LS WON

I read an article on the CHP 1972 Dodge Polara in the Hemmings Muscle Car Magazine. It says that it accelerates 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and hits a top end speed of 140 miles. It has a 440 engine with a 727 TorqueFlite auto trans. It weighs in at 4,100 lbs and has tons of room.
Can this car keep up if not over run a 454 Corvette of the same year which weighs about the same?
I have never heard of a big block 454 factory stock being able to pull those figures. I thought in 1972 the Corvette was the king of the road?

juiceman03070

The 72 454 Corvette was a boat anchor ..rated at less than 300 horse power ..NET....
Do some research on the 70 LS-6 Chevelle that was the real deal of 454 factory build ...

LS WON

The 454 had 270 horses net. I am just comparing the two cars of the same year. Hard to believe that a Dodge Polara at 4,100 lbs. can out run a big block Corvette in 1972.

OregonVette80

fwiw... I would feel a hellova lot safer in a giant Polara at 140mph than I would a 72 Vette. And I'm a huge C3 fan

LS WON

That car is a tank maybe I should get one and don't have to worry about getting hit or me hitting anyone and get some of that 440 performance with all of that room.

OregonVette80

"Toooot, Toooooot!!!!"







seriously, this barge is 23 feet long too!

LS WON

a heavy tank

BoostManiac

How much HP/TQ for the 440? It would take a lot to push that barge through the air that fast!

LS WON

320 horses at 4,400 rpm
380 lbs. ft. torque @ 3,200 RPM
0-60MPH 6.7 seconds
1/4 mile: 15.2 seconds @ 92 MPH.
Top speed: 140
Curb weight: 4,100 lbs. (est.)

These are fast times for that time in 1972.
I don't know if the 454 Corvette of the day could match this.

03clyde

I believe we had the same engine and transmission combination up in New York with the early 70s Grand Fury troop cars. They were a very fast car.

OregonVette80

not only that, with around 400ftlbs of torque at 3000 rpm's you could tow about 15 Miata's!

LS WON

It's like a wind up toy you have to get the buzz saw going in high RPM's to make it anywhere.

OregonVette80

On that note, we used to have a 1972 Ford Gran Torino Uber-Wagon. For real... THAT thing was a sled. The handling... Hmmm, not sure I can even say the word "handling" when describing that yacht. With squishy bias-ply tires, loose "luxury" shocks and acres of interior space, you could set sail for family vacations all over the country. With its gas guzzling big block and giant "travel package" fuel tank, I can just remember my dad at the helm, asking for a beer while driving across the Black Hills of South Dakota!!!

Oh the 70's... good times

LS WON

I C is that why torque is so important which makes the big block the favorite? Tons of pulling power.

Tally Ho

I used to work on a lot of the 72 Polaras the FHP had. Trust me, you're much safer in the Vette. The big Dodge is unibody with sub frames, the Vette is full framed. The FHP used to have us lower the torsion bars as low as they would go. At 100+ the big Dodge will float and has zero handling capabilities. At factory ride height, anything over 90mph is just plain scary.

LS WON

Let just say at 60 mph and driving around town the Polara and the Corvette from 0-60. The performance is very close to the Corvette maybe better per these road tests but around town is where you have more chance of having a collision 1972 vs. 1972. When you hit things in these big cars there is minimal damage compared to other vehicles.
I find it hard to believe though 4,100 lbs. of big heavy metal can do 0-60 in that 6.7 second range which is faster than the 72 454 corvette.