What specifically makes the late Dart Sports/Dusters so much heavier?

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72Dodge

72Dodge

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At least according to all the specifications info I have found, the late (like '74-'76, maybe '73) a-bodies are maybe 300-400 pounds heavier than the '70-'72 cars. (I have seen others make the general comment about weight here also).

I'm pretty familiar with the obvious differences... bumpers, fenders, different K & engine mounts, etc... but all that weight difference can't just be the different bumpers and front clip, can it?

Can anyone help? It seems like if I started a race car build with a late car, I'd be in the hole on weight right out of the gate, or is it stuff that can be taken off (or replaced with fiberglass) anyway, making it not such a big deal?

Thanks!
 
Pick up one of those bumper shock absorbers, you'll know why!

Reinforcement braces in bumpers.

Retrofit all the early stuff on it and you'll take the majority of weight out of the car.
 
Ditto the doors, my homeboy put a '72 door on his '74, and it's a featherweight by comparison.

That said, the later cars have, I've heard, thinner sheetmetal (which is supposedly what makes them rust out so much more than the older ones) in an effort to keep from being total porkers. (This is also the motive behind the smaller fuel tanks)

Seems the best combo for weight would be feather duster parts with earlier doors and bumpers on a later car.
 
Not A body, but weight relevant-

I just moved some 71 and 74 Charger front bumper and mount assemblies.

Even though they look extremely similar, the 71 is fairy easy to carry, and the 74 I can barely pick up by myself.
 
crackedback said:
Pick up one of those bumper shock absorbers, you'll know why!

Reinforcement braces in bumpers.

Retrofit all the early stuff on it and you'll take the majority of weight out of the car.
Click to expand...

Yep crackedbacks got it, its those friggin bumpers. I stripped out a 74 dart sedan. Holy crap them damned things can give ya a hernia. If i was building a 74 up id strip out all that beefy under structure, and shock absorbers, and make a lightweight set of brackets to mount the stock steel outer bumpers to.

The front bumper absorbers attach to the front frame rails just the way the earlier non absorbing bumpers do. The rear of the car is a bit different the way everything attaches. Some steel tube, and a welder tho and you can make some lightweight mounts for the back tho.

I bet the doors have side impact beams in them too. Tho i think id leave these in place as removing them wont save you too much in weight. I bet stripping out the heavy gage bumper inner structure in both bumpers would save you a minimum 225 lbs i think the structure behind the bumpers on the car i stripped was between 1/8" and 1/4" thick. Thats some overkill. Plus the chrome outer bumper bolted to it.
 
Doors and bumpers are way heavy on the '74-76 cars. Done a couple of them. Great builder cars because they are often cheap.
 
Glass is heavy too. The Dart Sport and Duster back glass is bigger. All that stuff mentioned earlier and the glass adds up.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Glass is heavy too. The Dart Sport and Duster back glass is bigger. All that stuff mentioned earlier and the glass adds up.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I should have been more clear, I just meant to compare the 108" wheelbase family to each other. I already have 2 111" cars, thinking the next one should be a Duster/Demon/Dart Sport for a little variety. The wife will still say they all look the same, but we know better.
 
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