73 Road Runner 440 Outstanding w/ Cold A/C!

[wedgemotor]

glad I could help out

[72_GTX]

Originally Posted by wedgemotor

Cool rare car, U-code 73-74 B-bodies are scarce. I believe they only made something like 330 in 74, 73 still had the forged crank I think. It's funny how Chrysler made cars back then. Road Runner with the GTX option in 73 and 74. Here's a question for all you Mopar heads out there. Did Plymouth produce a U-code 72 Road Runner? If they did, it's gotta be rare!

You bet they did - RM23U2!!!
The production numbers I have (from the red book) on 72-74 GTX's are ...

1972 - 679
1973 - 117
1974 - 79
I've never seen the 749 number and have no idea where it comes from.

Stock engine numbers for 1972-74 (NET HP/TQ) ...
E86 V8-440 4 Barrel 4.32 x 3.75 8.2:1 285@4400 380@3200 (according to allpar)

I don't have the original block in mine so I can't check the for the HD stamp (and forged crank) but I do have a block produced in March '71 (which would put it in a car around July) with an HD stamp. My car was built in Aug so who knows???

FYI - There were a dozen or so 440+6 B-bodies that were built in '72 but Chrysler was supposed to dispose of them since they couldn't meet the EPA regs. But you hear rumors of a couple of them making it out the back door. I believe that Galen Govier actually has one documented but it could have been a Charger instead of a GTX ...

[wedgemotor]

Thanks for the great info. One have one nice piece of rare musclecar history. I have also heard of that v-code 72 car before I believe the car that Galen has documented is a black 72 Charger. Now that would be something to see! I really like the look of the 72 Road Runner's, I think it looked the best of that generation. What other options does your car have?

[72_GTX]

Originally Posted by wedgemotor

Thanks for the great info. One have one nice piece of rare musclecar history. I have also heard of that v-code 72 car before I believe the car that Galen has documented is a black 72 Charger. Now that would be something to see! I really like the look of the 72 Road Runner's, I think it looked the best of that generation. What other options does your car have?

Thanks! I've loved the '72 RR since 1973 when I saw my first one. It was blue w/white interior and white vinyl top - damn that looked clean! But I like my personal colors a little more aggressive.

In an effort not to hijack this thread too badly it's got a black bucket interior, A/C, AM/FM, wheel well trim (in storage), and a black canopy top (currently just painted on) - in addition to the standard GTX stuff and what you can see here ...



I may have to upsize the tires when I rebuild the engine ...

[Autofreefindersguy]

Its fine...I love to learn more about them too!

[72_GTX]

Originally Posted by Autofreefindersguy

Its fine...I love to learn more about them too!

You wouldn't believe what it was like when I first got it. It had a 120 gauge cluster (stock was 150), buckets seats from who-knows-what, carpeting that showed half the floor-board, and a Satellite grill - not to mention a cracked tail light and a missing side marker. But the trunk floor is good as are most of the other floors and the fenders and firewall are all good. The driver's floor board has a 2" hole in it under the pedals and the last 1" of the cab rails - right in front of the back tires - are rusted out along with the rear wheel wells and the 1/4 panel behind them (typical MO/KS rust). It's been fixed but it's obviously a very old fix that's gone bad. I thought about replacing the whole quarter panel but I've resigned myself to the fact that this car is never gonna' be an original. So now I'm leaning toward doing a little customizing around them - maybe making the flair more pronounced (like the front) and getting rid of the drip-line front and back. I really need more space in the rear wheel wells. The tires are about as big as they'll go now - for a street driven car - but I know I'll need another 1-2" after I rebuild the engine. I figure flairing the wheel wells a little is still in line with the 70's look - lots of guys did that back then ...

[Autofreefindersguy]

Yeah, that will look fine with some bigger "
meats" on there too.
Let us know how it goes.
Good luck/skill!

[JDforelli]

send me some pics [email protected]