I read about those factory side windows and can't seem to remember what the name was...
I think there is the stigma that all performace died after 1971 PERIOD.
If you put a 72 next to a 71 and understand the small differences, you will see that is simply not the case. Yes, compression ratios are lower, but lots of folks don't fully understand the gross vs net HP ratings, and in reality it's only a small percentage difference between 72 and 71 figures and performance, perhaps the same as the difference between 70 and 71, yet there's nowhere near as large a group claiming all performance died after 1970.
I don't see how one can say "I love the 71, but I hate the 72" for two cars that are very nearly the same car.
If you can grasp and get over that hurdle, then that opens the window for the acceptance of the 73/74 models.
Put another way, is a 71 340 car WAY better than a 72 440 car? if so, why?
The 440 should almost certianly be faster than the 340.
That kinda kills one argument.
IMO, each of the groups has positive attributes for me.
Thick bumper guards can for the most part, simply be unbolted...if that's a better look for you.
Lots of folks seem to be hung up on that, and it's an awfully easy fix.
I'm a fan of the cleverly named little accessory options, like tuff wheels, pistol grips, and slap sticks, etc (rallye wheels, machine gun tips, you get the point). Most of those started in 70, and there were even more and more commonly ordered in 71-74.
I was talking with a guy the other day that called 66 Chargers "the ugly ones", and said he'd never own anything later than 1970. While I certainly aprreciate the "heyday" Mopars, I also know and appreciate the roots, and I like the evolution.
Whatever.