Yahoo Autos Legendary 'Black Ghost' Dodge Challenger headed to Mecum auction
Street racing is dangerous and highly illegal, but some of the best automotive stories and icons came out of those scenes in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Unsurprisingly, many came from Detroit, and the car from one of the Motor City’s most entertaining stories is heading to auction. “Black Ghost,” the 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T SE (special edition) that dominated Detroit street racing in the 1970s, will cross the auction block at the Mecum Spring Classic in May.
This car is exceptional on its own, but the story and people behind it are what make it so remarkable. A Detroit police officer named Godfrey Qualls bought the car new in 1969 after a stint in the Army. He found success racing on some of Detroit’s most famous stretches of pavement, including Woodward Avenue. Qualls’ approach to racing is what earned the car’s Black Ghost nickname, as he would disappear for weeks or months after each race.
Qualls and Black Ghost continued their winning ways until 1975 when he parked the car and didn’t share much about his time behind the wheel. Qualls died in late 2015 but passed the car to his son before his death.
