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What's the deal with torque boxes?

Posted By: Diego (not Ted)

What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 09:13 PM

They were standard on Hemi cars and ragtops, right? Any other cars? I was reading about the Charger from the TV show "Chop Cut Rebuild" and the pedigree of the car was under scrutiny. The Hemi was not available on an XP Charger but this car is coded for it, and it has the torque boxes to lend credence to it being a real Hemi car. I assume there are examples where the car was built with torque boxes but wasn't a Hemi or ragtop, right?
Posted By: HPMike

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 09:35 PM

Quote:

They were standard on Hemi cars and ragtops, right? Any other cars? I was reading about the Charger from the TV show "Chop Cut Rebuild" and the pedigree of the car was under scrutiny. The Hemi was not available on an XP Charger but this car is coded for it, and it has the torque boxes to lend credence to it being a real Hemi car. I assume there are examples where the car was built with torque boxes but wasn't a Hemi or ragtop, right?



The very first car XP29ROG100001 is real. Is this the car in question? Never saw the show.

The torque box deal is kinda confusing, at times. There are cars that should have them and don't. There are cars that shouldn't have them, but do. I have never seen a fatory hemi car that didn't have them and I have laid eyes on more factory cars than many have. I am sure there are some on this site with more insight that can contribute to the discussion and shed some light on your inquiry.

MB
Posted By: Diego (not Ted)

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 09:47 PM

Actually, the car in question is a '69. It's also most likely it's not the T5 Charger that was in promotional photos due to the sequence number of the VIN, although I can't profess to know if they'd build a pilot car, then later assign a VIN to it and then sell it.

So here's a question: Would 440 R/Ts get torque boxes in '69?
Posted By: JohnRR

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 09:48 PM

6pack cars would have them , though the 69 A12 does not. My 69 383 4 speed Dart has them along with the front torque box, and 340 A bodies have them in the rear at least. I'm sure there are more.
Posted By: OzHemi

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 09:53 PM

For what ever it may be worth, the Australia cars used them as well... (plane jane or not)
Posted By: ScottSmith_Harms

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 10:06 PM

Quote:

I have never seen a fatory hemi car that didn't have them and I have laid eyes on more factory cars than many have.



I've seen several original Hemi cars that lacked them, most common cars were 66-68's but I've seen others as well. In various applications some were lacking all of them while some were lacking just the fronts or just the rears. TB's were GENERALLY found under many HP engine equipped cars, not just Hemi's, especially 4 speed cars, most commonly used with 440 Six Packs (but not 69.5 cars as John said), 340 manual trans cars, and most BB A-body cars. I've also seen them in cars that should not have had them, a couple slant 6 cars for example. So, you just never know, there are only general guidelines when it comes to what cars should or should not have them.
Posted By: T2R9

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 10:16 PM

My 72 440 Rallye Charger has them front and rear along with a skid plate on the k-frame.
Posted By: HPMike

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 10:31 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I have never seen a fatory hemi car that didn't have them and I have laid eyes on more factory cars than many have.



I've seen several original Hemi cars that lacked them, most common cars were 66-68's but I've seen others as well. In various applications some were lacking all of them while some were lacking just the fronts or just the rears. TB's were GENERALLY found under many HP engine equipped cars, not just Hemi's, especially 4 speed cars, most commonly used with 440 Six Packs (but not 69.5 cars as John said), 340 manual trans cars, and most BB A-body cars. I've also seen them in cars that should not have had them, a couple slant 6 cars for example. So, you just never know, there are only general guidelines when it comes to what cars should or should not have them.



My 70 V code R/T has them in front, but not in the back.


Interesting on the Hemi car findings... Like stated, I have never seen an original hemi car that didn't have them. I kinda figured that because of all of the other body mods the Hemi cars got that they would have had more "attention" in this area, whereas the other cars were kinda hit or miss.

MB
Posted By: Diego (not Ted)

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 10:44 PM

So would a 440 4-speed '69 Charger R/T have them?
Posted By: HPMike

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/20/11 10:58 PM

Quote:

So would a 440 4-speed '69 Charger R/T have them?



Technically, yes. Positively? No.....
Posted By: moparmarks

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/21/11 12:18 AM

I've had a few 69-72B 440 auto cars with them. All my 69-72B 440 4-spd cars had them.
None of my 65-72B/E 383/400 4-spd had them.
Have seen a couple 318B's with the rears.
Posted By: Diego (not Ted)

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/21/11 01:24 AM

Thanks!
Posted By: cataclysm80

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/21/11 02:07 AM

My 70 340 'Cuda had them front and back.

My 70 318 Challenger did not have any.

A friends 71 6 cylinder Barracuda convertible did not have any, but it should have had them.

Tav
Posted By: 71X-mark

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/21/11 03:31 AM

Quote:

I've had a few 69-72B 440 auto cars with them. All my 69-72B 440 4-spd cars had them.
None of my 65-72B/E 383/400 4-spd had them.
Have seen a couple 318B's with the rears.



My brother and I each have '71 4-speed GTX's with the torque boxes and have seen automatic cars without them. My guess is that all 440/HEMI cars w/4-speeds and HEMI automatics had them.
Posted By: radar

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/21/11 05:50 AM

My '72 340 4spd demon has them.
Posted By: 6bblgt

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/21/11 06:49 AM

The only '68-'70 b-bodies that I've seen them on are HEMI & convertible.

So, IMO factory TBs on the CCR XP HEMI Charger would be an indication that it was a factory HEMI car. It's not the only '69 XP HEMI.
FYI - when the car was at SEMA '10, it lacked TBs.
Posted By: fullonmopar

Re: What's the deal with torque boxes? - 03/21/11 11:58 AM

They are standard on every chrysler/valiant ever built down under, even the 215 cid Hemi six cylinder 3 speed manual cars had them.
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