Bud Ekins Is Not Steve McQueen

Bud Ekins is not a household name like Steve McQueen, a man he spent part of his career doing stunts for, but you know his work. Yesterday, Bonhams auctioned off a few of his motorcycles and brass era cars.

Bud Ekins was a man with some serious gear head credentials. He was already a successful motorcycle racer when he met and befriended Steve McQueen. Their friendship led to Ekins doing some of McQueen's most famous stunt work. He jumped the motorcycle over the fence in the final scene of The Great Escape. Ekins also did some of the more technical driving in the famous San Francisco chase scene in Bullitt.

In the 1960s he competed in the International Six Day Trials successfully on teams with McQueen. Bud Ekins won 4 gold medals at the ISDT before retiring from racing to focus on selling Triumphs and doing movie stunt work. Ekin's later movie credits include Animal House, The Blues Brothers, and Diamonds are Forever. He continued to work in the movie industry until his death in 2007 at the age of 77.

Yesterday some of Ekin's Brass Era cars and motorcycles were sold by Bonhams at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The cars were painted and pinstriped by a one time employee of Ekin's named Kenneth Howard, who some of you might know as Von Dutch. Follow the link to see pictures and sale results.

[Bonhams]