1974 Dodge Charger 426 HEMI NASCAR Time Capsule.
When dodge unveiled the Charger as their intermediate car of 1966, its sleek body style looked racy with its sloped fastback design. Surprisingly, sales on the showroom floor proved sluggish. car buyers liked the redesign for 1968 as interest improved greatly for the second generation model. Dodge’s third version of the Charger hit the streets in 1971 and featured a more refined look reminiscent of its predecessors.
NASCAR’s premier Cup division was enjoying a steady rise in Popularity in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Race cars from that era were often passed down and rebuilt until they were no longer competitive, leaving them to quietly fade away. Some have survived, such as this 1974 Dodge Charger piloted by longtime stockcar racer Jim Vandiver.
The native of Huntersville, NC drove this car to victory in an ARCA race on May 3rd 1975 at Talladega Superspeedway.
To this day, it remains just as it was after finishing 20th in its final start in the Daytona 500 on February 20th 1977. After the cars only start of the season , it was transported from Daytona International Speedway and put into storage. In 2001, the car was on display at a local car dealership across from the Daytona Speedway as it came off the track.
43 years after its last race, nothing has been changed, reworked, recreated, or fitted in this time capsule, right down to the drivers water bottle that is still duct taped to the roll bar behind the seat. Under the hood resides its 426 Cu In NASCAR Hemi engine that was refreshed to NASCAR race specs by previous owner just before the legendary NASCAR Crew Chief and team owner Ray Evernham purchased the car in 2013. Since then it has remained in his collection and maintained, recently displayed at the Coca Cola 600 in Charlotte, NC and was also on exhibition at the Simeone Foundation automotive museum.
The car features an autograph from friend and fellow Driver Joe Frasson as well as etched in signatures of other 70’s era drivers Neil Castles, James Hylton, J.D. McDuffie, and engine builder Maurice Petty.
This piece of racing history is extremely well documented and was featured in the 1977 movie “Greased Lightning” as well as in an episode of Ray Evernhams show “AmeriCarna.”
Hearing this car in person will knock your socks off, this High Compression HEMI running on Vp110 fuel really “POPS!.” Once in a lifetime chance to own a piece of Mopar NASCAR history!
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More Pictures and FINANCING available on my website www.TucsonClassics.com Thanks! Anthony
