Transcript of The Black Ghost: Street Racing Legend - 1970 Dodge Challenger 426 Hemi Documentary
Hagerty Drivers Foundation
0:00[Music]0:04it was beating0:05everything best chevelle's 396 3750:08those were nothing for this car0:11this car was called the black ghost on0:13the west side of detroit he would come0:15out0:15win a lot of races and then disappear it0:17was the luncheon0:30this is a very rare car made in 19700:32only it's one of 220:34four-speed hemi challenger rtscs but to0:37be0:37triple black with a gator green the best0:39options you could get0:41it's the all-time0:46cars set up for racing chrysler was0:48ahead of their time the quality and0:49their drive trains like that helped me0:51you just can't beat it to this day0:56my dad's always been a type of person0:57that he likes the best0:59he knew he wanted the baddest and he1:02ordered it1:02this car was the king on the street in1:05those days1:06nobody really knew who owned it he would1:07just cruise up and down and guys would1:09pull up to you and if you beat the guy1:11first second third to the next light you1:13were the winner but godfrey never stops1:16we talked to so many people that heard1:18about the mystery car1:19all these wonderful stories that's when1:21i figured out i need to know1:23what's special about this car1:31my dad got free qualls was born in 19421:35and he was raised in nashville tennessee1:37their family1:38moved up to detroit for the automotive1:40jobs during that time1:42we met we wanted about 12 or 13 young1:45kids together we would ride our bikes1:47over to bell island and fish we shared a1:50lot of the common interest1:52i was in the model trains garfield was1:54in tomorrow trains freeway1:56everything we did was racing okay i had1:59lionel he had american flyer2:00okay it's just everything it was always2:03competitive2:04but it wasn't the situation where guys2:06get competitive want to fight with one2:08another2:08our competitor was okay well i'll get2:11you the next time2:12i would say he and i was as close as2:14brothers could get and we were still in2:16high school at this time2:18we lived in an area where there was a2:20lot of drugs2:21well there was a lot of crime but none2:24of us did that2:25we were local kids didn't get into2:27trouble but we got into2:29racing over track racing and drag racing2:34we had a special spot in detroit where2:37we would race and the police didn't2:38bother us2:39it was just drag races on woodward they2:42would run light to light and then2:43sometimes they would take it to the back2:45streets2:46and that's when they took it real2:48serious2:50a full quarter mile race2:56our street that i grew up on on the far2:58west side of detroit they come by your3:00house and do a burnout i was like3:01calling you out3:03and they all go down the street me and3:04the kids in the neighborhood we'd drive3:06our schwins and run down there3:08and watch them drag race like two in the3:10morning3:11it was a way of releasing is a way of3:15entertainment it was a way to see what3:17the car3:18could really do3:26garfield is a good guy in that he wore a3:29lot of hats3:29well as a soldier you know he was in the3:3182nd airborne3:33i was drafted but i was ready because i3:36did three years of3:37high school rotc it was a challenge3:39between 1964 and 19663:43he served in the dominican republic the3:45u.s government went down into3:47curb with some kind of uprising and so3:49forth earlier today3:51i ordered 2 000 extra men to proceed3:55immediately3:56to the dominican republic i was all over3:58dominic republic i mean it was a4:00beautiful island4:01i just took on the responsibility as a4:03soldier4:04and i just made things work out you know4:06as best4:07as i could i was shot at4:11many times as a matter of fact uh we4:13were attacked by4:15an old airplane old p-38 and uh my4:18buddies and i4:18had to run through a fence to get out4:21the way from bullocks4:22one time they were at a safe zone it was4:24supposed to be in safe zone4:25someone threw a hand grenade at us it4:28exploded and i was wounded4:30and so was one of my buddies he still4:31has fragmentation in his body from the4:34grenade that's what he got the purple4:35heart for4:36he was a paratrooper by the way he loved4:39jumping out of planes4:40as a matter of fact it was an addiction4:42i love my job he's probably had over 3004:45jumps4:45he's one of the very few people that can4:47actually do a jump and do a standing4:49landing4:49i had a good time they took care of me i4:52was dedicated to them4:53i really wanted to stay in i changed my4:56mind and said hey i haven't been home in4:57a while4:58good old detroit i'm gonna go home and5:00see my family i5:01learned a lot in the