Match Race 1972 ~ 'Duster 340 vs 'GTO 400'

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O-M-R

Is it me, or does this 1972 GTO 'Hardtop' look heavier than the #3520 lb. {Base Shipping Weight}.

The 'option' Air-Foil {Code AO2 532} had to be Dealer Installed. Also known as 'The Surf Board'


 
Every GM A-Body I, or my friends have owned (and this has been several) has been in the 3,700 to 3,800 pound range (street weight).
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
Every GM A-Body I, or my friends have owned (and this has been several) has been in the 3,700 to 3,800 pound range (street weight).
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You Are Correct Sir,

1972 'GTO'

Model------------Shipping Weight------Curb Weight
* Coupe .............. #3510 lbs. ............ #3705 lbs.
* Hardtop............ #3525 lbs. ............ #3720 lbs.

* Power Steering.................. Add +28 lbs.
* Power Front Disc Brakes.... Add +29 lbs.
* M-22 4-Speed.................... Deduct -24 lbs.
* TH-400 Automatic.............. Add +14 lbs.
* Air Conditioning................. Add +129 lbs.
 
I wouldn't argue with the weights being in the high 3's at all. My buds 70' GTO, auto/air, drove much heavier then my 69' SS, BB/4spd/stripper, even though he had the big suspension w/rear bar, and I only had the "F40" that did not.

Now, my 72' BB/loaded SS was just a low compression tank...lol.
 
O-M-R

I forgot to add that I had a '1970 GTO' 400/350 HP {Code YT} 4-Speed

April 1975 thru the Summer of 1976.

They were heavier than the 1972 Models.

Shipping Weight = #3641 lbs.
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
O-M-R

I forgot to add that I had a '1970 GTO' 400/350 HP {Code YT} 4-Speed

April 1975 thru the Summer of 1976.

They were heavier than the 1972 Models.

Shipping Weight = #3641 lbs.
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Those are the exact dates I had my 69' SS396.....lol. Apr 75' til Jul 76'.....Crazy :D. Too bad I was in Md. and you were in Ny. We could have had some knock down drag out battles with each other. All in fun of course :D.
 
O-M-R

I'm originally from Mahopac, New York {Southern, New York}.

Right on the border of Westchester and Putnam Counties, near the Taconic State Parkway.

About 75-Miles North of New York City.

My Father started out in 1965, as he had an Amoco Service Station in Carmel, New York
which soon turned into a Performance Car hang out.

We were only about 20-Minutes away from Dover Drag Strip {Wingdale, New York}.

I started Drag Racing in 1970.

Later in early-1970, he opened a Small Machine Shop in Pawling, New York - then in early-1971 he
moved the Machine Shop to a Gulf Service Station in Lake Carmel.

Then to Northern Westchester

In 1972, he opened Valley Motor & Machine in Jefferson Valley and business really took off.
And his Shop soon became a 'Full Service Shop' {Less Crankshaft Grinder}.

He later moved to Baldwin Place in 1979, and was there until 1986.

In 1987 he bought a new building in Peekskill, and was there until 2003, when
he and my Mother sold the Building and Shop, and then retired to North Carolina.

We were a 90% Mopar Family. We strayed a few times.

As a side note, my 77 year-old Mother drives a 'Mint'......... 2006 Chrysler 300-C 'HEMI'
 
What a great history you and your family have. I can only dream of that as my parents, grand parents, aunts and uncles were either Fed. government or municipal workers, except for my Dad's Dad. He had a mechanical engineering degree and worked in the Auto industry mainly as a dealer Service manager, and then opened his own business doing hydraulic repairs for dealers and service stations. Sadly, as I was becoming a teen, early 70's, he wanted to teach me his business in order for me to take it over as he went into retirement. The main malfunction came as at the same time it was to happen, he took in my drug induced Cousin, another grandson, to try and help him out. My parents forbid me to go there at that time as they didn't want me anywhere near him. So I eventually grew up, my troubled Cousin took his own life, and Grandpop retired. I know now that his business would probably have been done many years ago even if I would have gotten it, but that was my only chance to keep a family deal going. I get sad thinking about it as I was one of a very few siblings that enjoyed a blue collar type job/lifestyle.
 
