Photo: Historic Vehicle Association
Allentown, PA — The Historic Vehicle Association has added two cars to its National Historic Vehicle Register as part of its ongoing work to document the country’s most historically significant cars, motorcycles, trucks and commercial vehicles.
Photo: Historic Vehicle Association
The first selection is a 1921 Duesenberg Straight Eight owned by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Ind. Featuring the first straight-eight engine in a passenger car, innovative hydraulic brakes, and an aluminum body by Bender, the Straight Eight laid the foundation for one of the most prolific and recognized automobile brands in American history. This car stayed with the Castle family for nearly 100 years until it was donated to the ACD Museum in late 2019.
The second is a 1970 Dodge Challenger RT S/E owned by Gregory Qualls of Detroit and known as the Black Ghost. Ordered new with loads of options by Godfrey Qualls, this unrestored Hemi Challenger was secretly street raced on the roads of Detroit and eventually passed down from father to son. It features a gator-grain top, a 4-speed transmission, Hurst shifter, an all-black color scheme, and a 425 hp Hemi V8 (among other styling and performance options) that make it a one of the most unique Dodge Challengers ever built. Watch the 39-minute video documentary about the Challenger.
Since beginning its collaboration with the U.S. Department of the Interior in March 2013, the HVA now lists 28 vehicles on its register. The project is the first of its kind to create a permanent archive of significant cars within the Library of Congress.