military it helped5:03me become a5:04fan rounded young man as a matter of5:08fact it even helped me5:10become a better police officer5:13in the police department he was in5:15traffic enforcement5:17so his day-to-day was writing tickets he5:19wouldn't write tickets for five over5:21he'd write tickets for 20 over he wasn't5:23like a lot of cops5:25at that time we had the big four and5:27they would pull you in the car and want5:28to beat you up and all that5:29he wasn't like that not only that he5:32wasn't an5:33officer in the car he rode the5:34motorcycle and kids were infatuated5:38he was a motorcycle cop coming around5:40and he was the kind of guy that5:41took interest in the kids in the5:43neighborhood raising them right and5:44being a policeman he got a lot of5:47respect5:48my dad's a very good judge character he5:50has to be when you pull people over5:52it's the way you talk to people he would5:55get to know you you didn't want enemies5:56in the street5:57he's what i would say the definition of5:59community policing out of6:01the 37 years as being a police officer6:04he only drew his weapon once you just6:06have to use a lot of discretion about6:07things6:08you have to be fair and you have to be6:10honest and you have to make good6:11judgments that was the good part about6:13it6:15the new ford mustang for the new breed6:18of americans who want the elegance of a6:20european touring car6:21until now have to settle for basic6:24transportation6:25these young people nowadays they've got6:27their own music6:28their own way of looking at things6:30they've got their own car6:31too camaro by chevrolet chrysler wanted6:35to be6:35the number one automaker they wanted6:37that pony car to compete with the camaro6:40and the mustang they had the chargers6:42the road runners the gtx those were full6:45almost 18 foot long bee bodies and they6:48had the6:4869 dart barracudas but it was a little6:51heavy in the front end they didn't6:52really have the pony car6:54they wanted so that's when they came in6:56with the challenger and the cuda from6:581970.6:59the new performance champ cuda the7:02all-new7:03sports compact the dodge challenger the7:06june 69 chrysler magazine cover7:09was a model sitting on the challenger7:12and that says7:12coming the new dodge challenger but they7:15had it blacked out because they didn't7:16want you to see it before the actual7:18release date7:19and there was rumors when they were7:20being built in hamtramck but they didn't7:22release it until late of 69.7:24take the challenger i've seen how the7:26young people take the style like this7:28and this one has it for them they had7:30the best advertising they were just7:32very creative what's wrong officer why7:34electricity orders let them die at 147:36operating rates in top vehicles and try7:38to stay the limit oh i said this is the7:39new dodge challenger rt7:41it's not a racer i got tires there boy7:43optional polyglass gts7:45razor tires put that doohickey in that7:47boy well that's a new optional slapstick7:49racing shift7:50if you can handle the way people react7:52to your 1970 dodge challenger7:54you could be dodge material chrysler for7:57the 707:58they came out with all these crazy8:00colors plum crazy8:02go mango hemi orange sublime they had8:05panther pink8:06for about three months and then one of8:08the executives upstairs found out they8:10were building pink cars8:11oh no we are not building bean cars at8:13chrysler corporation8:14so they kill the paint8:18it was a great success the challenger in8:20the cuda was the pony car that they8:22really needed8:23in the pony car class the mall mustang8:26and cream camaro straight race and they8:29were the king8:30the body was the king ford still has8:33their same old problem8:35they keep building turkeys with big8:36displacements and the word is around8:39they sold quite a few challengers you8:41could go in there and order8:42whatever you wanted not too many guys8:45just checked off the boxes godfrey did8:48that is one very unique individual and8:50car8:51when he bought the car he was 27. he's8:53just that type of person8:54where you know i want these certain8:56things and8:58i'm going to get what i want chrysler9:00one of their problems9:01was they had too many options but to9:03this day9:04this is what makes them worth more than9:06most of the other muscle cars9:093.5 billion world record9:13muscle car everything they did was just9:15ahead of their time9:16the hemi is the only real racing engine9:19in all of detroit that you can dial up9:21from your corner dealer9:23with relative ease you can't just tick9:25off a boss 429 on a ford order form and9:27expect to get it9:28having that hemi that was a big thing to9:30him