That’s pretty rad.
Photography courtesy Kruse Auctions
Homologation specials aren’t just for rally cars, as there was a time when NASCAR also had homologation rules–which is how we got some unique pieces of American iron like this Dodge Magnum XE.
Built for just two years, the XE was specifically designed with oval racing in mind (and in the hopes of keeping Richard Petty in a Mopar race car).
Powered by a 318 cubic-inch V8 mated to a three-speed automatic gearbox, this particular Magnum is noted to have only had two owners from new, the second and current of which once served as an instructor at Richard Petty’s driving school.
Find this 1979 Dodge Magnum XE for auction at Kruse Auction.
That’s pretty rad.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I don't think I'd personally pick two-tone blue and silver for most cars, but I think it totally works here.
Richard Petty ran one for most of the 1978 Cup season but was unsatisfied and switched to Chevy before the end of that season. I saw his son Kyle win the 1979 ARCA 200 at Daytona in his very first race in RP’s Magnum from the previous year.
Jupboy said:Richard Petty ran one for most of the 1978 Cup season but was unsatisfied and switched to Chevy before the end of that season. I saw his son Kyle win the 1979 ARCA 200 at Daytona in his very first race in RP’s Magnum from the previous year.
Funny enough, his '72-'74 Dodge Charger, which was one of his all-time favorite cars, ended up reskinned as a Dodge Magnum later in its life for use at a more amateur level. Someone ended up finding it, recognizing it as a Petty car from the peace sign-shaped headrest, and restored it to it's original form. He said the Magnum was just too big and wide and moved too much air and chewed through tires very fast. Still not his least-favorite car, which was the '86 Pontiac 2+2, which he said was just very loose in the rear no matter what they did.
In this case, I believe it was the entire Magnum body that needed homologation since the Charger had become a rebadged Cordoba, with terrible aerodynamics. So the XE package itself wasn't NASCAR specific and was actually the base model.
I’ll have to find the video, but Kyle talks about his first race at Daytona, and how his dad took him around the track, AT SPEED, in his racecar to show him the line.
Not the one that I remember, but the first vid I could find where he talks about riding in the passenger seat’.
Some other good stories as well in this vid.
I think the quote from Richerd was, "It would take all the power in the Grand Coulee damage to get this thing over 200 miles an hour."
I also thought it was a one year only deal where they built an Imperial, but that might be a lie. Could have been the Magnum.
Well, look at that. Not Richard's, based on the number, but sure looks like Petty Enterprises.
Displaying 1-10 of 29 commentsView all comments on the GRM forums
You'll need to log in to post.
