Black Ghost - Hemi Challenger

[tom M]

i have always thought of this guy as a backyard hack,but he makes some sense here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...JxDdbwNSZwBmwg

[DW31S]

I know a stock ‘70 Hemi Challenger in 1970 couldn’t hang with the Silver Bullet or that Gapp & Roush Mustang in 1975. Could Pennington’s Corvette today through exhaust manifolds? Yes Indeed. Could a 1970 Stock Hemi anything through exhaust manifolds in 1970. No way. Hell, the SS/EA Hemi SuperBird Chrysler built for Jack Werst to beat Ray Allen’s Briggs Chevelle couldn’t run with the Silver Bullet. There were some damn fast street cars back then, and if that Black Ghost car is currently how it was in the 1970s, this guy is probably on to something. Wanna talk about another fast street car from that era, look up the “Mutt Brothers”….that Challenger wasn’t in the same league.

[1971ls6]

He is right on the money!

The latest thing on the Detroit streets is that he turned down 1.5 million a week before the auction

[GotGrunt]

I never heard of the car until it was publicized by hagerty & dodge a few years ago. Although the back story might be true, I highly doubt a bone stock hemi challenger “dominated Detroit street racing” as the hagerty headline said.

https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/...street-racing/

[cook_dw]

“He also vows to keep the car in the family and someday pass it on to his own son.“


So much for passing down to his own son.

[LT1vette]

Originally Posted by tom M

i have always thought of this guy as a backyard hack,but he makes some sense here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...JxDdbwNSZwBmwg

He DOES look, talk, like a hack for sure. But apparently he was on a Mopar magazine payroll, I never googled it.
He has some legit points, long winded for sure. But the car "appears" on the scene in the last 12-18 months(?). No mention of it with the Legendary "back door" cars when you see a write up about them. "Got my doors blown off by a black Challenger the other night, never seen the car before!"

Never saw it mentioned in a Royal Pontiac story, a Roush story......

[Lee Stewart]

Did the original owner order the car as we see it today? A Gator Grain vinyl top on a Hemi is super rare.

The Silver Bullet ran an A990 Super Stock Hemi which put out around 750 horsepower. The same engine that powered the 1968 Darts and Barracudas to 10 second quarter miles.

[EZ Nova]

Thanks Lee, never knew or thought about my much-love '68 Hemi cars being a A990. I know a few guys from the streets in D in the mid 90's till now. No one ever mentioned this BLACK Challenger.

I think this car could very well be defeated, but not as a big streetracer? Maybe the minor leagues but not with the hitters back then. A Motion ANYTHING car, Mr.s Norms stuff, Nicky/Dana cars would have killed this even if it was worked on some.

I have a friend, that raced his 1969 4sp L78 Nova he bought new in 69. Headers, recurved dist, slicks with 4.10's, the car ran 11's. Ain't no was that hemi would run do his Nova with it's stock motor/manifolds. I "could" see tuned and preped to a mid 12 ot even a low 12. But no way would it run with cars like that.

NOt sure IF the MAX WEDGE BROTHERS were runnin there stuff back then either, I don't think they had there hitter at the time, think they were a bit after.

[GrumpyJeff]

I'm Sure late at night it whooped up on it's share unsuspecting Stock Muscle. So it may of had a known reputation? But a Street Racing Legend in Detroit in that time frame ? As someone else said "Minor league threat on the streets of some Very Heavy Hitters ... Cool car & owners Story tho

[70 copo]

Uncle Tony is spot on. That car is fantastic in its own right, but there is a very simple way to find out... spin it down the quarter mile and see what she runs. If the trick mods are there you will be able to tell pretty quick right?

That is the point of the video and on the numbers He is correct.

So if the car doesn't somehow crack into the 10's then I would agree that the hobby is being played by another hoax.