because that was the top engine you9:32could have that was the best of the best9:34during that time9:35you know 425 horsepower engine like who9:37had that9:38very few people rio and the mopar you9:40were kind of unique because they didn't9:41build a whole lot of them9:42that was the only enemy that we really9:44knew of in detroit at that time9:46there was race henry's but not on the9:48street the golden commando and lane two9:50moved first henry cars were the ones to9:52beat thornton wins9:53with a top end speed of 128.209:56chrysler came out with the hemi back in9:58the early 50s the combustion chamber is10:00hemispherical in shape10:02the result is the ability of the engine10:04to inhale10:05the maximum amount of fuel and air10:07mixture and exhale the exhaust gases10:09in the shortest possible time they10:11always had the hemi motor10:13the 331 the 354 the 392 and they only10:16made two years that was10:18the baddest of them all to this day all10:20your top fuel funny cars and direct10:22it's the same motor that makes this much10:25power they're making 12 to 15 00010:26horsepower today10:27gm's president back in the mid 60s put a10:30400 cubic inch limit on their cars10:32except for the corvette he was10:34old school we're not going to corrupt10:36youth we're not going to put them in10:37vehicles with big motors you know10:39which really hurt them chrysler had10:42there was no holds bart10:43we want the biggest baddest motor we can10:45build10:47they had the hemi design already as far10:50as they had but to make one durable for10:52what they wanted10:53they really started from scratch10:56other young engine development guys were10:59racers11:00drag racers the ram chargers they11:02started in the late 50s11:03strickler doesn't have a chance this11:05time against the engineer from detroit11:08highland park in their headquarters they11:10would drag race on the back lots11:12a great group of guys tom hoover al11:15nichols who was had a carburation they11:17were all11:18young guys at heart their philosophy was11:21when on sunday dodge is the top stock11:24car at the nationals11:25sell on monday they spent over a million11:27dollars developing that motor in 63 and11:29four11:30which today would be crazy money the11:33hemi11:34was race only drag or nascar there was11:36so much public reaction11:39that they were going to release a hemi11:40to the public in 66.11:42hold your hat a street version of the11:44hottest engine on the stock car circuit11:46the 426 cubic inch hemi they made it11:49available in any of the bee bodies in 6611:52and you can get it in a convertible11:53which are very very rare they were an11:55expensive car it was like11:57almost eight hundred dollars over cost11:59with all the suspension and everything12:01so you had to have a decent job to12:03afford one12:06it escalated every year the hemi pushed12:09the other automakers to catch up12:11with wins that's how far chrysler was12:14ahead they had the best drive trains12:16and they had the lightest cars there was12:18like a match you could not duplicate in12:20any era12:22anybody bought a hemi car knew what it12:24was and12:25they were out to race on the weekends12:26friday and saturday night see we used to12:28go to drag racing all the time12:30he knew about racing like i did so when12:33he ordered it it was no12:35guessing the 410 were ran the heavy duty12:38springs the bump stop12:40all that was ordered with that car all12:42these big mopar collectors12:44they would kill to be able to go the12:46dealer and order this car12:48and he had the foresight i think he's12:50one of the smartest guys to ever order a12:52hemi car12:54he had to have a four-speed because12:55that's the way he was you know he likes12:57the color black he wants that all black12:59chrysler didn't actually build very many13:02black cars if you see a real black13:03muscle car13:05it was ordered triple black is very rare13:08animal player when he ordered it13:09originally he's supposed to have a black13:11vinyl top with a shaker hood so i think13:14something happened with his order13:16they screwed up royally on it he saw the13:18gator grain was like13:20he loved it and he didn't love it all at13:22the same time13:23he didn't like the top to be honest i13:26said uh13:27so what and the cars got everything else13:29don't worry about the top13:30and sure enough that's what makes the13:32car unique and he likes13:34little luxury so he wanted the sc13:37options that he checked you wanted the13:38finer details on the car and that nicer13:40trim package13:41the seat package is phenomenal you got13:43all the chrome moldings13:45the trim and the lower balance below the13:47bumper13:48on top of the door the belt line