426 Hemi-Powered 1974 Dodge Charger NASCAR Race Car

[DynoDave]

bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-dodge-charger-5/

[DynoDave]

Bid to $41,426.00, reserve not met.

[jeremy]

Thanks, I enjoyed looking over the suspension. It's completely custom but not as radically different as I'd feared. Still leaf springs and torsion bars. They doubled up on the shocks, for handling or safety? Steering is still ball and trunion. The "k frame" is bizarre, and there's an extra linkage back to the LCA. I'm curious where they got some of these parts, which look like they'd have to be engineered and forged. It's not stuff a mechanic makes with sheet metal and a welder in his garage.

I don't see a sway bar in the back, or the front.  There's so much different in the front though, I'm not sure what I'm seeing.  

I think the chassis has some reinforcements in it. Recently Uncle Tony had a video where he visited his buddy Kiwi, who showed him how he'd welded in reinforcements on a Mustang to stiffen up the unibody. That caught my eye since R/T's had reinforcements my base car doesn't have, but eventually I'll want that level of power and maybe more. Kiwi isn't next door but he's not that far away either.

[DynoDave]

Dual shocks help control the MUCH higher rate t-bars and leaf springs.

The front has a sway bar for sure. See the yellow arm with the lightening holes drilled in it, connected to the black tube? That's the end arm of the front sway bar, which is inside the tube.



Nice round diagonal brace running to a custom made torsion bar cross member.



Did you notice the grease zerk on bottom of the extra shock on the rear? No soft rubber bushings for this stock car.



Another view of that front sway bar setup, with tome on the driver side, and without lightening holes.



Same view of passenger side, again with the lightening holes on the arm. Also, see how the tube is welded to the K-member? Again, no soft rubber mounts. Also notice in these to photos the end links...all heim joints. Say it again...no soft bushings.



Check out the open design of what's left of the brake backing plate.



Differential plumbed for cooling. I'm guessing the "300" on the piece of duct tape means that pig is loaded with 3.0 to 1 rear gears.



And the diff cooler pump and heat exchanger.



Side exit exhaust, with crude angle iron hangers bolted to the floor, this time WITH a big fat rubber bushing.4



A very early, crude, and none-too-thick driveshaft loop.



Another view of that diagonal brace we saw tied into the custom torsion bar mount earlier above. Makes a full X brace.



Very curious battery mounted low and forward, sort of in the driver's foot well. Usually on the driver side but in the back wheel well.



Wild looking custom (home made?) oil pan.



Yep, 3.0:1 rear gears.



A ton of history right there.

[jeremy]

Fascinating. Where is the rear sway bar?

It would be fun to see one of these autocross.  It looks like it might be able to turn in more than one direction after all.  Might need a brake upgrade.  But I'd like to see how well those drums work with the cooling slots cut into the backing plate.  

[DynoDave]

I don't see a rear bar.

This video, in it;s original episode length, had a modern stock car driver (I can't recall who) back to back drive this Charger against a modern car of say 10 years ago. It was interesting if not all together accurate.

[jeremy]

Sept 4, 2022 13:24:41 GMT -5 DynoDave said:

This video, in it;s original episode length, had a modern stock car driver (I can't recall who) back to back drive this Charger against a modern car of say 10 years ago. It was interesting if not all together accurate.

I wouldn't mind seeing that. With all the restrictions on the new cars, I would guess the performance difference isn't all that great. Perhaps in fuel economy.

[DynoDave]

You all know me well enough by now to know how aggravated I get when I don't think things are reported right/well/fairly.

I don't remember all of the particulars of exactly what annoyed me about the comparison, but I do remember finding a number of elements about it unfair. But, that wasn't really the point of the story, nor are they likely to produce a document that says Hey, this 50 year old stock car can do 80 - 90% of what a modern car can. Maybe the new cars aren't so great after all.

[jeremy]

Sounds like a job for Cleetus Mcfarland. If old media won't do it, perhaps new media will . . .

[DynoDave]

Did you see Cletus's event at Bristol? I've only been a subscriber of his for 3 years or so, but the way his program has grown in that time is nothing short of incredible to me.