72-4 Shell

[TreeFrog]

If you were to stip a 72, 73 & 74 to the last bolt ....

how many differences are there unibody-shell to unibody-shell?

[72rtchallenger]

only in the 70 to 71 bolts  really 90% to 10% in difference or less 

[TreeFrog]

I am guessing the front bumper mounting holes are different, outside of that I am clueless

[dodj]

Stripped to the shell, I would think they are no differences '72-74.

I am guessing the front bumper mounting holes are different, outside of that I am clueless

72-74 bumper bracket mounting holes are the same. Different on the bumper but the same on the frame. Come to think of it, I've never had a '72 bracket, but 73, 74 are definitely the same on the frame. 

[Chryco Psycho]

I would tend to disagree , the 72 had flush bumpers , the 73-74 had the extended bumpers on the front but the 74had a huge beam in behind the rear bumper with totally different mounting , the 74 I had was 3800 lbs with a small block & I had removed the bumper re-inforcements !! BY comparison my 70 is 3550 with a big block so there had to be a lot more metal somewhere in the car

[dodj]

But the mounting holes on the uni-body are in the same place. Brackets are different but the shell is still the same. No?

[TreeFrog]

I was considering looking for a 72 shell, and prep it. then strip my 72 and move all the parts over.

I feel certain from memory the 74 is different, the 73 may just have been in bolting the front bumper.

Thought I would ask the experts

[72rtchallenger]

But the mounting holes on the uni-body are in the same place. Brackets are different but the shell is still the same. No?

I think the shell should be the same

[Scat Pack Fever]

I cloned my 74 challenger to a 70 and used the 70-71 backets and bumper and it mounted fine.

[burdar]

Only minor stuff will be different.  There will be a few small holes drilled in different places between the years.  All the main stuff will be the same.

73 also has a large reinforcement behind the front and rear bumpers.  They are very heavy.  74 might be heavier...I don't know. 

[Todd DesMarais]

 I've had/done both so I will spill the beans....

 ***NOTE*** this is for a 'cuda

 *accy/bracket mounting holes in the front inner fenders
 *trunk lock hole (72 = small, 73-4 = big)
 *rear inner frame rail reinforcements (73-4 have thick "plates" welded inside framerails)
 *quarterpanel to bumper "lip" (72 quarter has a sheetmetal lip to close the gap between the bumper and quarter; 73-4 don't, they use the thick rubber spacer)
 *slot in pass rear frame for evap. lines on 72, none on 73-4

 I think that's all. the bumpers are all in the brackets. the 74 doors have side impact bars in them = heavy

 The rest is cosmetic bolt on stuff

[Brewster_440]

I would tend to disagree , the 72 had flush bumpers , the 73-74 had the extended bumpers on the front but the 74had a huge beam in behind the rear bumper with totally different mounting , the 74 I had was 3800 lbs with a small block & I had removed the bumper re-inforcements !! BY comparison my 70 is 3550 with a big block so there had to be a lot more metal somewhere in the car

in 1973 the car makers were trying to add those huge goofy looking bumpers for government saftey regulations. I think they had to add other strength into the body, like the difference between a 70 hood and a 72 hood is the underhood bracing is different. the 72-74 has those "fold indents" (i don't think that's the actual name or term...) so the hood would fold in an accident instead of snapping off the hood springs and coming thru the windshield.  My car is a 1970 Challenger and has large formed steel bracing inside the doors, and maybe its 1/8" thick. I believe that brace is thicker and heavier on a 1972 Cuda. so there would be some of that extra weight.

[TreeFrog]

Just to be clear .....

I am looking at the basic shell only.

doors, truck lid front clip EVERY THING ELSE is GONE...

Just the UNIBODY SHELL (not that I have found one)

[Chryco Psycho]

as I recall I had to cut sections of the rear bumper beams to mount the rear bumper after removing the beam , but I an sure with 70 mounts the bumper could be bolted up flush but you may have to drill holes in the correct place

[daburford]

I've got a 74 that I've put 70 bumpers on, as well as a 70 grille. It's all just bolt on using the existing holes in the shell, and 70 brackets. The rear 74 bumper can't be used w/ 70 brackets at all. The front 74 bumper can be used with the 70 brackets, you just need to remove the 5mph reinforcement steel. And you will have two extra bolt holes you will need put bolts in for cosmetic reason (on top of the bumper I believe) or just get a 70 bumper. No drilling, no metal modification. There are holes in the rear side quarters that the big rubber pieces bolted through into the trunk you will need to fill on the 73/74 shell or risk water leaking in through those.