all13:50that stuff and the overhead council13:52you got the small back window you know13:55they hit a fiberglass13:56plug he checked off rear defogger13:59white bumblebee stripe the houndstooth14:02interior14:02he got the her shifter he wanted to pop14:05up nascar style gas cap too14:07and he ordered the very rare locking gas14:09cap14:10wow even that right side mirror you know14:12that's a rare option14:13yeah because they only come with the one14:15left side and he wanted the hood pins he14:17didn't want the hood to fly up at a14:19over 100 mile an hour and am fm14:23because we had one good radio station in14:26detroit wavx14:2999 fm real rock radio14:32constantly wabx and they played a whole14:36side of albums so he wanted am fm for14:39that14:40[Music]14:41i would have loved to have been there14:43with that salesman and he's just14:45checking this14:46this i want this i want this the night14:48he got it14:49he said hey kurt come on over here i got14:51something to show he didn't tell me he14:52got the car14:54and i was really surprised you know it14:56was on a cold night14:58but i said hey let's wait the weather's15:00gonna warm up15:01we'll see what the big boy can do it15:03came to life when may15:05and june come that car was a terror on15:07the street15:08that car made a name for herself15:12[Music]15:27[Applause]15:30[Music]15:32[Applause]15:40we knew we had a dominant car this car15:43had power chrysler rated at 42515:46horsepower actual dyno power on this car15:49was 470 horsepower15:51it would appear on woodward he'd make15:53some passes15:55and then you wouldn't see the car again15:56for a month or two they called it the15:58black coast16:06that just traveled all around everybody16:08knew the car existed but nobody hardly16:10saw it16:10they heard oh yeah i got beat by that16:12black heavy challenger16:17our neighbor they bought a 427 corvette16:20aluminum head motor16:21and then they stepped it in this random16:23camaro strictly16:25to be the fastest king on woodward and16:27look for the baddest hemi car16:29that they heard of which was the black16:31ghost16:31[Music]16:35on the summertime we would race cars16:38that was it16:41yeah he knew how to drive it that's for16:43sure gq the street racer i don't know16:45much about that16:46um my dad kind of didn't tell me about16:49that part but16:51from what i know you go to the street16:52called stucker16:55stucco is a street in detroit the police16:58didn't bother you because it was an17:00industrial area there were no houses17:03no cross street and we had a full17:05quarter mile and stopping area17:07we had it all marked off we had a flag17:09man and everything we17:10raced together with that car i'm on the17:13passenger seat17:14he's driving he wanted to show that he17:16was the baddest cat around17:18okay and i was his sidekick we had a17:21gentleman from17:22west bloomfield that had a vet was17:25terrorizing everybody17:26i said gospel we cannot play around with17:29this guy17:29this guy's got as much power as you do17:32and he's lighter17:34i said the thing that you got over him17:35is the 41017:37ring a 410 axle digs out faster than a17:4032317:41because you get more engine turns you17:43get them off the line17:44it's a done deal and that's when we put17:46the slicks on because i used to race too17:48i said we're gonna put the slicks on17:49this car17:50so we won't be spinning and he spinning17:53when the flagman dropped their hand17:55was gone we were gone i said gosh we17:58shift this car when i hollered and i was18:01telling him shift man18:02shift ship this car we won it the guy18:06with the corvette and actually wanted to18:07come back and they raced another time18:09boom he pulled out the hole again beat18:11him again we hollered and screamed yes18:13yes18:14yes we were just excited jubilation is18:17flowing out of us you know what i mean18:18two little boys from each side of18:20detroit18:20beat the rich guy so it was a good18:23feeling i mean we were hollering and18:25screaming18:25and everybody was happy for us18:29that car it was like a second home to me18:33requires discipline you got to work on18:35that car that becomes18:37your main interest that keeps you out of18:39trouble18:40it also makes your mind sharp because18:43you got to think18:44about what you're doing well if i do18:46this will it make it faster18:48or will it slower so it's a thinking18:50man's game too18:52and that's the thing i liked about18:54godfrey he would think about things18:56and we'd talk about it i don't think18:58that caravan lost the street race19:00i think he liked the thrill you know you19:02could imagine a man jumping out of19:04airplanes and getting a rush and now he19:08buys