. But where has the Eleanor Mustang gone? Did it end up a wreck like the many Ford Mustangs in “John Wick: Chapter 2”?

Where Did the Ford Mustang Eleanor Go?

The Eleanor Mustang is owned by Denice Halicki, the wife of deceased director and stunt driver H. B. Halicki. It is on loan to the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, CA. As of 2014, the car appears in events that feature Ford Mustangs like itself. And a Mustang can’t get any more iconic than the Eleanor.

Is There More Than One Eleanor Mustang?

Filmmakers usually use multiple cars, especially if they’re going to shoot chase sequences and stunts that can damage or outright destroy a vehicle. The team behind “Gone In 60 Seconds” followed protocol and used several cars.

Director H. B. Halicki got his hands on two Ford Mustangs in 1971. One Mustang was heavily modified to serve as a stunt car for the action scenes. The team spent 250 hours installing various safety modifications and an adjustable camera in the back seat.

Understandably, the stunt Eleanor was the one that took a beating throughout the film. Remember the scene where a gray car clipped the Eleanor Mustang’s back and sent it into a light pole? That wasn’t planned.

The gray car was a stunt vehicle that accidentally hit the Mustang. Halicki was driving per his preference and was briefly knocked out. They incorporated the footage of the accident into the movie.

Then there’s the incredible jump during the climax of the film. Halicki was driving the car and received a spinal injury because of the hard landing.

In contrast, the second Mustang was kept in stock condition and only received minor changes. This Eleanor served as the car seen in beauty shots. Whenever the filmmakers needed to shoot scenes from outside the Mustang that showed the entire vehicle, they used the “Beauty Eleanor.”

The two Eleanors had matching paint jobs and swapped license plates, tires, and even seating. The Stunt Eleanor received the deluxe interior package seats from the Beauty Eleanor, which in turn took the standard seats from the stunt machine. Together, the two cars portrayed the four different Ford Mustangs seen in the movie.

Oddly enough, the badly battered Stunt Eleanor reportedly survived to this day, while its pampered sister didn’t make it. When “Gone In 60 Seconds” premiered in 1974, director Halicki said that the beauty car ended up crushed.

What Kind of Car Is the Original Eleanor Mustang?

The cars that played Eleanor are 1971 Ford Mustang Sportsroof models. These are first generation cars with a flat roof that visually sets them apart from other Mustangs of the same model year.

Halicki acquired both Mustangs in 1971. However, it took him several years to secure enough funding to begin shooting. Since moviegoers wouldn’t believe that a professional car thief would go out of his way to steal an older, less valuable Mustang, Halicki gave the Eleanors a modern facelift.

His team took grilles designed for the 1973 Ford Mustang and installed the parts on the Eleanors. This made the older cars look like the newer Mustangs, which would help the car-savvy audience suspend their disbelief.

However, they kept the Eleanor Mustangs’ 1971 front bumpers and valance panels in place. Removing those parts would require them to replace the 1973 fenders as well.

Contrary to popular belief, the Eleanor Mustangs didn’t wear the medium yellow gold paint job offered by Ford for factory-fresh cars. Halicki explained that his team applied an ordinary yellow paint that wouldn’t look out of place on a school-bus as a cost-saving measure. Still, the bright color made the Mustangs stand out.

In addition to the yellow paint job, the filmmakers also applied blackout to the lower bodyside of both Eleanor Mustangs. The treatment increased the resemblance to the Mustang Mach 1 performance package, which is a possible explanation as to why people think the Eleanors are Mach 1 Mustangs.

The otherwise ordinary 1971 hood also received a special blackout treatment. This was another way to differentiate them from standard-issue Ford Mustangs produced between 1971 and 1973.

The Eleanor Mustangs retain the distinctive Mustang pony badge and their hubcaps show Ford Motor Company. However, they don’t have any recognizable badging that spells out “Mustang.” Unlike the Pontiac-sponsored “Smokey and the Bandit,” “Gone In 60 Seconds” was an independently made film that didn’t have Ford’s official backing.

What Kind of Ford Mustang Is The Eleanor in the 2000 Remake?

In 1989, Halicki was shooting the reboot sequel “Gone In 60 Seconds 2” when he died in a freak accident on set. His widow Denice Halicki later produced a loose remake of her late husband’s movie. It was directed by Jerry Bruckenheimer and starred Nicholas Cage and Angelina Jolie.

Like the 1974 classic, the remake featured a Ford Mustang as Eleanor. In the movie, the coveted car was a Ford Shelby GT500 that the protagonist had tried and failed to steal in the past. Eleanor was portrayed by several gray-painted 1967 Ford Mustang Fastbacks that received custom body kits.

Several of these second-generation Eleanor Mustangs survived filming. A couple were auctioned off for considerable sums. One was sold for $1 million dollars, roughly the same amount of money that went into making the 1974 Gone In 60 Seconds.

Whether you prefer the yellow 1971 Ford Mustang or have a soft spot for the gray 1967 Ford Mustang, Eleanor will remain a memorable icon for years to come.

FAQs About the Ford Mustang Eleanor

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about the Ford Mustang Eleanor.

Can You Build a Mustang Eleanor?

Before 2022, no one else had the right to replicate Eleanor. If they did, the project would be shut down and the vehicle seized due to copyright over the right to Eleanor.

However, the US District Court for the Central District of California ruled the vehicle cannot be copyrighted as IP, meaning anyone can now build their own Eleanor Mustang. Shelby Licensing can also enter partnerships with companies that want to make their version of Eleanor.

How Much is the Eleanor Mustang Worth?

The price of the Eleanor varies. For example, Classic Recreations sold one priced at $300,000 back in 2020. Meanwhile, actual Eleanor Mustangs sold for as much as $1 million back in 2013 at an auction. All these transactions were years ago, so it’s possible that the value of this Mustang has skyrocketed to more than a million since then.

How Fast is the Eleanor Mustang?

Eleanor Mustangs have stock performance figures of 122 mph top speed, 6.80s acceleration, 0.76gs of handling, and 141.09 Feet of braking distance. When upgraded, these numbers increase to 191 mph top speed, 3.76 acceleration, 1.0gs of handling, and 74.65 Feet of braking distance.

Who Built the Eleanor Mustang?

The original Eleanor that starred in the 1974 film Gone in 60 Seconds was made by director and writer H.B. Toby Haliki.