I can't seem to find this information in the restoration manual so I figured that I would query the experts... Per factory specifications should a 1969 Charger R/T 440 4-speed have torque boxes? If not, should I install them anyway? What advantage do they have? Does anybody have any pics of them installed? Front, rear, both?
As always, thanks for any help that you can provide...
The torque boxes at the front of the rear spring perches are the ones I assume you are referring to are on the Hemi car only. I have not seen them on a 440 car but they will go on since the frame is the same. The purpose was to strengthen the front spring perch. There is also a triangular piece of stock that welds by the rear perch to help out also.
Here are as couple of pictures from my Hemi car of the pieces.
I have a 71 Bee that came factory with the boxes with a 383 motor. I can get a pic of them if needed.
I am not sure how they did it on 3rd Gens.
I reasearched this a bit over at moparchat and found out that there wasn't always a rhyme or reason to which cars had torque boxes and which didn't. From what I could find, all Hemi's and convertables had torque boxes but occationally a non-Hemi, non-convertable would get them as well. Anyway, I think that I will install them in my car as well since I'm installing the sub frame connectors and have some frame repair to do anyway...
Thanks for you help on this and thanks for the pics!
here is my 71.(left side)
I just put them in my car, easy to do and the repops from ART are a perfect fit. Worth it I think if you want to stiffen up your undercarraige
If you use the kit from ART and you need the T-caps in the front, can you get away w/just using the torque boxes? Do these overlap one another?
The T-caps cover a completely different area than the front torque boxes. If you need the caps to begin with then you'll need them even with the boxes. The T-caps are meant to strengthen an area weakened by rust - not to stiffen up the car. The torque boxes are the opposite.
Troy
Quote from: Troy on August 28, 2005, 10:53:58 PM
The T-caps cover a completely different area than the front torque boxes. If you need the caps to begin with then you'll need them even with the boxes. The T-caps are meant to strengthen an area weakened by rust - not to stiffen up the car. The torque boxes are the opposite.
Troy
I will need both then, thanks. ;)
the torque boxes were used on hemi cars only until 1971 then they were used on 440 cars.