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Differences between 71 / 72 and 73 / 74 Chargers?

Started by cudaken, January 10, 2014, 06:15:07 PM

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cudaken


I have never owned a 3rd Gen Charger, while I know something about them, I have never study them. I am sure Bumper's, grill's seats and such will differ.

Main thing I am wondering about is the body lines.  :scratchchin: Can someone post some side by side pictures?  :shruggy:

While I am far from being in the market for another Mopar, if I happen to stumble on to a deal on a 73 to 74 Charger I would like to have a idea what would need to be done to make the 71 and 72 body parts fit.  :scratchchin:   

Thanks in advances, Cuda Ken
I am back

Mytur Binsdirti

The main difference is that each year, the newer model was worth less than the previos.

Baldwinvette77

the quarter panel windows are different..... 71, 72 se, 73/74 have different designs

74-StreetMachine

  Sorry I don't have pictures but I'll try to describe the differences.

 71/72 are the same, 73/74 are the same.   The body lines on 71/72s are in a different location that on 73/74.   Which means, fenders, doors, and quarters won't interchange. However,bumpers, hoods, trunk lids, grilles, tail lights, and most interiors WILL interchange. Glass is all the same, so are the mechanisms. But, the quarter windows were different shapes from year to year so the glass may be different and maybe some of the interior around the q windows.

 The K frames will not interchange, 73/74 used a two inch isolator between the K frame and the frame rail.  71/72 did not.

 I believe (but not positive) the rear ends interchange. But the mounting is different. 73/74 used thick rubber isolators around the springs. 71/72 did not.

Randy





Watch me turn beer into pee for $5.

ACUDANUT

72 was the last of the goodies.  Louvered doors, taillights and hidden headlamps etc. They changed they rear quarter window in 73 and ruined the Charger's looks. IMO

cudaken

I am back

hatersaurusrex


Biggest visual difference is in the rear pillar area.  71/72 looked like this:



73/74 looked like this



Except the opera windowed versions, which gave this treatment (73 only I think, but def not in 71/72)



There's also a very rare 72 where they filled in some of the rear window area to make something that kind of looked in-between:



Also, I think 71 and 72 were the only year you could get hideaway lights, all 73/74 chargers had fixed lights, thought some have retrofitted them.

Visually, that window is the easiest way to ID which one you're looking at.   There of course were different trim/stripe/option/engine differences, that I'm really not knowlegeable enogh to go in-depth on.   As you probably know, R/T gave way to Rallye around this period, and big blocks gave way to small blocks (for the most part).   Performance took a back seat to 'personal luxury' basically, and Chargers could be had with hood ornaments and gaudy hubcaps.  The Malaise era was in full swing by '73 and it shows in many models.

I for one really like the lines on the 73/74 - they look a bit more roadrunnerish than the 71/72, but just like the RR, those years aren't considered as desirable.
[ŌŌ]ƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖ[ŌŌ] = 68
[ŌŌ][ƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖ][ƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖ][ŌŌ] = 69
(ŌŌ)[ƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗ](ŌŌ) = 70

Mike DC

   
How did the "Body lines" change between '72 and '73? 

Of course there is the different quarter windows and the higher front wheelwells.  But is there a reason the doors or the lower quarters won't swap? 

hatersaurusrex

Not sure about internal bracing, but different marker lights between years would be one reason.    I'm pretty sure at the quarter that the different 'hips' on the car make for a different stamping and thus make them non-compatible.   I'm by no means an expert, just going by observation.
[ŌŌ]ƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖ[ŌŌ] = 68
[ŌŌ][ƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖ][ƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖƖ][ŌŌ] = 69
(ŌŌ)[ƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗƗ](ŌŌ) = 70

Dino

Sweet, I never knew much about them either and it's nice to learn about them!   :2thumbs:
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: cudaken on January 10, 2014, 06:15:07 PM

 I would like to have a idea what would need to be done to make the 71 and 72 body parts fit.  :scratchchin:  

Thanks in advances, Cuda Ken


My advice is stick to the '72 and older cars.

Too much weird shit going on with the 73/74 Chargers.

Like...

Giant rubber blocks on the bumpers.

Bumpers spaced out too far from the body with rubber filler strips covering the gaps.

Rubber mounted K members.

Funky torsion bar mounts.

No Hide away headlights.

Why do you think people are always wanting to put 71 and 72 parts on a '73/74 and not the other way around?

The only way I'd stick any money or time into a 73/74 is if it were an absolute stunning survivor...

