Eleanor (automobile)

Both 1971 Mustang Sportsroofs used in the film (neither car has been proven to be a Mach 1, as often assumed) were bought in 1971, but — as it was three years before Halicki could raise sufficient funds to start filming — each car was facelifted with 1973 grilles for the film (though each retain 1971 front bumpers, lower valances, and fenders).[2]

As with the liberties taken with the body modifications, Halicki's paint scheme featured a unique blackout treatment to the lower bodyside, taillight panel, and standard hood; similar, but not identical to Ford factory offerings on the Mach 1 (and Exterior Decor Group[4] on Sportsroofs) at the time. All identifiable badging spelling the "Mustang" name was removed, though the grille badge and "Ford Motor Company" hubcaps are visible in the film.[2]

Despite claims that both cars were painted in Ford's Medium Yellow Gold,[5] Halicki, in a 1974 interview, stated that the cars were painted "generic school bus yellow" to save money.[6]

The modified car required 250 hours of labor before it was ready for the film.[1] All body panels were removed[7] in order to install a roll cage throughout the Mustang's stock unibody. The transmission was also chained in for safety. An adjustable camera rig was mounted in the back seat to capture footage from the internal "driver's point of view".

The wrecked Eleanor was equipped with a base interior and no instrumentation package, but utilized seats from the Mustang's deluxe interior package; sourced from the beauty car. Conversely, the beauty car had deluxe interior, with the standard seats from the stunt car swapped into it.

Other safety modifications included:[8]

• Heavy-duty Simpson shoulder harness
• Deadbolt door locks
• Aftermarket hood pins
• 24-volt electrical system
• On-board first-aid kit
• Electrical kill switches
• Individual locking rear brakes[9]
• Fish plating of the undercarriage — 3" x 3/8" steel

The interior of the stunt car is seen only once in the film, when Halicki — as Maindrian Pace — places his hands against the windshield when cornered by the Long Beach police. The rollcage is clearly visible against the A-pillar. All other interior shots were executed with the "beauty" car, generally on alternate filming dates.

The stunt car survives to this day,[10] despite two serious incidents during filming.

The first occurred during a stunt wherein "Eleanor" cuts across multiple lanes of freeway traffic. The stunt driver leading the "traffic" overshot his mark during the take, clipping the Mustang and causing it to careen into a nearby light pole. Halicki was rendered unconscious from the impact, but filming resumed the following week - utilizing this accident as part of the final film.[11] Halicki's first words — upon regaining consciousness — were "Did we get coverage?"[12]

Following the incident with the light pole, Halicki compressed multiple vertebrae after performing the impressive 128-foot jump in the closing minutes of the film. The modified Mustang survived, despite the rough nose landing.[13]

The second car was left absolutely stock — as noted by cinematographer Jack Vacek in the film's DVD commentary — and was not modified extensively other than the obligatory matching paint job, grille change, and seat swap with the stunt car.

Though this car was not damaged during filming, Halicki claimed (in 1974, at the film's premiere) that the car was crushed.[14]

Depending on the source, either eleven[16] or twelve[17] cars were built by Cinema Vehicle Services for the film (not including CVS's creation of one additional Eleanor clone — with a Ford 428 — for producer Bruckheimer).[18] Nine were shells, and three were built as fully functional vehicles.[18] Seven were reported to have "survived the filming [and] made it back to Cinema Vehicle Services" according to research by Mustangandfords.com.[19]

Of the surviving vehicles, three cars have been offered to the public with claims of originality and screen-use in the film, as follows:

All three claim to be functional builds for the film.[25][22][23] Whether the two wrecked cars were rebuilt — or whether surviving shells were built up into functional cars — remains unknown and unpublicized.

A fourth car, VIN #7F02C229830, last offered for sale in Dubai, also claims originality to the film. This car has not been authenticated.[26][27]

In 2004, Halicki brought a court case against specialty car builder Unique Performance. The company had entered into a licensing agreement with Carroll Shelby to create replica Shelby GT500 vehicles with features associated with the 2000 movie car. The case was thrown out when a judge ruled that only Disney, not Halicki, held the copyright to the sequel car. An agreement between Disney and Halicki was eventually arranged.[32]

A further "Eleanor" copyright suit was brought against Carroll Shelby, claiming Shelby and another specialty builder, Classic Recreations, were producing unlicensed "Eleanor" replicas (following Shelby's termination of business with prior builder Unique Performance). At the time, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in Halicki's favor.[33][34][35]

In May 2020, Halicki filed a case against YouTube video creator Chris Steinbacher, known on the platform as "B is for Build." Steinbacher had been creating a 1967 Shelby replica (built over a 2015 Mustang) on his channel, dubbed "Eleanor."[36]

The case was found in Halicki's favor at the time, resulting in Steinbacher being forced to relinquish the car as part of the suit's resolution.[37]

Following the 2008 ruling, Halicki brought further lawsuits against Classic Recreations, alleging that their licensed Shelby GT500 reproductions were violating the claimed "Eleanor" copyright. These actions also included legal letters addressed to "owners and an auction house" from Halicki, in an effort to prevent the resale of these cars.[38][39]

These actions eventually resulted in Carroll Shelby Licensing filing a case (collectively with Classic Recreations) against Halicki in 2022. As a result of this suit, the United States District Court for the Central District of California invalidated Halicki's copyright claims, ruling that the assertion that Eleanor was a distinctive character was "an invention of overzealous advocacy", and that the car was "not entitled to standalone copyright protection as a matter of law".[40]

In February 2023, Halicki appealed the previous ruling with the Ninth Circuit.[41] Bench trial testimony was heard in March, with U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi ultimately dismissing Halicki's copyright claims in June of the same year, making no ruling on the case.[42][43][44]