As Dodge has left the gas-powered performance business in 2023, they bid farewell to the Challenger and Charger with a series of limited edition "Last Call" models that celebrate the iconic muscle car's history. The Demon 170 and Swinger are nods to the classic track-ready Darts of the '60s and '70s, while the King Daytona and Super Bee pay homage to the memorable classic Charger variants. Then, there is the Black Ghost, which isn't so much about Dodge history as it is, history made in a Dodge.

The 2023 Challenger Black Ghost honors a 1970 Challenger driven by legendary street racer, Godfrey Qualls. He didn't name the car Black Ghost, his opponents did, because he would blow their doors off and then disappear into the night like a Hemi-powered phantom. The mystery of this unbeatable Challenger only grew, because Qualls would disappear for weeks or months on end, only to show up again to smoke any who dared to line up against him. Then, he disappeared for good, with nobody knowing what happened to him or that amazing car.

Now that Dodge has honored the Black Ghost as one of their Last Call muscle cars, there is renewed interest in what became in essence an urban legend in the Detroit street racing scene. Godfrey Qualls was a real person who really did dominate the streets in a black '70 Challenger and his story is actually more interesting than the myth.

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The Legend Of The Black Ghost

The Wraith Of Woodward Ave.

Woodward Avenue runs 24 miles from Detroit to Pontiac and was the main cruising strip back in the 1960's. Lined with diners and drive-in theaters, it was also the main hang-out spot, especially for people with hot rods and cool rides. Naturally, when there are that many souped-up machines in one place the owners were going to want to compare them, and the most logical way was with a street race. Hagerty tells us that in the late '60s and into the '70s, Woodward Avenue was the center of Detroit's street racing scene and the heart of its car culture.

It was on Woodward, also known as Michigan 1, where in the spring of 1970 a black Challenger, that was loud as thunder, started showing up to destroy any and all takers. None of the local racers knew who was driving this unmatched Mopar, and it gave them an eerie vibe because after winning a race, it would vanish into the darkness. It didn't take long for locals to start referring to the mystery Challenger as the "Black Ghost."

Weekends would come and go with no sighting of the Black Ghost, and then it would suddenly appear with a roar to take money and pride from owners of lesser Camaros and Mustangs. For years, this car couldn't be beat and the real mystery is why people continued to line up against it, but egos often cloud the reality of a situation. As suddenly as it came, the black Challenger disappeared for good in 1975, becoming a ghost story hot rodders would tell around an open engine bay for decades.

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The Man Behind The Legend

Ghost Rider Godfrey Quall

On December 5, 1969, Detroit resident, Godfrey Qualls took delivery on a black 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE. It was just one of 22 equipped with a 426ci Hemi engine and a four-speed transmission. Qualls had ordered it with a plain black vinyl roof, but it mistakenly came with the gator skin pattern, which he wasn't in love with, but learned to live with. Making a few modifications, this factory Mopar would become the legendary Black Ghost.

Hot rodding began with the GIs returning from WWII, who took their mechanical know-how and daring spirit, turning it into a thrilling hobby. Street racing grew out of that and was perpetuated in large part by ex-military guys like Godfrey Quall. Drafted into the Vietnam War in 1964, Quall served with the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division, earning a Purple Heart after being wounded by a grenade.

In the mid-1970s, he joined the Army National Guard, where he earned a Green Beret with the Special Forces and served until 2002. This is the actual explanation for why the Black Ghost disappeared in 1975, and it's because Qualls was too busy on the weekends to race.

As for why the Black Ghost was an infrequent race participant, the explanation is as good of a twist as any M. Night Shyamalan ghost story. Godfrey Qualls was a Detroit Police motorcycle traffic enforcement officer. One of the most notorious street racers was also a traffic cop.

It has been speculated that Qualls wasn't out every weekend racing, because he knew when the cops were going to crack down. That, combined with the fact that he would have most certainly been fired if he was busted drag racing is probably why he was only out when he knew it was safe. By the way, he never got caught by either the cops or any of the other racers.

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Black Ghost Vs. Black Ghost

Legendary Match-up

Godfrey Quall's 1970 Challenger came with the 426ci and the four-speed, but it also had the Super Track Pack which added the Dana 60 rear differential with 4.10 gears and Sure-Grip. He made a few mods himself, pulling off the muffler, which is why it sounded like the world was coming to an end when he rolled up. Additionally, he put in an aftermarket ignition coil and took off the factory rear tires, replacing them with some sticky drag slicks.

According to the Dodge website, the 2023 Challenger Black Ghost Last Call model is an SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, which means it has a Supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 and an eight-speed automatic transmission. To make it a proper Black Ghost tribute car, Dodge added the Scat Pack bumblebee stripe on the back and recreated the gator skin roof that Qualls wasn't thrilled with. Curiously missing are the African flag decals on the fender.

Ghost Tales Of The Tape: Dodge Black Ghost Spec Comparison

In a theoretical match between the two Black Ghosts, clearly, the 2023 tribute car would win as it has nearly twice the horsepower of the original. Yes, Quall's modification probably added a few ponies to the Hemi, but not nearly enough to match a Hellcat. However, if this fictitious race were to feature 1970-era Godfrey Quall behind the wheel of the original and the 2023 tribute was being helmed by an over-privileged doofus who bought one as an investment, the OG Black Ghost would dominate.

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The Black Ghost Lives On

Where Are They Now?

Sadly, Godfret Qualls passed away in 2015, but as Dodge Garage reports, he did pass the Black Ghost on to his son, Gregory. After the Challenger sat in the family's garage for decades, having last been registered in 1976, Gregory brought it back to life to honor his legendary father. He kept it exactly as it was, except for removing the racing slicks for some era-correct tires. Amazingly, the car only had 45,544 miles on it, but then again it was originally used a quarter-mile at a time.

2023 Challenger Black Ghost Facts

• Black Ghost Last Call limited to 300 units
• The Black Ghost was six of seven Last Call Dodge muscle cars
• MSRP $103,010

Gregory recounted a story from his youth when his dad took him out in the Black Ghost. Godfrey slapped a 100-dollar bill on the dash and told his son if he could snatch it while he was launching off the line, he could keep it. Obviously, those Gs kept Gregory from a big payday, but that memory is priceless. The Black Ghost car however did have a price, selling at a Mecum auction for $975,000. The car may not be in the family any longer, but it's legacy lives on as both an addition to the National Historic Vehicle Registry and as a 2023 Dodge Last Call tribute.