By 1972, compression ratios were dropping although that didn’t stop U.S. automakers from churning out proper muscle cars. Dodge, for example, cranked out 240 net ponies and more than enough torque from the 340 Wedge that’s named as such due to wedge-shaped combustion chambers.
Based on the 318, the Demon’s engine was detuned to low-compression valve heads for 1972. This one, specifically, is rocking the three-speed automatic from the TorqueFlite A727 series of transmissions. Upgraded with 4.56 rear gears for the sole purpose of quarter-mile glory, the black-and-white car in the featured video, filmed at Mid-Michigan Motorplex, sits on Goodyear Polyglas F70-14 tires and weighs merely 3,316 pounds (1,504 kilograms) including the driver.
Right about 8,700 examples were produced that year, which makes the Demon a rare breed compared to the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS. The biggest of the Big Three in Detroit moved 51,455 units that year, and the one pictured in green is equipped with the L34 engine and 3.31 gearing.
L34 is the regular production order code for the 396 that’s actually a 402. Then offered as the Super Sport’s base powerplant, this fellow is rocking a 10.25:1 compression ratio. Gross horsepower was rated 350 and gross torque was 415 pound-feet (563 Nm) at 3,400 revolutions per minute. In combination with a four-speed manual, it sure is a blast to hoon around.
Clearly not a strip-slaying machine, the Chevelle SS in this configuration is a heavyweight compared to the Dart-based Demon at 3,966 pounds (1,799 kilograms) including the driver. Fitted with the very same rubber boots as the Mopar collectible, the Super Sport gets off the line a bit slower and fails to catch up by the end of the quarter-mile sprint. The Super Sport ran 13.6 seconds at 103.41 mph (166 kph) versus 12.74 at 106.59 mph (172 kph).
Turning our attention back to the present and very near future, Chevrolet is rumored to replace the Camaro with an electric four-door sedan thingy according to quite a few unverified reports. Dodge, on the other hand, prepares to preview its yet-to-be-named electric muscle car due in 2024.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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