O-M-R

When did you start Drag Racing.

My first Big Event that I went to {I only watched}, was the 'Third Annual' Super Stock Magazine Nationals
at Cecil County Dragoway in June 1967.

I never saw so many 'High Quality' Super/Stock cars at one place.

1967SuperStockNationalsAda.jpg
 
That's a very cool poster, just a little before my time. My first time at the track was in the fall of 70'. By accident, i was on a day trip with my friend and his Dad in southern Md. to shoot some guns and ride mini-bikes on some property that was owned by the family. We kept seeing trailer after trailer on the road with drag cars and when I asked about it, his Dad says oh, there's a dragstrip down here. After some prodding from my bud and I, we got him to detour right to Aquasco. After seeing drag racing in real life, I was totally hooked.

My personal racing days started with a pass at 15yrs old at 75-80 Dragway in Urbana/Frederick, Md.
 
I've only raced mine only three times against 5.0 Stangs and was always three car lengths
ahead. But i never raced a 400. My brother has a 69 firebird 400 auto and as much as I bugged him to run against me he always refused.
 

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He may be a smart man Ed...:D. Stock on stock with similar gearing, you'd probably nudge him by a hair as long as your running up to par. I've driven a loaded 67' 400/auto vert, and while a decent ride, I think the extra weight was just too much for it. It was a complete resto for a dealer Service Director I worked for. Car was top notch, no $$$ spared, but I'd put it as a 15.0/14.90 car. I'm sure you could have handled that one...:-D.

Nice Duster Ed...:thumbrig:
 
Currently in the NHRA,
_________________________________________________Stock___Super Stock

1972 ~ 'Duster 340' ~ 340/240 HP........refactored to 285 HP..... G/S ......... SS/K
vs.
1972 ~ 'GTO 400' ~ 400/250 HP............refactored to 283 HP..... I/S .......... SS/M

On the Street, 'Stock vs. Stock'

The 'Duster 340' should walk all over the 'GTO 400'
 
OldmanRick said:
You've been there, so you know how the Poncho's responded. I had a hand in a half dozen or so 400/455 street builds. Not talking race builds, except for one round port, but the untouched "D" port heads just didn't respond to big lift cams. I learned my lesson the hard way with a 70' 400 that I built as a higher rpm engine. Lots of lift, a single plane, and a big carb (850). All I did was take away the torque and the heads just couldn't handle that style of build. Lost bottom end and top end...:banghead:.

As you said, if you didn't have a 10ish to one to begin with, it was gravy to just drop on a set of early 72cc heads to get the comp back. As long as you had the squeeze, a cam with 470"/490" lift and a moderate .050 duration, along with a dual plane to keep the torque up, resulted in a serious street player with a 3.55 or so gear.
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Dead on,Ricky... Stock cast iron intake,Q -jet(Holley remain,ootb..). A nasty narrow Crower Hydraulic Hauler. (229/238 @.050 ,.480/.507 lift. With the 18 casting heads,brutal torque. Never shifted above,5600.
 
Abodybomber said:
Dead on,Ricky... Stock cast iron intake,Q -jet(Holley remain,ootb..). A nasty narrow Crower Hydraulic Hauler. (229/238 @.050 ,.480/.507 lift. With the 18 casting heads,brutal torque. Never shifted above,5600.
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The stock intakes were great, iron or aluminum. I'd love to run your combo with just a little gear and a close ratio 4spd. That could teach a lot of guys a lesson...lol.

P.S. Your making me want to build a 70's street car now...:D.

How bout a 66/67 GTO/Lemans with that engine, a M21, and a 3.73 12 Bolt. Enough gear to get it into the 4000/5500 sweet spot without blowing the tires off, and then it just stays there.....What a street car that would have been back in the day. :smile:
 
OldmanRick said:
LOL...


