The Hidden Details of the 1974 Dodge Charger

[@LongIslandMopars]

Best racecar ever. The 43 74 Charger. Thanks gentlemen, that was awesome.

[@DaveScott-r3m]

I believe the wood brothers may have something to say about that lol

[@timchilders3535]

​@@DaveScott-r3mI know right!

[@timchilders3535]

@LongIslandMopars It was a good one in its era, under the Petty Enterprises team, that's for sure. Best racecar ever? I don't think I would go that far🏁🏆😎😉👍

[@terryschnereger8531]

I love my 74 Charger as my 1st car for over 30 yrs. Thank you Richard Petty for putting this car into the winners circle.🏁

[@LongIslandMopars]

@@terryschnereger8531 Awesome. I'm the second owner of my 74 Charger for the past 26 years.

[@RaiderX948]

As a kid in those years that Charger is how I first remembered Richard Petty. I believe The King has said that that particular car was the one he felt the best in.

[@LongIslandMopars]

@@RaiderX948 yep, it is well known that the 74 Charger was his favorite racecar because it could win on all different tracks and was very fast on superspeedways due to its shape.

[@macsmith-cg6wg]

Love these old stories.

[@Baldeaglemike]

Always look forward to seeing these on Monday evening.

[@timchilders3535]

Absolutely, so do I. A treasure trove of racing history, and especially Petty Enterprises history!

[@FrankF-vp4pt]

Thanks for the video. Good to hear the stories from team members from the heyday. That Charger is one of my favorite Richard drove.

[@Blackswan19874]

You guys are what’s missing in NASCAR today ( real people ) love your videos and all the great memories it brings back , back when a 7 year old kid could be always guaranteed an autograph from Richard ! My Dad even had a conversation with A.J.Foyt through a chain link fence on the infield at Daytona for about ten minutes, you guys are the remnants and historians of the very best years of NASCAR ….. thank you !!

[@hemiman43]

Another great one. Good to see old friends and listen to the stories again.

[@scottmihalsky3612]

Oh man, thanks for sharing these fantastic stories.

[@treborretsnom6186]

I was in grade school, I'm not a NASCAR fan, but the memories of the races are there. 👍🇺🇲

[@nathanielwaters6730]

I'm a Mopar Man and a big Richard Petty Fan, that Charger from '72-'77 was my favorite even though I love the other Mopars, I like to clone my '73 Charger into a full legit Stocker like as he raced!!! Mopar Nate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

[@robmeadows3114]

Cale drove for Junior from 73-80. Kar-Kare was 1973 and some of 74. Carling was 1974. They had Valvoline at Daytona in 1975 and Holly Farms came a little later in 1975 through 1977. First National City Travelers Checks was 1978 and Busch Beer was 1979-80.

[@monteconnor4713]

Correct

[@SurlyriderBilly]

Charger looking good boys, that’s probably my favorite 43 car

[@michaelbragg6903]

I agree with you

[@timchilders3535]

Yes that 1974 Dodge Charger was a good one, and became an icon, of both NASCAR in that era, and certainly of Petty Enterprises. My personal favorite Petty Enterprises #43 car, is definitely, without a doubt, that clean, straight, sleek 1966 Plymouth Belvedere, that they ran in 1966 and 1967, and were wildly successful with. Man that's a great looking racecar🏁🏆😎

[@shanew.williams]

Another good one Petty Brothers ! When the Charger is finished i hope you can get The King to pose "reunited" with his STP Dodge, setting behind the wheel, in his new seat and gripping that steering wheel once again that HE wrapped in electrical tape. That would be awesome.

[@Bruce-i1j]

Met a guy named Bob Townsend. He told me that he was a part of the 74 team. He was the gas man and said he was the only left handed gas man on pit road at the time. Heck of a nice guy and told some great stories too.

[@georgedreisch2662]

Never heard the water in the tires story… Classic!