this19:08hemi challenger and then he's having19:10another rush so he's simulating19:12basically you know what he was doing in19:14the military19:14he always had a wild side to him you19:17know you do things as a young man19:19i'm pretty sure it wasn't legal at all19:21i'm pretty sure it's very19:22illegal19:27as a kid my first memory was when i was19:29sitting in the kitchen eating dinner and19:30my dad to start the car up and shake the19:32whole house19:33and be rumbling like it was pretty19:36amazing it's like wow19:37what is that i remember when he put me19:40in the passenger seat then you take a19:42little piece of tape19:44and then take 100 bill on the dash he19:46says you have to wait when i go19:48if you can reach that hundred dollar19:49bill then it's all yours19:51so he said go and i went to go grab it i19:53was in motion i was just like19:55just put you in the back of the seat i19:57couldn't get it and i was scared that's19:59that's what i do remember20:00i would ride my bike and as a kid you20:02know you don't care you're just throwing20:03your bike in the garage and then20:05put it right next to the car and when20:06the bike falls over and hits the car20:08you're like20:11oops and you hope your dad didn't see it20:15i really wish thinking about that time20:17that i didn't do that20:19but you know things happen and it's part20:21of the car's20:22story and history now20:24[Music]20:26i had a very good relationship with my20:28father i mean i probably had the best20:30relationship20:31a son could have with his father he20:33supported me in a lot of the things that20:34i did20:35i used to race rc cars he helped me tune20:38the car and set the motor20:39he spotted the car for me i used to win20:42a lot of races and he cheered me on20:44and i used to lose a lot of races but he20:45just tell me he says you know what don't20:47worry about it20:48you know just get back on track we had a20:50lot of good times together20:53my mom drove the car that was kind of20:55cool thing that your mom driving a hemi20:56car you know20:57yeah not too many guys couldn't say that21:01he used it right up i mean he put 45 00021:04miles on it21:06he put a trailer hitch on a hemi car21:08like who go figure right21:10he did that because he loved the ride21:12bikes oh he loved21:14bikes just as much as he loves the car i21:16asked him if he would go camping he goes21:18no21:19i'm on my motorcycles21:23in um 77 i went back into the army and i21:27went into the special forces group21:29and uh i got my green beret i became a21:31green beret for older guy to go back21:33into the military that's why he always21:35say had to show these young boys how to21:36do it21:40my dad you know he was on the 82nd21:42airborne after he did that he went back21:44in so he calls himself the zulu warrior21:47so that's what those stickers are for on21:49both sides21:51[Music]21:54during the 80s and 90s the current just21:56basically sat in the garage21:57it just sat and sat and22:00sat there was other things that were22:03more important and that was his family22:05just life took over the car disappeared22:09just completely disappeared he put the22:12car in the garage in blocks22:13and nobody knew where the car went they22:15all thought it was wrecked or something22:17it meant a whole world to him because it22:20was something that he had22:22that no one else had and when it come22:25time to sell22:26it was the sentimental value he couldn't22:28let it go one gentleman came from canada22:31with cash and he offered him i think at22:34that time22:3485 000 i said why didn't you take he22:38said nah22:38no it's a part of me it was a part of22:41him22:43i never saw this car until 1980 and that22:46was by a fluke22:47there was a guy on the east side we'd22:50swap parts22:50his name was steve petrovic i was over22:53there it was like22:54saturday around 1 30 in the afternoon22:56and22:57godfrey had just come over he was trying23:00to get his23:01challenger running and steve in his23:04yugoslavian accent these this dude he23:08raised on the street him he don't have23:10any good23:11i'm well known for a lot of rare hemi23:13cars so i said yeah i'll take a look at23:15what you got he never really said23:16nothing23:17he just said i got a 70 hemi challenger23:19but it's been parked23:20i'd like to get a run and start driving23:22again so when we went over there23:24you know this is a one and a half car23:27garage non-insulated he had locks on it23:30he opened up the door and he had the car23:32kind of covered up except for the hood23:34the first thing i seen was a brand new23:36nos23:37shaker hood up against the wall in the23:38right corner the ultimate23:41option the shaker hood and i said oh