5 days ago
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The sinister Charger muscle car claimed to be driven by Kurt Russell’s character Stuntman Mike in the 2007 Tarantino film has been listed on eBay, but there’s no evidence it’s the real deal.
A 1969 Dodge Charger has appeared on eBay in the United States at a premium price, with claims it was a stunt car driven by Kurt Russell in the 2007 Quentin Tarantino film Death Proof.
Initially advertised at $US49,900 ($AU76,000), the black Charger was dropped to $US44,000 ($AU67,100) but remains much higher priced than similarly rough-to-average condition 1969 examples due to its film pedigree, even though it’s missing its V8 engine and gearbox, and has no interior.
Ironically, the owner of the Death Proof Charger doesn’t have any proof the vehicle is from the action film, which saw Kurt Russell’s character Stuntman Mike drive a black Charger – a car that was ‘death proof’, which gave the motion picture its name.
While it’s the same model year as the Charger seen in the movie, including the same crash bar and roll-cage, The Drive reports there is no supporting documentation to certify the vehicle was driven in the old-school Tarantino flick.
There’s no title, said The Drive – which would show previous owners of the vehicle, thereby proving it was owned by the film studio or associated props/stunt departments –the advertiser offering only a bill of sale, essentially a basic receipt.
That puts the car’s $US50k ($AU76k) asking price under the spotlight, given 1969 Chargers have sold as low as $US1100 ($AU1700) – but can attract significantly more from collectors.
Considering the cost of adding an interior – and the expense of finding a suitable engine and transmission to get the black Dodge driving – it’s hardly a bargain compared to cleaner examples without film history.
A 1969 Dodge Charger project car – an unfinished build for the 2024 SEMA aftermarket show in Las Vegas – recently sold for $US58,000 ($AU88,400) in California, although it did include a modern 6.2-litre V8 ‘Hellcat’ petrol engine.
Now popular among American V8 muscle car fans, the Charger was introduced in 1966 with fastback styling similar to the Ford Mustang, with the second-generation Charger offered from 1968 to 1970.
Arguably the most famous on-screen Dodge Charger is the 1969 ‘General Lee’ from the 1979-1985 television series The Dukes of Hazzard.
One of 12 officially licensed promotional Chargers made for the television series – finished in the same livery – recently sold in the US for $167,500 ($AU255,250).
In 2024, Dodge revealed the first electric Charger, with the car maker phasing its V8 petrol engines in its performance models.