[@michaelbrinks8089]

They probably tested the water in the tires before the race & seen that it did in fact provide an advantage..... I like the story of the paper thin acid ected car body. An inspector laid his clipboard 📋 on the roof & it started sinking into the roof 😂

[@CarlSwanson-e7f]

The iconic STP colors and the Aurora afx petty road runner. Also the cover photo of the Petty's on Hot Rod magazine. Thanks for posting 🏁🏁🇺🇸

[@55Reever]

Great video! Thank you! Charger is coming along.

[@1hasbeen531]

Great stories! Back in the day, we had a fellow working for us that was so "goosey" if you snuck up and poked him he'd about go through the ceiling😂

[@ronniewatkins]

Y'all always have great guests and the best shows! Keep 'em coming and God bless!

[@ericrichardson5995]

The last time I was at North Wilkesboro in the mid 80s. I had my first ever slaw dog. It was so good that I had another one. Love these old stories thanks guys.

[@loganward6691]

Billy Bisco has so much legacy Petty knowledge. Another great show!

[@rlh4331]

Love seeing the video and hearing the backstories. Thanks.

[@amycollins9657]

You make my Mondays ❤️❤️❤️

[@res7s]

Have you thought about collaborating with Uncle Tony? I'd love to see y'all sit down and discuss the Petty 340 stuff he bought. Thanks for a great channel.

[@terryschnereger8531]

The mighty Charger!!👍🏁

[@MOPARMuscleLEBANON]

73-74 Chargers best body styles !

[@lesheath6216]

My father, Les Heath Sr and Charlie Lester towed this car around for shows in the late 70s and early 80s. I have quite a few pics of me standing beside it in our driveway and a few of the racetracks/hotels we stayed at during races.

[@skylaneav8r902]

I am a huge David Pearson fan, so you know how that rivalry goes😎….. However, the Petty family is without doubt responsible for so much of the success NASCAR has enjoyed. Richard Petty is a first class man and the finest ambassador of the sport. I also know this family has always generously supported the local civic organizations in the community. Not because they had to, but because they love the community and enjoy sharing their good fortune with others. It would likely be easier for them to fence off their property and never engage the public like many NASCAR people do, but they just aren’t that type. I have nothing but respect for the Petty family.

[@scottmihalsky3612]

I absolutely enjoy learning about the history of stock car. Especially the specific

[@RoyalBriggsJr]

Rick Potter is a name I heard when I was much younger. I think he had relatives or was from Mayville NY. I remember a mechanic named Walt Merriam who spoke about him.

[@roywhitman7109]

Fascinating story about switching the T/A blocks in the Cuda & Challengers! Similar to the guys that would rent the Shelby Mustang Hertz cars! They'd rent the car, swap the engine, & return it to the rental agency!

[@Daddyodigital]

I saw this car run at Charlotte, and I was amazed at how it sounded. It was smooth and quiet, unlike the rest of the cars that seemed twice as loud. It was easy to hear it by itself because it was a half a track ahead of the pack!

[@DaveScott-r3m]

If it's Charlotte I know Pearson was somewhere around 😯

[@JamesRich-p3x]

As always made my Monday, what springs and bars you got in it?

[@Riverdeepnwide]

I sure miss my '74. Loved the lines on that body, I'd sit and draw pictures of it while the wife shopped or talked whatever. Great car.

[@dextert8188]

I had one also...all black...I'm 68 now...still kicking myself for selling it.

[@BarnacleBrando]

Good to see Rick is doing well. He’s from my hometown in western New York and his mother-in-law was friends with my grandmother. Rick would send home all kinds of Petty souvenirs for me, and in my kindergarten school photo I’m wearing a Richard Petty Dodge Charger t-shirt. Lol. So he’s to blame for my lifelong love of The King.

[@danielduane4597]

That was a great show

[@sebaru555]

I have so much memory with this car!! 😍

[@SherryRadway]

Growing up in the 80’s our family car was a 1976 charger and I know that it had a 360 in it.

[@bumstead1383]

I’ve been trying to get to the museum. Hopefully soon. I kinda got a little suspension on my ncdl…

[@RonRussell-sj1zf]

Those were the days my friends we thought they'd never end ...