you23:44bought that to put on the car after he23:45ordered it he goes23:46no well my dad originally ordered the23:48car it was supposed23:50to have to shake her hood the 426 hemi23:52available on challenger rt23:54sews this shaker hood the shaker hood's23:56a special hood23:58so that the top of the engine can stick24:00up above the hood24:01and as the engine's running you could24:03see it shake and allows fresh air to24:05come into the engine to give you a24:07little bit more power24:08strangers will tell me hey you're dead24:10that's supposed to be a shaker car24:11and he never got to shake i'm like what24:13really24:14the dealership salesman told me if you24:17want a shaker hood go order a24:19cuda the salesman really made him mad24:21that's why he went after me when he sued24:23him right24:24yeah that's that sounds like my dad24:26that's that's how he looks24:28he was quiet until he was a man i think24:30when he won that shaker hood24:33the judge said the dealership he bought24:35it from has to put it on the car for you24:37know that's part of his deal24:39but he said i'll never i'll never leave24:41it at the dealership because he knew24:43the porters would be out on the back24:45streets tearing the heck out of his car24:47while they were doing it24:48so that's why he never put the hood on24:50they didn't make it available until24:52after he24:52successfully sued him so april 15th of24:557024:56they sent a memo to dealers the shaker24:58hood is now available24:59this car has significance to any25:02chrysler enthusiast25:03the challenger shaker hood became25:05available in late of 70 was because of25:06godfrey in this car25:08the first thing i said i said how much25:10you want for the shaker25:12he goes nope i can't sell it he goes it25:14goes to my car25:15and i said okay let's let's see what you25:17got and then when he25:18took the blankets off the top and i seen25:20the gator grain25:22the sc package i about had a heart25:25attack you know i was like25:27wow i just said where did you get this25:30girl he goes i special ordered it this25:32is my baby he said i used to go up on25:34woodward25:35once in a while and i'd run a few guys25:38and then i'd come home25:39it's all sinking in that this is the25:41ghost this is the legend25:43and here i am looking at it everybody on25:46the west side25:47east side to this day they're still25:49talking about this car25:51it was just phenomenal that after all25:53these years25:54here is the black ghost you know25:59i couldn't get it running it was getting26:01no spark so as soon as i opened up the26:04gas cap i could smell the gas was bad so26:06i said well we can't use that you're26:07gonna have full tank26:09and we're going to have to clean it or26:10maybe get a new tank and sending unit26:12but instead i said we can just run a26:15rubber hose26:16into a gas can off the fuel pump but26:18when i took the distributor cap off26:20it was all corroded bad from sitting in26:22this garage26:23i said well godfrey i'll take the26:26distributor home26:27i'll clean it i'll set the dual points i26:29made a special26:30tool to prime the oil pump with the26:33distributor out26:34and then the sunday i went back over and26:37it fired right26:38up once we put a gas can primed it26:41that car fired up like it was just said26:43a week ago i mean it26:45ran phenomenally the look on his face26:48i'd never seen26:48such a smile he was like my baby lives26:53i stayed in touch with him for quite a26:54few years but i was still living in26:56detroit26:57last time i talked to him was 1990 but27:00he27:00never drove the car after that sunday we27:03had it running27:07when we first had gregory my son my dad27:10was very excited he was very proud of us27:12during that time i needed a babysitter27:15so we would drop little gregory off to27:17my dad27:17and he would hang with them all day long27:20my dad would take him27:21everywhere he went he called him his27:22little road dog because he's always27:24hanging with them27:25it was a good moment for me now my son27:27gets the chance to27:28spend time with my dad like i did27:33one time in around 201427:36he called me over say son when should27:38come over and have a beer with me27:40he says okay we're going to go in the27:41garage and i said okay dad we're going27:43to garage27:44we want to talk about something he27:45starts uncovering the car27:47he didn't really say much and i looked27:49at it and i said wow you know it's a27:50nice car the more i start looking at the27:52car the more interest27:53i start building in the car and i said27:55you know what dad this car's so dusty27:57let's just clean it up and we did that27:59together and we just wiped down the car28:01and