I thought I knew how these cars were built.

So my most recent acquisition is a Black 400 4bbl auto on the column with a Ramcharger hood. My question is about the hood. This particular car has a 71 style Ramcharger hood. Vents go all the way across with no "break" in the middle, not like what you would expect to see on a 72. This car has a SPD of Oct 20, so it is pretty early. The hood strikes me as it could be orig, I can't find any other color paint on it. That said the bottom has been sprayed recently. The top was painted too but it must have been a loooong time ago. Plenty of little "windows" to the paint below.

With only 249 buyers a Ramcharger car is fairly scarce. Do we think this is a case where Dodge was simply using up parts? You figure the Rallye has a completely different hood than the 71 SuperBee and R/T but Dodge could fudge the Ramcharger. Anybody have a N96 car with a earlier SPD and known hood history?

Maybe someone recalls this car... Came from the south, Georgia I think. It has a Gold/Tan interior.

I didn't think a rally charger could have a ramcharger style hood??don't guiess iv ever seen one

Do you have a broadcast sheet? Need to find a bulge hood

I do have a sheet and a tag. I'm not asking if this car came with the Ramcharger, that much is clear.

I'm asking if this car could have been delivered with a 71 style hood and if others have as well.

Given that the Ramcharger hood was a low-percentage take in '71, I'd find it more unbelievable that Chrysler would have paid for tooling to change it for '72. Using '71 hoods on '72 Ramcharger-equipped cars just makes financial sense.

I agree 110%... But we all know there are 1972 Ramcharger hoods in the world. So the question is when did they start using the 72 hood? Was it the first 1972 car made or the 69th after they depleted the 71 style.

If a certain plant or factory had an overstock of parts , or not enough , why not
Keep the line running

No different then production 71 Charger s with the concealed headlamp option having a mix of the 1971 and 1972 front parts / headlamp doors or 1972 concealed headlamp parts all together

I don't think there is an exact timeline ? More or less what was available at an individual factory

Hey Tom!
Saw ya at Carlisle, but never got to catch up with ya. Hope all is well.

YEARS ago (1993??), I looked at a 72 440 4spd, Ramcharger equipped Charger Rallye, and that car had the 71 style hood vents as well. (Sadly ,the original eng/trans were missing on that car...or I would have bought it, and probably would still own it).
As for the hood vents, my experience has been that there was a bit of overlap between years/assembly plants. Unless you can find a paint issue or some damage that would prove otherwise, I would think your Rallye probably still has it's original hood.

I've also seen a NOS 71 R/T or Superbee hood with the 73 style hood vents. I can only assume that hood was a factory crash replacement part...but it was certainly an oddity.

I think they used up the 71 stock. I had a 72 RR that was built in August. It have a 71 left apron, front floor, rear foot well floor and deck lid.

The funny thing is that I feel a legit N96 car should have the correct year hood. If this car was in fact delivered with a 71 hood... it makes me a little nutty. Makes me want to put a 72 hood on it

I've seen a good 5 or 6 72's with 71 ramcharger hoods on them. Yes, Ma Mopar used up all the 71 stock before the "new" 72 parts.

My 71 charger rt has some 70 parts on it Sept 9 production date . My guess using up the stock..

All 1971 chargers built after October of 1970 have the gap in the vent on the hood! My U code 71 Bee was built on 11-20-70 and it has the gap in the hood and the early production front valance also. I know of a 72 340 N96 car in Michigan that has the early hood also. I personally think the hood was changed at some point.

Please tell me about the "early front valance".

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-72-DODGE-CHARGER-FRONT-VALANCE-PANEL-RT-SUPER-BEE-/112012079641?hash=item1a1470b219:g:L0AAAOSwaG9XJNgz&vxp=mtr

See how they have those two rear bump outs behind the brackets on the back side

They got rid of those later on in production

Anyways

Link doesn't seem to worky from Ebay

Just copy it and paste it , you will notice in the pictures the bump outs I am talking about

So Mark... Your Bee has a ramcharger or a Bee hood? Also I'm not sure I understand what you are saying about the 72 340 car. You think his hood has been changed or mine?

My Black 71 R/T has the break in the vents. Just the standard R/T hood. Can't lay my finger on the SPD at the moment.

That's not true with the Ramcharger equipped cars. I have pictures from a 2 owner 71 R/T, 50k mile, 6 pack, 4spd car. December build. Current owner has had this car since 1974, and knew the original owner. This car is original paint, except for a touch up on one fender.

The Ramcharger hood on his car has a solid row of vents with no break.

It's also a Lynch Road car, if that matters... It has some cool options too.