Getting back to the Duster, in the muscle car realm, i've driven quite a few "stock" low compression GM's and a few Fords, but the only Mopar I recall was a 73' Charger 440 auto. It had a very smooth power curve up to about 5k, i'm guessing, no tach, but nothing to write home about. I've never driven a 72'/73' 340 car, although I rode in a 73' 340 Dart Sport a few times. I'm just curious about how they felt compared to the earlier cars? All I can do now is look at the numbers, but I'd love to have felt what they were like on the street. I'm sure a little tickle to the TQ and timing made a big difference.
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My 72 340, 4 spd with no power options, 3:23 gears. I loved the car, but was no comparison to the 69 340-S 4 spd Cuda I traded on it. That car was a street terror with 3:91 rear.

The 72 was respectable though. It felt good and yes the Thermoquad was a cool factor. It ran a 15:30 (I am pretty sure, still have the time slip somewhere) with the tires you see in the picture. They had a pretty hard compound, and though they hooked well on the street. At the strip you might as well have had baldies on the back. The 15:30 was with the tires going completely up on smoke.
 

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OldmanRick said:
The stock intakes were great, iron or aluminum. I'd love to run your combo with just a little gear and a close ratio 4spd. That could teach a lot of guys a lesson...lol.
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Rick,that combo still sends me cold chills,now. For all of my money spent(way cheap..) That combination ,simply cranked.
 
SpikeWills69 said:
My 72 340, 4 spd with no power options, 3:23 gears. I loved the car, but was no comparison to the 69 340-S 4 spd Cuda I traded on it. That car was a street terror with 3:91 rear.

The 72 was respectable though. It felt good and yes the Thermoquad was a cool factor. It ran a 15:30 (I am pretty sure, still have the time slip somewhere) with the tires you see in the picture. They had a pretty hard compound, and though they hooked well on the street. At the strip you might as well have had baldies on the back. The 15:30 was with the tires going completely up on smoke.
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That car is a Beauty. No doubt with some "sticky" tires it would have been in the 14's.

Track times really didn't give a total picture vs street work. A little "roll on" and not going to a extreme mph on the top end would make a well tuned car much stronger on the street then just a ET slip. I'm sure it held it's own, and then some.
 
In 1972, Plymouth had the 'Duster 340' right.

No Scoops, and No Wings. It needed no 'tarter'.

Just the high Side Body Stripes, and 340 Decal callout at the rear quarter-panel.


1342462_600.jpg
 
OldmanRick said:
That car is a Beauty. No doubt with some "sticky" tires it would have been in the 14's.

Track times really didn't give a total picture vs street work. A little "roll on" and not going to a extreme mph on the top end would make a well tuned car much stronger on the street then just a ET slip. I'm sure it held it's own, and then some.
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Rick, I agree on the "sticky tires" and it really was a fun car.

BTW, this another great thread. Thanks to you guys for the great info.
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
O-M-R

I'm originally from Mahopac, New York {Southern, New York}.

Right on the border of Westchester and Putnam Counties, near the Taconic State Parkway.

About 75-Miles North of New York City.

My Father started out in 1965, as he had an Amoco Service Station in Carmel, New York
which soon turned into a Performance Car hang out.

We were only about 20-Minutes away from Dover Drag Strip {Wingdale, New York}.

I started Drag Racing in 1970.

Later in early-1970, he opened a Small Machine Shop in Pawling, New York - then in early-1971 he
moved the Machine Shop to a Gulf Service Station in Lake Carmel.

Then to Northern Westchester

In 1972, he opened Valley Motor & Machine in Jefferson Valley and business really took off.
And his Shop soon became a 'Full Service Shop' {Less Crankshaft Grinder}.

He later moved to Baldwin Place in 1979, and was there until 1986.

In 1987 he bought a new building in Peekskill, and was there until 2003, when
he and my Mother sold the Building and Shop, and then retired to North Carolina.

We were a 90% Mopar Family. We strayed a few times.

As a side note, my 77 year-old Mother drives a 'Mint'......... 2006 Chrysler 300-C 'HEMI'
Click to expand...

Did you know a guy down there named Pete who drove a 68 or 69 383 Charger? Did a lot of drag racing. I am having a senior moment or I could tell you his last name. (He looked kinda like Tony Orlando back then). :glasses7: I am pretty sure he was in your hometown area.

*Love that your Mom is driving a Hemi. My mom blew a piston in my dad's 58 Dodge Royal (350 wedge) racing me in my 66 Barracuda back in the day. Cool Mom's are the best!
 
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