it was pretty good experience you28:03know28:05i didn't know at that time i think he28:07was trying to tell me that he was sick28:09he had prostate cancer he had it in 200828:13then he had the surgery and it went to28:16remission28:17so we thought you know i'm thinking no28:18my dad's gonna be around for a while the28:20doctor said he was you know i'm thinking28:22okay you got over that yay and it came28:25back28:26and uh it metastasized into bone cancer28:31and then you know things start going28:32downhill from there28:34i went to go visit my dad in the28:36hospital it was around december 21st28:39he said son i'm going to draw you a map28:42because it's hard for me to explain and28:44i want you to go28:45follow this map and get the envelope28:48from me and i want you to bring it up28:50to the hospital tomorrow the next day i28:53go back28:54to the house and i follow his little map28:56and i found his envelope so i get to the28:58hospital28:59and he opens up the envelope and it's29:01all the paperwork for the car29:04and he just signed the title right there29:07and gave me the title29:10it almost put me in tears because i29:12never wanted the car that way29:14as he hands me the title to the car he29:17says don't give my29:18car away that's exactly how he said it29:22that's what he said29:26my dad passed christmas eve in 2015.29:32i knew he wanted the funeral to be small29:34i said there's no way29:35because he touched so many people's29:37lives and29:38we had so many people there just to say29:41thank you he did this for me he did that29:43for me he'll put take his shirt off and29:45give it to you that's the type of person29:46he was29:48his spirit that's what i miss the most29:51you know29:52that you know yeah we can do it you know29:55he's my hero to me29:56[Music]30:02and the only problem with it30:08think about them sometimes they i miss30:11them30:14when i met him he used to tell me you30:16had this car and it was just in a garage30:18covered with blankets and other stuff on30:21it and30:22there's this car but then after he30:24passed maybe30:25two or three months then we start30:27getting calls30:28i'm sorry about your dad but does he30:30still have that car he knew30:31it was a special car and he kept it all30:34these years30:35but why people kept calling about this30:38car30:39later i realized that he had all these30:41parts in the back trunk of the car30:44and they were to restore the car that's30:46when i kind of knew30:47that he wanted to show this car i felt30:49you know what30:51i had to take this thing to car show i30:52mean i have to you know i30:54brought it home and i was on a mission30:55to get it running a few people30:57like my appraisers and stuff were30:59looking at it and says well you know i31:00don't know if this thing's gonna run31:02you don't have to get the car restored31:04and when you're hearing all these things31:05and you're just thinking like wow like a31:07lot of money and31:08you know a lot of negativity that31:11couldn't stop was like an addiction31:13you know we didn't want to go into the31:15engine too much31:16because we were afraid of what would31:19happen31:20we start turning bolts and they break on31:21us and then i thought about it i said31:23well31:24let's keep the car as original as31:26possible for right now31:28until we get a chance to talk to a few31:30people and see what's the best course of31:32action you know what should i do31:36i figured all these years you know31:38somebody got it but31:39i've never seen the car pop up until31:41about four years ago31:43and a guy that i grew up with in detroit31:46calls me up31:47wanting a hemi dual point distributor31:50for a 70 challenger31:52i said mike what do you need uh you need31:54a heavy-duty 0.4 he goes31:57i work for this guy and he's got a32:00little hot rod shop32:01in detroit and they're trying to get32:03this 70 challenger hemi car going32:06i says in detroit he goes yeah i said is32:09this a triple black32:10rtse gator grain 45 000 original miles32:14four-speed houndstooth loaded he was32:17like32:17quiet for a minute he was yeah32:20how do you know i says i know the owner32:23i know the owner32:24i said give him my phone number and have32:26him call me32:27he goes well i'm sad to say that he32:30passed away32:31his son has it and they wanted to get it32:33running i says32:34tell him please let me see the car32:36before they touch it32:38this car is very rare and original32:41so it took about a week and a half for32:43them to warm up to me but32:45when mike told them i knew the car and i32:47knew his dad32:48you know i got reacquainted with the32:50black ghost32:53now i know how the smile he had ah32:57i was like no i'm getting goose