need to know how to look for a real abody 4 speed car

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Syleng1

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Here is a silly question and after searching the web site I could not find an answer.

I'm going to look at a 1972 340 4-speed demon. I know the letter "H" is for the 340 engine,
How can I tell if it is a REAL 4 speed car?

I may or may not be able to check the trans id pad- not sure if the guy will let me jack it up yet, as he is unsure he still wants to sell it.
The fender tag is there but I dont know what I am looking for.

Thank you,
Joe
 
Or it could be a D13 car with a 3 speed. Plenty of 340 cars out there that were 3 speeds originally and switched to 4 gears sometime down the line.
 
Torque boxes?
I thought they were only on convertible cars???

Torque boxes are standard on the front and rear of convertibles, but rear torque boxes are pretty much standard on manual equipped a-Body's. There are a few out there with both torque boxes on hardtops like my 69 383 4-speed GTS.
 
The trans tunnel hump is different on four speed cars.... Crawl under and look...

Coincidently, today is hump day.... :D
 
Torque boxes are standard on the front and rear of convertibles, but rear torque boxes are pretty much standard on manual equipped a-Body's. There are a few out there with both torque boxes on hardtops like my 69 383 4-speed GTS.

Maybe true for some years but my 68, 4 speed has no torque boxes in any position. Original drivetrain and fender tag.
 
My old 73 340 4 sp Dart Sport had no torque boxes but the 68 4 sp 340 Swinger I'm redoing now has them.
Both D21 Cars.
 
I have a real 1972 340 4spd Duster. Owned it since 1981. It has torque boxes front and rear.
 
Factory 4 speed cars in '72 also had the reverse indicator light on the bottom of the dash just left of the ash tray a couple of inches.
If it is missing, then there should be a hole for it there.
If it was a 3 speed manual car, it would not have this light or hole either.............
Also, look in the driver's side fender opening behind the upper control arm towards the splash shield for the fender on the frame to see if the triangular shaped mount for the z bar stud is welded on there from the factory.
You can narrow it down from there to determine if it is indeed at least a manual transmission car..........
 
Z-bar bracket on the frame

clutchbracket-jpg-75098-jpg.1715013399.jpg


Only problem is that there are a few cases of these having been on cars that were automatics from the factory. Not many, but just because it's there doesn't mean 100% it's a factory 4 speed car. Fender tag and for '72 the VIN should be on the transmission pad, those would be a lot more solid. Pedals can be swapped, floor humps can be welded in. And unless you can look under the carpet or do a good inspection under the car it could be pretty hard to tell if the floor hump is factory or not.

And honestly, if I was going to pay the kind of price an original 340-4 speed Demon would bring, I'd walk away if the guy wouldn't let me look under the car to check the VIN's. Or at least had good pictures that were clearly of the car involved.
 
Z-bar bracket on the frame

View attachment 1715025798

Only problem is that there are a few cases of these having been on cars that were automatics from the factory. Not many, but just because it's there doesn't mean 100% it's a factory 4 speed car. Fender tag and for '72 the VIN should be on the transmission pad, those would be a lot more solid. Pedals can be swapped, floor humps can be welded in. And unless you can look under the carpet or do a good inspection under the car it could be pretty hard to tell if the floor hump is factory or not.

And honestly, if I was going to pay the kind of price an original 340-4 speed Demon would bring, I'd walk away if the guy wouldn't let me look under the car to check the VIN's. Or at least had good pictures that were clearly of the car involved.
Agreed 100%
I was searching my pictures to show the mount, but you beat me to it!
 
:(
The same with my 69 383 4spd barracuda

Surprised about that! Guess you never know what Ma Mopar did on Fridays and or Monday's, My 69 Auto 383 has them on the rear only.
 
I would say torque boxes wouldn't be any kind of reliable sign, my 72 340 automatic Dart Special came with boxes front and back, and it was built on a Thursday, lol.
 
Okay,

Thank you to all. I am looking for rear boxes but have never seen the fronts? does anyone have a picture of those?
If the car was a manual 3 speed car ( a lot of 318 Demons were 3 speed manual) it would have the hump and the Z-bar bracket.
Heck even the /6 cars manual had all of that, but this guy "feels" legit to my spidey senses. I just had never actually torn apart a 340 4 speed car before and I've striped aALOT of A-bodies in my day.
I never paid attention to the vin numbers stamped into the car either- Trunk drain rail by the quarter and the radiator support right? Is there any more I should look for?

You guys are great and thanks for the help.
 
I had to go check the Swinger for front boxes last night and they are there.
It's hard to imagine they do much just being kinda tacked in there....
Should I weld a solid seam to improve effectiveness ?
 
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