Road Runner Nest

Just curious,

Why such low production on the GTX vs the RR? also what does GTX stands for. Thanks Steve

i think the gtx prod was so low just because of the costto buy one compared to a cheaper roadrunner...not sure 100%, but i'd say that was the reason...never heard of a definition for gtx...kinda like r/t for dodge...unknown, isn't it?

r/t......road and track

gtx.....grand touring experimental

i think.

BRIAN

Cost of a GTX (high trim line) more than a Road Runner (medium trim line)
Cost of insurance on a 440 WAY more than a 340,383 or 400 (both 383 and 400 the compression was lowered to reduce HP for insurance rates).
Also 440 4v and 6v low gas milage (oil imbargo).

1972RM23 wrote:Cost of a GTX (high trim line) more than a Road Runner (medium trim line)
Cost of insurance on a 440 WAY more than a 340,383 or 400 (both 383 and 400 the compression was lowered to reduce HP for insurance rates).
Also 440 4v and 6v low gas milage (oil imbargo).

Just to add a few. 71 being the first year for this body- it wasn't well received. Why- I got no clue- but then I always think " out of the box".


The Hp was down to a few reasons. First the compression- however that isn't as detrimental as you think. True, lower compression requires a less hairy cam- and the resultant loss in HP. However- the timing was backed off to 5 btdc, or 0. also where the factory rated/ measured the engine output was different. In 70 the rated the output at 5500 rpm, then in 71 it was somewhere around 5000. All of these thing added up to a "seemed" loss- but witha quick tweek of the timing and few litle things- you were darned close to previous output and the insurance companies were none the wiser.

road chicken wrote:Just to add a few. 71 being the first year for this body- it wasn't well received. Why- I got no clue- but then I always think " out of the box".

I have a theory on some of this, and it’s just based on what I saw in the world of NASCAR as it related to the Blue Oval vs Mopar war.

The winged cars (Dodge Daytona in ’69, Plymouth Superbird in ’70) were virtually legislated out of existence in 1971 as NASCAR limited them to a smaller engine (350 I think) vs the 426 Hemi. Ford still had the 427 and the Talladega Torino so Mopar came up with the 1971 “area rule” car to compete and still use the Hemi. After 1972 NASCAR legislated the Hemi out of existence, along with Ford’s single overhead cam 427. Shortly thereafter Mopar just flat pulled out of NASCAR. The King even drove a FORD for a while…GAHHHHHHHH!

Like I said, this is mostly from my old phart memory and may be partly urban legend.

The king drove a Ford in 1969. BEFORE the Plymouth Superbird came in 1970. And then the Birds and Daytonas got legislated out of existence with a cubic inch reduction to 305.

bruce wrote:The king drove a Ford in 1969. BEFORE the Plymouth Superbird came in 1970. And then the Birds and Daytonas got legislated out of existence with a cubic inch reduction to 305.

Thanks, I couldn't remember what the displacement was.

Personally I would have liked to see the FoMoCo single stick in the Torino Talladega and the Hemi Superbirds duke it out at Dayton and Talladega. Would have been a lot better racing than nowadays!

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Thanks, I couldn't remember what the displacement was.

Personally I would have liked to see the FoMoCo single stick in the Torino Talladega and the Hemi Superbirds duke it out at Dayton and Talladega. Would have been a lot better racing than nowadays!

Mopar and Ford had Nascar really worried. The speeds were already at 200mph, on tires and tracks of the day. SCARY for the drivers. Go back and look at the old tapes- it looks like racing on your average interstate ( 2 lane).
However, the reason FOMOCO SOHC was killed quickly was this..... if NASCAR was going to allow a SOHC, MA had a DOHC HEMI already to go. You know, ya just don't see pissing matches like you used to.

road chicken wrote:Mopar and Ford had Nascar really worried. The speeds were already at 200mph, on tires and tracks of the day. SCARY for the drivers. Go back and look at the old tapes- it looks like racing on your average interstate ( 2 lane).

Yeah, I remember the day Bobby Allison nearly got into the stands at Talladega...out of that came the infamous restrictor plate.

road chicken wrote:However, the reason FOMOCO SOHC was killed quickly was this..... if NASCAR was going to allow a SOHC, MA had a DOHC HEMI already to go. You know, ya just don't see pissing matches like you used to.

I found one of the most comprehensive articles about this, as well as a lot of other interesting stuff while looking for some of the history on Richard Petty and what became "Petty Blue Paint".

Which came first? The Petty or the Plymouth?

Makes for interesting reading, or at least I thought so.

If memory serves me right I think FoMoCo actually ran that engine at drag strips back when it first came out in the mid 60s. Was in a monster thing they called the Thunderbolt or something like that. One of those goofy looking Fairlanes that was nothing but thin aluminum and fiberglass.

I never did like when racing bodies put the kibosh on innovation...personally I liked watching that ugly turbine car Andy Granatelli brought to the Indy 500!

72Rdrnner wrote:
If memory serves me right I think FoMoCo actually ran that engine at drag strips back when it first came out in the mid 60s. Was in a monster thing they called the Thunderbolt or something like that. One of those goofy looking Fairlanes that was nothing but thin aluminum and fiberglass.

Yup, they ran them on the strips, where the engine quickly earned the name 427 Track oiler. My brother-in-law absolutley HATES when I bring that up about his beloved 427 sohc. Doesn't do much good if it can't hold together.

petty car in 1969 the ford was 429 hemi