Differences between 71 / 72 and 73 / 74 Chargers?

[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.  Can someone post some side by side pictures? 

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.     

Thanks in advances, Cuda Ken

[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

[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]

No one has pictures? 

Cuda Ken

[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.

[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.

[Dino]

Sweet, I never knew much about them either and it's nice to learn about them!   

[Daytona R/T SE]

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

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  

[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

[ACUDANUT]

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

[Homerr]

Source:  http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/dealerships/1971DealershipDataBook-03.shtml


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http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/dealerships/1972DealershipDataBook-05.shtml


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http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/dealerships/1973DealershipDataBook-06.shtml


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http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/dealerships/1974DealershipDataBook-03.shtml

[cudaken]

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

Ken

[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.     

[Todd Wilson]

 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

[chargd72]

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

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.

[ACUDANUT]

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

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]

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

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.

[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 .

[Ghoste]

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

[Bob]

The 1973 Charger was the best model year for sales.

[VegasCharger]

 

You are correct on that!

[VegasCharger]

I believe the fuel tanks were: 71 one year only, 72-73 the same and 74 different from the rest.

71-72 interior part of the doors had different upper panels than the 73-74. They raked up higher at the end of the door. So you cannot use a 73 upper front door panel on a 72 and vise versa.

Although you can bolt one deck lid from the group to another, there were some slight differences in the key tumbler suface area. 71-72 had a tear drop indentation and the 73-74 were flat.

Also the quarter end caps differ from 71-72 than 73-74.   71-72 had a rounded upper corner and 73-74 came to more of a pointed shape.

Adding my  

[67tbird]

The front wheel openings are different also(71-2 to 73-4)

[MrSnicks]

Ok.. Specific question.   Will a 1973 front lower valance fit a 1971 Dodge Charger?

Thanks,

Patrick

[MoparRocks]

Well, this thread just confirmed my suspicion that my fenders aren't correct on my 71. The front side markers are from a 72. 

[polywideblock]

say what ever happened to cudaken 

[Nacho-RT74]

Ok.. Specific question.   Will a 1973 front lower valance fit a 1971 Dodge Charger?

Thanks,

Patrick

Wow! Resurrecting an old thread.

On a short answer, yes, but brackets to frame rails won't meet.

The rear area of the valance is shorter on 73/74, so you'll get a gap between valence and radiator core support. BUT from outside, nothing will be noticeable.

Do you know both valences are available from AMD?

[Nacho-RT74]

Well, this thread just confirmed my suspicion that my fenders aren't correct on my 71. The front side markers are from a 72. 

It can be 73/74 too ( which looks to me due the wheel opening height )... how is the fitment with radiator core support?

[73chgrSE]

Obviously they finally got it right in '73 that's why they didn't have to change much for '74.

[ACUDANUT]

Same could be said for the 71 and 72's.  Which... had the last of the cool stuff. 

[ACUDANUT]

.

[RallyeMike]

Nice cars! Looks like a familiar color combo    I've since sold the yellow one though to make room for new projects.

[odcics2]

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 .

Drag numbers...

69 500   .38
Daytona .29
1974      .45

(lower is better)