They're not a bad looking car, they just did some weird stuff to them, probably to appease the government.

Just my  :Twocents:

RallyeMike

Body lines:

The main diff is the upper character crease. Follow the top of the fender back in the pictures of the two. You see the 73-74 is continuous front bumper to rear, the 71-72 line interrupted in the door area. Also, the 71-72 sweeps up about 1-1/2 inch higher than the 73-74 from the front of the door to the back of the door, and then continuing through the quarter. This is why the fender will physically exchange (71-72 to 73-74), but the doors and quarters will not.

Mike
1969 Charger 500 #232008
1972 Charger, Grand Sport #41
1973 Charger "T/A"

Drive as fast as you want to on a public road! Click here for info: http://www.sscc.us/

ACUDANUT

Here's a link with lots of pictures of them..."time to do some investigating" (on your end) lol. Enjoy


cudaken

 
Hater and Homer, thanks for the pictures! I kind of like the bottom body lines of the 73 74 Chargers better.

Ken
I am back

Homerr

I wasn't in to the 73 and 74 until I saw a white one here with the black side stripe. 

odcics2


Petty had much better results with a small block powered 73-4 then a big block powered 72.     :Twocents:
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Todd Wilson

Quote from: 74-StreetMachine on January 10, 2014, 08:05:20 PM
 Sorry I don't have pictures but I'll try to describe the differences.

 71/72 are the same, 73/74 are the same.   The body lines on 71/72s are in a different location that on 73/74.   Which means, fenders, doors, and quarters won't interchange. However,bumpers, hoods, trunk lids, grilles, tail lights, and most interiors WILL interchange. Glass is all the same, so are the mechanisms. But, the quarter windows were different shapes from year to year so the glass may be different and maybe some of the interior around the q windows.


While the 71 and 72 look alike the side marker lights are different and which means the quarters and front fenders are different. The hoods will interchange but each year hood had a different amount of slots up at the edge by the windshield. The 71 RT doors are different then the 72 Rallye doors.

I had a picture somewhere of a red 73 or 74 and it had 71 or 72 doors on it. The lower body line really didn't line up on it.


Todd

Nacho-RT74

body lines just lines up with fender, but not with quarter, which in fact 71/72s are higher on that area
Venezuelan RT 74 400 4bbl, 727, 8.75 3.23 open. Now stroked with 440 crank and 3.55 SG. Here is the History and how is actually: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7603.0/all.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25060.0.html

chargd72

Quote from: odcics2 on January 14, 2014, 09:59:25 PM

Petty had much better results with a small block powered 73-4 then a big block powered 72.     :Twocents:

It wasn't from the subtle body line difference.  It's for the choked out BB restrictions.  But yes, I believe he said the 73 was his favorite of all time.

          '72 Charger SE 4bbl 318                          '76 Power Wagon 400 W200                                 2011 (attempt at a) Charger

ACUDANUT

Quote from: chargd72 on January 16, 2014, 04:04:10 PM
Quote from: odcics2 on January 14, 2014, 09:59:25 PM

Petty had much better results with a small block powered 73-4 then a big block powered 72.     :Twocents:

It wasn't from the subtle body line difference.  Is for the choked out BB restrictions.  But yes, I believe he said the 73 was his favorite of all time.
I don't think Petty raced a "choked out BB with it's restrictions"

chargd72

Quote from: ACUDANUT on January 16, 2014, 04:14:53 PM
Quote from: chargd72 on January 16, 2014, 04:04:10 PM
Quote from: odcics2 on January 14, 2014, 09:59:25 PM

Petty had much better results with a small block powered 73-4 then a big block powered 72.     :Twocents:

It wasn't from the subtle body line difference.  Is for the choked out BB restrictions.  But yes, I believe he said the 73 was his favorite of all time.
I don't think Petty raced a "choked out BB with it's restrictions"

I'm no Petty buff, but according to his documentary I just watched he did.

          '72 Charger SE 4bbl 318                          '76 Power Wagon 400 W200                                 2011 (attempt at a) Charger

JB400

I'm sure Petty would have held on to the big blocks and the hemi's as long as he could until they were no longer an advantage.

hemihead

The 71- 74 Chargers were the most aerodynamic Chargers built ( including the 500 and the Wing Cars ) . The 73 -74 being the best . They took all the tricks they learned in the wind tunnel on the 500 and wing cars and built the slickest B Body . And Petty had more success with the Small Block than the Big Block and his records backs that up .
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Ghoste

I thought there were some studies that didn't quite bear that out?