Star Power

Eleanor Finds A New Home

Photos by Travis Noack

If this Mustang looks familiar, it should. It was one of the "Eleanor" Mustangs used in the 2000 movie "Gone in 60 Seconds." Unlike the original Eleanor, which was a 1971 Ford Fastback Mustang that actually played the role of a 1973 Mach 1 Ford Mustang in the 1974 version of the iconic movie (directed by the late H.B. "Toby" Halicki), this movie star car is a 1967 Mustang GT500. Makeup and special prosthetic effects are common in "The Biz" to get a star more physically into their role (Think Lon Chaney Sr. and more recently Charlize Theron in Monster), and this updated Eleanor is no exception.

Of course, when it comes to a car, even when it's the star of the movie, a Hollywood production company is much more worried about getting the shot and not so much about the long-term affects that may occur to the car. That means that by the time primary shooting was done, the Mustang was beat up.

Being a movie, as well as a car guy, Steve Alderson jumped at the chance to buy of the original Eleanor's. However, it only took a few miles worth of driving his new prize around that he knew that the poor Mustang needed some TLC. In keeping the cars running long enough for production to be finished, a few corners were cut, and it only took a small electrical fire to convince Alderson that "Eleanor" needed some magic of her own. He contacted Imzz Industries in La Habra, Calif., where a quick conference with Jim Iiams led them to the conclusion that a full-blown resto was needed.

With the car at Imzz, the crew blew the car completely apart, inspected every piece and firm in the knowledge of how the car was going to look when done, they set about returning the star to her former glory.

Though the frame is stock, a Total Control X-member increases its strength. The front-end features Total Control 2-inch drop front spindles along with tubular Total Control A-arms, Total Control coil-over shocks and an anti-sway bar that comes from yes, Total Control. A billet power rack and pinion system controls the steering while Baer 4-piston calipers and slotted discs get the car slowed. Rolling hardware for both the front and rear ends is American Racing "Shelby Cobra" wheels (17x8-inch-front, 17x9.5-inch-rear) that have been equipped with Goodyear Eagle rubber.

The back half of the car is a little more eccentric as a cantilever suspension system, complete with Total Control coil over shocks, provides the travel for the narrowed (2-inches) 9-inch Imzz housing. Further enhancements are a Detroit Locker Posi and Strange 3:55 gears. As with the front, a Baer 4-piston disc brake and a Total Control anti-sway bar are also featured.

Though the original Eleanor got by with a 351 Cleveland, this version goes all in with a Roush 427ci plant. As one would think, the internals are all Roush pieces, including a proprietary Roush camshaft, forged 4340 steel crankshaft and forged 4340 steel H-beam rods. Onto those rods went forged Wiseco pistons and Plasma moly rings. Topping things off are aluminum heads that have in turn been topped off with cool Roush valve covers. The final compression ratio is a healthy 10.25:1. Moving the spent fuel out are coated Thorley headers, which connect to the Magnaflow mufflers via a Imzz custom-built stainless steel exhaust system.

Looking great and working just as well is the Weber style velocity stack induction system. Equipped with an Accel DFI, the 8 velocity stacks, equipped with K&N filters, gives the engine a downright mean appearance. Adding some fire and finery are the Accel ignition system and the Billet Specialties Tru-Trac pulley system.

With 560 horses and 540lb.ft. of torque, a high performing transmission was needed and few fit that bill like Tremec. Built for racing, the Tremec 6 speed manual transmission uses a McCloud Clutch and is cooled with a trans cooler built right into the aluminum Be-Cool radiator. The driveshaft connecting the tranny to the rearend came from the crew at Placentia, Calif.-based OC Driveline.

As trick and powerful as the running gear is, what makes Eleanor is the body. When Imzz got the car, it had been rode hard and put away dented. The were cracks where the bodywork had been affixed and there was no choice but to take it down to the bare metal and begin again. As with the original car, Maier Racing body panels and hood were obtained and pre-fitted to the car. Something to be noted about he Maier products is that all of the air and brake cooling vents are fully functional. Once the Imzz crew was satisfied, they blew the car apart and, using a custom mixed House Of Kolors medium silver, painted it on. Once the black racing stripes were done, they covered the entire car with Glasurit clear by BASF

With the look of the exterior, one can almost forget that the car is still a GT500, which means that the interior is pretty darn nice as it came. Using black leather, the crew at 714 Motorsports in Westminster, Calif. reworked the stock seats and door panels. In fact, with the body having been stripped, they pretty much rebuilt the interior from the pan up. They kept the interior Shelby though, and only added a few must haves, such as the Grant steering wheel, B&M floor shifter, Auto Meter gauges and Vintage Air Gen 2 air conditioning system. One item that ol' Carroll may not have thought to include in his cars, but one that Alderson insisted upon was the stereo system. Based on a Kenwood head unit, Memphis Audio takes over from there and the result is sweet sound pulsating through the cabin. Providing the thump is the sub woofer in the custom speaker box built by Imzz. It resides in the trunk and was wired, as was the entire car, with a custom built harness by Imzz Industries

It took the Imzz team 8 months to transform the cool but beat movie car into the stunner that is seen here. This version of the "Only Mustang to receive Star billing" reached for those stars, and thanks to the hard work of Imzz Industries and the apparently deep pockets of its owner, this car is not just a celluloid dream.