I agree. They were selling the sizzle more than the steak.
It just didn't sound right to me that a stock Hemi Challenger was that competitive on Woodward Ave in that time frame with all the modded stuff running around. And was it campaigned with street tires?
Sounds to me like the old adage; The older I get, the better I was.
This is what gets me? Why would you put one on a car that was supposed to have only been used to terrorize Woodward. To me it's like putting a roof top bicycle rack on a Hellcat, sure it's okay, but......
What's the story on the trailer hitch?
Maybe he was going to do Drag Week.
America First!
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: formula_s]
#3145914 05/20/2310:20 PM05/20/2310:20 PM
Wow. The story by Tony is very interesting. Especially the part about the mission statement of the company of the son that sold the car. His company specializes in telling story with an emotion twist to promote things. I think he did a good job.
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: FM3AAR]
#3145950 05/21/2307:07 AM05/21/2307:07 AM
Over the years ie seen alot of muscle cars that had to to all kinds of things lots times the muscle car was also the family car.
Another interesting trailer hitch story;
Just a few minutes from my home here in southern Illinois is a purple '71 4 speed Hemi Road Runner. With a trailer hitch. In the early 70s, a student transferred to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale from the north west. He used the RR to pull his U-Haul to the university. He sold it to a local cop as soon as he got here because it nearly broke him in oil and gas. It had 4.10 gears. The cop sold the car long ago. But I got the chance to talk to him at length 20 some years ago and he actually had a scrap book with pictures of the car along with the build sheet.
Last I knew, the car, sans it's drive train is now rotting down in a field because the current owner won't sell. I tried for years to get him to sell it and have turned several people on to it who also tried but failed to save the car. I don't know it's status today. I haven't seen the car or talked to the guy the last few years. Sad story to be sure.
But how interesting it is to think about a Hemi RR with 4.10 gears pulling a U-Haul across the country.
Master, again and still
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: DaveRS23]
#3145983 05/21/2312:34 PM05/21/2312:34 PM
I only heard of the black ghost a couple years ago and I think there was something in Hagerty magazine about it. My first thought was who cares!! It was claimed to be a local legend but really who cares!! It makes an interesting story but it's not like it's some unique show car, a rare factory test car or some car that was well known back in the day that suddenly re immerged. It's just an otherwise somewhat interestingly optioned car with a story stuck to it.
And this seems to be happening more and more where some car shows up people go out of their way to build up all sorts of hype about it and then it gets put up for auction. Good for the person who's reaping all the money out of it I guess
So I have to ask.. when will the barrelcuda show up
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: 5thAve]
#3146029 05/21/2304:23 PM05/21/2304:23 PM
I've lived in the Detroit area all my life and I never heard of the car until I read about it in a Hagerty newsletter article that they emailed to me not too long ago.
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: 6PAX]
#3146042 05/21/2306:34 PM05/21/2306:34 PM
The owner rode trail bikes so it was used for hauling those.
Seems strange that the whole story only surfaced a few years back. Hell, like Tony says, there were LEGENDS on Woodward yet no prior mention of this one !!
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: 5thAve]
#3146047 05/21/2306:57 PM05/21/2306:57 PM
So I have to ask.. when will the barrelcuda show up
Speaking of actual legends, in my area there was a mini tubbed but otherwise stock appearing laguna S3 with a 468 on a 300 shot, jaz buckets. White/beige, front runners were narrowed stock rims, car ran 10's. Johnny Laguna, would love to know what happened to that car. Middle 90's
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: Dart 500]
#3146073 05/21/2309:31 PM05/21/2309:31 PM
Back when these cars were just cars I routinely towed my dirt bikes to the motor sports park here with my 69 Superbee. It had the A35 HD trailer tow package and was rated to tow up to 4,000 lbs. and did so quite well.
77 Macho Power Wagon LWB factory 440
70 Coronet 440 N code 3 speed
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: 69superbee383]
#3146134 05/22/2310:04 AM05/22/2310:04 AM
Back when these cars were just cars I routinely towed my dirt bikes to the motor sports park here with my 69 Superbee. It had the A35 HD trailer tow package and was rated to tow up to 4,000 lbs. and did so quite well.
My dad towed a big Layton travel trailer with a '67 Chrysler back in the '70's.
'63 Dodge 330 11.19 @ 121 mph Pump gas, n/a, through the mufflers on street tires with 3.54's. 3,600 lbs. 10.01 @ 133mph with a 250 shot of nitrous an a splash of race gas. 1.36 60 ft. 3,700 lbs.
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: GY3]
#3146141 05/22/2310:48 AM05/22/2310:48 AM
I called it. Uncle Tony did Scooby-Doo the info on the black ghost sham.
What's the bigger scam?
The story of the black ghost or DrunkleTony telling everyone Bottle Rocket will get into the 10's?
'63 Dodge 330 11.19 @ 121 mph Pump gas, n/a, through the mufflers on street tires with 3.54's. 3,600 lbs. 10.01 @ 133mph with a 250 shot of nitrous an a splash of race gas. 1.36 60 ft. 3,700 lbs.
Re: Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
[Re: GY3]
#3146148 05/22/2311:19 AM05/22/2311:19 AM
With a million dollars difference at stake,the black ghost fairy tale gets the win on that one! There was a video of the kid driving the Challenger around and it was smoking li,e a downtown Detroit bus from 1970.
Every car of any significance is now going to be accompanied by a BS hype story to maximize their value on the block! I already started my BS story for my 70 V code Charger R/T so I can cash in big on my cars fictional history! My 70 Sixpack Charger R/T was once owned by Frank Sinatra and he raced it on the Vegas strip every Saturday night! He shut down Mean Dean Martin in his Shelby 500 KR,and gear slamming Sammy Davis Jr,in his COPO Camaro! Frank wanted to change the words to his song to I beat your ass my way after beating everyone on the strip! Anyone who talked about these street racing celebrities went swimming with the fishes with a 440 engine block chained around their necks,so that is why this story is not very well known! Whose next! Lol