has anyone noticed that the Pontiac Ventura

Yup, caught it right away, the first time I saw it, back in '75.

"You eat guts."--Nick Devlin

I read in the Bullitt trivia that the Mustang's sound effects were actually those of a Ford GT (a limited production car for LeMans-type racing).

FINALLY, I NOTICED THIS WHEN THE FILM FIRST CAME OUT. THE CAR WAS DEFINITELY AN AUTOMATIC YET THERE ITS IS, THE GROWL OF THE 390CU FORD ENGINE AS IT SHIFTS UP AND DOWN THROUGH THE GEARS!! HOW BOGUS CAN YOU GET?

KUDOS ON PICKING UP ON THIS - I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE.

BTW, DID YOU NOTICE IN THE FINAL, HIGH SPEED PART OF THE BULLITT CHASE, ALL THE DOUBLE SHIFTING GOING ON? THE GREAT "BAA_BAA' AS, OR SO I THOUGHT, HE DOWNSHIFTED REPEAATEDLY. FOR YEARS IF COULDN'T MAKE SENSE OF THE SEEMINGLY ANOMALOUS DOWNSHIFTS, SINCE THE STANG ONLY HAD FOUR GEARS. I THOUGHT THAT, UNLIKE THE REST OF THE CHASE, THEY HAD FOLEYED IN THE ENGINE SOUNDS IN EDITING. THEN: EPIPHANY! HE WAS DOUBLE UP-SHIFTING, APPARENTLY NECESSARY AT THOSE SPEEDS ON THE BALKIER TRANSMISSIONS OF THE DAY.

ALSO, I'M SURE YOU KNOW, THE BIKE THAT WIPES OUT AS MCQUEEN 360'S INTO THE DIRT WAS LAID DOWN BY NONE OTHER THAT BUD EKINS, WHO TOOK OVER THE FAMOUS JUMP SCENES IN S.F. AFTER MCQUEEN REPORTEDLLY WRECKED A COUPLE OF CARS TRYING IT HIMSELF. HE ALSO TOOK OVER IN "THE GREAT ESCAPE" AFTER MCQUEEN CRASHED IN THE FAMOUS JUMP OVER THE BARBED WIRE. DIED IN 2007.

LATER,\

JACK

I read that the Bullitt crew placed microphones in both cars and recorded actual engine noises, something that rarely was ever done.

For this production, the noises were dubbed. I don't know why they needed to do this in such a gritty, realistic film. Just let the engine noises be natural.