Bullitt hits its mark in Yuma

Dan Shay watched the movie in 1968 and ever since then, he wanted his own

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The year was 1968, the place Yuma, Arizona's historic theater. On the big screen was America's King of Cool, Steve McQueen and his co-star a 1968 Mustang Fastback. The movie plot was simple, Mcqueen played Lieutenant Frank Bullitt; a tough cop who tended to bend the rules from time to time.

Bullitt came out at a time when American Muscle was the craze, so when McQueen turned the key and fired up the Mustang's 390ci. power plant, movie watchers instantly fell in love. Among those fans was a young Dan Shay, the son of a gas station owner. Shay knew that one day he wanted a Mustang just like the one in the movie; decades later he acquired a 1968 Mustang Fastback that he planned on using as a platform for his dream car.

Shift gears to the present, where Shay meets with local shop owner Doug Richey of Rising Star Collision. Shay hands Richey a model car and a set of keys and tells Richey what he wants. Richey, a Bullitt fan himself, knew exactly what to do and in just eight short months he had completed his task. So on a crisp February morning Richey brought the car to Shay's business. Thanks to Shay's friends who concocted a cleaver ruse to keep him away, the surprise was set.

Dan Shay arrived to his business to find friends and family gathered around a shrouded car. After unveiling his Mustang, Shay was openly impressed by the likeness to the original Bullitt Mustang. After five decades, he finally has his own and plans to feature the car during Yuma's annual Midnight at the Oasis Car Show. We asked Shay why not buy the original Bullitt Mustang that was sold at auction last month? He told us that he loved the car, but didn't see himself paying $3.4 million for it.