ORIGINAL JOE DIRT DODGE CHARGER DAYTONA MOVIE CAR SELLS FOR $330,000
Hollywood movies and car culture are closely connected. In some films, like American Graffiti and Bullitt, the cars are the stars, while other movies have turned cars into stars, like the DeLorean in Back to the Future and James Bond's Aston Martin DB5. It’s not uncommon for brand new cars to make their debut on the silver screen either. For example, Audi partnered with Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios to place the redesigned, fifth generation A8 sedan in the 2017 movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Presuming that the audience-wowing movie car survives its scenes, it could fetch an over-the-top premium at auction, like the 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition by Bertone featured in The Wolf of Wall Street which sold for $1,655,000 late last year.
While Joe Dirt’s seemingly crusty Daytona Dodge Charger wouldn’t add up to the value of a Lamborghini Countach movie star, it still brought an impressive sum of $330,000 at this year’s Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction, especially impressive since it wasn’t a Dodge Daytona at all. It also isn’t a crusty car; the muscle car was artificially aged for the film. Before going on camera, Joe Dirt’s “Daytona Dodge” was built from a restored XP29 Charger base that was reportedly in excellent condition, then it was modified to look like a Daytona and given a mis-matching panel appearance with fake patina. The Charger’s original show quality, statutory grape paint job is still visible when opening the doors and inside the engine bay.
Complete with its footprint gas pedal, the movie car was reported to be in excellent condition at the time of the sale. Back in 2002, directly after the filming of the movie, the car was sold for a mere $18,000. According to classic.com, the sale price of a real 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona is $403,757.
One of the funniest scenes in the Joe Dirt movie brings us to the impound lot scene where Joe, financially unable to retrieve his mint 1967 Plymouth Hemi GTX convertible, purchases the Charger Daytona instead for $450.00 – what a steal! Especially considering there are only 503 in existence and only 70 examples were powered by a 6.9-liter Hemi like the film portrayed.
Barret-Jackson’s auction listing read:
“Lot #749.1 - This 1969 Dodge Charger "Joe Dirt Daytona" movie car is powered by a Dick Landy-tuned 440ci engine. This movie car was built on a restored XP29 Charger base, before it was modified to look like a Daytona and artificially painted and modified to appear rusty for the movie "Joe Dirt." Its headlights are functional, and it has all-new ball joints, brake hoses, fuel cell, fuel and brake lines, and steering components. From the Washer Collection.”
Watch the video below for 10 facts about Joe Dirt’s 1969 Dodge Charger:
10 Wild Facts About Joe's '69 Charger Daytona - Joe Dirt youtu.be