bumps33:00this is it to me this car is the coolest33:02car that i've33:03ever been associated with and had the33:06luck to work on it33:07so we put fresh plugs in it fresh wires33:11and now it's time the moment of truth33:13will it start up33:14it's been sitting for 37 years we'll see33:17what happens33:18all right probably the first three or33:19four tries they didn't want to start33:24he had nothing this is like oh33:30but as my dad always say never give up33:32okay we gotta try another time33:34this is our what fifth time and33:36eventually33:37we turn the key and it started right up33:41[Music]33:46and it was just like wow it was kind of33:49a big33:50rush and i'm like yeah so now we gotta33:52keep it running33:53next step from there when we start doing33:56other things like the brakes that took33:58another33:58couple months we had to replace all the34:00rubber i mean it was just deteriorating34:03that car was my life for a year34:07the whole year when the car was able to34:10come out of the garage for the first34:12time34:12on its own power that was a sight oh34:16yeah that was34:16that was the moment34:26that was just like yes dad i did it you34:28know34:30but we did it34:34we got it on the road for the first time34:36i said greggy come on get in the car34:38we'll take it for a spin34:39arrive hello we're in the 1970s dodge34:43heavy34:45challenges34:49you just have a good old time you spend34:50like 30 minutes out on the road doing34:5225 miles an hour you know cruising34:55yeah i just love the way the car drives34:58you know it's kind of unique it's34:59different35:00i feel connected to it when i'm actually35:02driving and shifting35:03every time i actually get in the car and35:06drive it35:07i can feel my dad's presence and the35:08spirit there35:13my actual first big event was at mccakin35:16at the muscle car corvette nationals in35:18chicago35:19it made me feel good it made me feel35:21proud my wife35:23my daughter gregory and i we all go out35:26and we just have a good old time we took35:28this to the autorama35:30and a lot of people came said that is35:32that such a such car and is that chica35:35where's godfrey at35:36i saw i'm sorry but he passed like why35:39and i had35:39he was off somewhere i had to call him35:41back said this guy knows and get more35:43just to get the story35:45it was just amazing i found out about35:47the street racing35:48people come up to me and says yeah you35:50know i've seen that car35:52i know that this car is a legend that's35:55a myth and i'm like what35:56yeah your dad used to race down the35:58alleys of detroit35:59that's when we figured it out and36:02started investigating ourselves and then36:03he got in touch with other family36:05members and36:05like he did what and he was like no he36:08couldn't i said who would make up36:10stories like that that36:12he used to drag race put slicks on and36:14take off36:15as a cop i started doing research on the36:17car and started studying the facts36:19i became a car guy every time we take36:21the car out36:22it's always an interest all black hemi36:25car with a gator green top36:27a lot of people haven't seen a car with36:28the top like that36:30i want it to be a survivor car like you36:32know because that's what it is36:33it's only original watch right it's36:36still unrestored36:38and it still runs great it's never been36:40touched36:41it still has the original valve cover36:43gaskets the intake motor's never been36:45apart never been out of the car36:47[Music]36:52to see that car for me it brought back a36:54lot of memories36:56that i didn't even think about happy36:58once yeah man like i said man that's37:0150 years ago i mean you know way back37:03man waiting37:06hey37:08with coffee and his son it's very37:11touching to me too because i've seen it37:14from day one it's a good feeling37:18so there was one army man in the car and37:20my dad basically had that because of the37:21military37:23and so my son saw that and said hey you37:25know that's gq37:27so then he goes back in the house and he37:29finds two little army men and then he37:31says you know what these belong with the37:32car37:32and then he sticks them in the car and37:34then my son says that's gq37:37you dad and me37:40he's carrying on his father's legacy and37:43he could have sold it too37:44my plans is to keep the car so go down37:46to a third generation37:48it's awesome i like taking rides in it37:51how does this guy make you feel me again37:56like jq38:00you know it's something about that car38:03that they hold on to38:10i think my dad be proud i think he'd be38:12smiling down almost38:14from cheek to cheek38:51[Music]39:14you
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