71-74 rear wheel wells

[Sputnik]

What's the purpose of the two different rear wheel wells on these cars ?

 

[Revhendo]

Um, you mean between the 71/72s and the 73/74s?

 

[Sputnik]

No - I mean left to right. 73-74 has two entirely different shaped wheel wells (was assuming it was a 71-74 thing). Not sure what the purpose is but I'm probably missing the obvious.

 

[Sputnik]

Anyone ? Anyone ? Bueller ?

 

[Revhendo]

LOL. Ya got me on that one. Probably some design thing for trunk configuration, multi-model application, or other options that did or did not make it into production. (?)

 

[droptop]

Doesn't it have to do with the emmesions? I think there is some type of canister on the right wheel well.

 

[Sputnik]

That's what I was thinking (emissions hardware) - when I first noticed mine I thought "holy cow, the car's been wrecked in the rear quarter and they replaced a wheel well with the wrong one !" ....... that was until I called my buddy to look at his car (he had never noticed, either). Must be a good reason for the configuration.

 

[Revhendo]

I was gonna mess with you and say it was for the optional 4 wheel steering. Then I started thinking that would be cool and forgot to post it....

 

[T2R9]

71 and early 72's had the evap canister located in the drivers side wheel well behind the tire. Its likely they just continued to use the existing stampings through 74 instead of retooling.

 

[Sputnik]

T2R9 - thanks.....I knew someone would have an answer !

 

[racedodge]

ACTUALLY...

the two different wheel well sizes is due to.....

NASCAR... the passenger side required a larger wheel due to the continual left hand turns that nascar is famously known for. so to accomodate the larger tire on the passenger side, the wheel well had to be enlarged.

so.. not vapor canister, but NASCAR

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Actually, the driver's side wheel well is elongated rearward and volume wise is the larger of the two. It is clear to anyone who has seen the 71', early 72' fuel tank vapor separator/expansion tank mounted in the rear of the driver's side wheel well why it is shaped the way it is. After the vapor separator was redesigned and relocated forward of the fuel tank mid year 72', made no sense to retool, as mentioned.

 

[racedodge]

Actually, the driver's side wheel well is elongated rearward and volume wise is the larger of the two. It is clear to anyone who has seen the 71', early 72' fuel tank vapor separator/expansion tank mounted in the rear of the driver's side wheel well why it is shaped the way it is. After the vapor separator was redesigned and relocated forward of the fuel tank mid year 72', made no sense to retool, as mentioned.

well i guess it just wasnt clear enough for me, next time.. condescension in post will be unnecessary to get point across... try it.. it increases member relations too? imagine that? NOT being a smart *** in posts will increase forum morale? what a concept....

 

[Tang72]

I never noticed they where even different... i had to go look after this post lol. Nice catch.

 

[byrdhouse2006]

I find the easiest way to deal with it is delete the wells entirely and mini tub them to put better rubber on the ground! I have a 73 with the built 383 in process of being worked on. Body sucks but dealing with it slowly! I am gonna run 295/60/15s on the rear when done. ALread measured for depth!

 

[oxytousc]

No - I mean left to right. 73-74 has two entirely different shaped wheel wells (was assuming it was a 71-74 thing). Not sure what the purpose is but I'm probably missing the obvious.

Does your trunk also have some sort of what appears to be factory tar type sound deadening on the driver side, but non on the passenger side? Or it might be the other way around, not in front of the car...I just no in my 73 one side has some spray foam type substance that is clearly factory original and the other, which is also factory original, does not.

 

[scotts74birds]

I have noticed on other cars, that one well was longer than the other to facilitate the fuel filler tube. Perhaps this was a plan that never materialized.

 

[Randy73]

Doesn't it have to do with the emmesions? I think there is some type of canister on the right wheel well.

What the heck does 'emmesions' mean??????