The legendary Ford Mustang known as the Eleanor from ‘Gone in Sixty Seconds’ (see video) inspired countless homegrown replicas, and one of them will be heading to the auction block in Las Vegas late this month. It was built by the same company that provided cars for the movie, per the auction holder.
We are told that Cinema Vehicle Services enlisted the help of such car customization legends as Chip Foose and Steve Stanford to build the Eleanor and other vehicles for the 2000 movie starring Nicholas Cage. This particular example never appeared on set, though – Danny Gans, an actor, comedian and avid car collector, ordered it for himself back at the time. After his demise in 2009, the successors began auctioning off his property.
Like the original movie car, this replica comes built upon a 1967 Shelby GT500. It has a 5.75-liter V8 at its disposal rated at 406 PS (400 hp / 299 kW) and mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
The engine has been upgraded somewhat with new carburetors and ignition, as well as forged pistons and a custom exhaust. Compared to the stock car, the Eleanor also features a modified chassis and a mildly redesigned cabin with an added cassette player, a Vintage Air AC, a custom dashboard and a wood-rimmed steering wheel.
The build was commissioned 21 years ago, but has under 6,500 km (4,000 miles) on the odometer.