[@nicolassanchez8318]

I want to see pictures of this TA small block with 4 bolt mains.

[@bultacowally]

They didn't actually have 4 bolt mains. The blocks were cast with extra material in the main cap areas so the blocks could be drilled and tapped FOR 4 bolt mains. Also they were cast with a higher nickel content to make them more stable to the machining processes that the blocks got. Mopar eventually started selling T/A block equivalent replacements referred to as the "X" block if I remember right....

[@ridgerunnerperformance-jas5418]

Great story guys

[@mb123tdt]

Watching from POLAND

[@garymckee63]

I owned quite a few Chrysler products with 3 spoke steering wheel, mostly the stripped down versions like Darts and Valiants.

[@shawnhuff3920]

I was born in April 1974 😅

[@kiethholland3650]

No T/A block had 4 bolt mains! They had thicker mains that could be drilled for 4 bolt mains

[@plisskenationbackfromthede3657]

Actually tim brewer was talking about those tires last week. They werent water filled. But the rims were weighted with lead or something. He said they had 4, offered 2 to dw, dw refused, so they ran 4 on the other car and destroyed dw in the race. Dw got mad and yelled at junior. Junior said tim offered you 2 of em and you didnt take them, thats on you 🤷‍♂️🤣 it wasnt all for left side weight tho, they were just to get to minimum weight prerace and then run underweight from the 1st pit stop onwards

[@threenails4youcarr740]

Brewer's wheel story was yrs later than the water filled race. Junior was crew chief with Caleb then

[@plisskenationbackfromthede3657]

@@threenails4youcarr740 then tim told a damn good story either way

[@charliethomas2798]

PETTY NATION That’s right!!!

[@davidphillips3953]

I would think the smarter move would be extra heavy wheels instead of water in the tires, that would give lower rotational inertia and the tires aren't designed to have that extra weight and the centrifugal forces associated with it. Just make sure those are the wheels on the car any time it might get scaled, the rest of the time run the lightweight wheels.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

🏁 Enjoyed!! 🏁 43

[@babyuh1]

I had a 71, a little better styling because of the better side lights and no rubber baby bumpers! LOL

[@brucepelish9651]

Cale had Carling sponsorship the 2nd half of 1974 and it went away at the end of that season

[@jefferyrobertson7520]

I Like 1981 Buick Regal Number 43 Stp Buick Wins At Daytona 500

[@SGTJDerek]

Back when Stock actually meant STOCK..

[@h.r.puffnstuff8705]

Did they repurpose the chassis of 1971 plymouth satellite to build the Charger?

[@jimmyduke4647]

Why is the red not day-glow?

[@patrickharper9297]

the videos with richard telling the paint stories are pretty easy to find... easy answer is that was before richard wanted to run day glo orange.... richard wanted a blue car... stp wanted a red car; in the end they compromised, or so richard said

[@michaelbrinks8089]

Rule #1 Go Fast ! Rule #2 If You Ain't 1st 🏁 You're Last !

[@davidcyrus3581]

Do yall allow people to come to the shop?

[@bultacowally]

Hey Forest...what's a YALL????

[@karlkettelkamp2643]

Hey, them are the only pistons!!!

[@williamstamper442]

I was alive back then but only single digits old. What ive learned since then makes me know i could have built one hell of a big block or small block and if i had the right chassis guy then WE would have been at top of our game and the one to beat. Reduce rotating friction in every way possible, keep and maintain compression, including the maximum number legal+/- just a little bit....the cheating part would have been on the chassis guy. I could have built legal engines that made what it took to get around the track and pass tech

[@williamstamper442]

675hp small blocks was the norm back then and not hard to do knowing what we know now. I've known these tricks since the early 80s, I'm just saying if I was old enough then I would have been a boon to any team because I've always thought about efficiency when it comes to race engines

[@jimgiordano5328]

❤

[@SPMech1]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@timroyall6513]

Back when men were men!

[@roberthill2219]

More details, less talking about food...