The Year Is: 1972

[wildmanjoe]

The Year Is: 1972

The year is 1972. You've been running hooch for a while now and you current car is in kind of tough shape after your latest escapade.

The money has been good though, so you decided it's time to upgrade your ride. A full sized car won't fit in your shed and a small/pony car doesn't have the trunk space for merchandise. Police in your neck of the wood have been getting steadily more powerful cars over the past few years so a fast engine is a must.

To this end, you decide a midsized two door with a big cube engine will get you where you need to go and leave the police in the dust. They only question is, which one?

1972 Pontiac GTO

1972 Plymouth Road Runner

1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442

1972 Mercury Montego Cyclone

1972 Ford Torino

1972 Ford Ranchero

1972 Dodge Charger

1972 Chevrolet El Camino SS

1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

1972 Buick GS

1972 AMC Matador SST

1972 GMC Sprint

[GMTruckGuy74]

I voted Oldsmobile because I like the look of the Cutlass way more than the GTO (last year I liked the GTO was '70). Though not a fan of the single headlight frontend styling, if you included the '72 GMC Sprint I may have voted for that:

Edited August 29, 2012 by GMTruckGuy74

[z28luvr01]

I anxiously await Camino's response, because I have no idea what he will pick.

Me, the Chevelle is a first choice followed very closely by the El Camino and the GTO.

[Robert Hall]

For me, it would be the Torino followed by the Charger then Road Runner. Or any of those 3 in another order.

[Camino LS6]

Hmmm, well, this is a tough one.

The Sprint SP should most certainly have been included.

Here's how I see it.

1) You'd be better-off saving the new car depreciation and going with the 1970 version of any of these cars, gaining a load of horsepower in the process.

2) None of these are exactly subtle on the highway, and won't help you keep a low profile. Maybe a Chevelle "Heavy Chevy" with the decals removed might be a better option.

3) If your old Mercury can last another year, an SD455 Formula would more than make-up for the loss of payload with the speed of delivery and ability to leave those 440 Plymouth cruisers in the dust.

4) Finally, if payload matters, there is only one choice here (well two technically), a debadged 454SS or 454SP is the clear winner. Fast as any of the others, has a bed cover to hide the goods from sight, and comes standard with air shocks so no one knows you're carrying a load of 'shine!

EDIT: Upon further reflection, I give a slight nod to the Sprint SP over the Camino SS, just because disguising it would be easier and more effective - No "454" callouts on the fenders to give you away, and the one in the grille unscrews in five minutes with no holes left behind. Both the Sprint and the Camino (Chevelles too) could be ordered with a non- cowl induction domed hood and stripe delete. With the ease of de - badging, and the unlikelihood of someone running hooch in a GMC, the Sprint gets my vote.

You'd be pretty stealthy - unless I was the cop.

Edited August 29, 2012 by Camino LS6

[Camino LS6]

Two footnotes:

1) The pictured Sprint SP is actually a '71

2) By 1972 moonshine profits had to be way down, might want to consider a new line of work.

[balthazar]

WRT the criteria here, it is a tough choice.

For a moonshine car, I might go with a stripe-delete Buick GSX, the 455 Stg 1 is still stout in '72.

One could do the same over at Pontiac & get the top 455 in a LeMans coupe vs. the flashier GTO.

I do like Camino's thought on waiting for the SD455.

Matador would be the stealthiest, but there's no big HP mill option.

Ultimately, you KNOW I'D be rebuilding the '49.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Two footnotes:

1) The pictured Sprint SP is actually a '71

I learned something new today... didn't realize the '72 grille changed (to the two-bar design from '71s single bar).

[wildmanjoe]

I voted Oldsmobile because I like the look of the Cutlass way more than the GTO (last year I liked the GTO was '70). Though not a fan of the single headlight frontend styling, if you included the '72 GMC Sprint I may have voted for that:

Good Catch. I added the option.

[A Horse With No Name]

Were I not running hootch, I would say Charger.

As it is, the Cutty would be a more rugged car than the Charger IMHO, and I would choose that.

[Camino LS6]

Two footnotes:

1) The pictured Sprint SP is actually a '71

I learned something new today... didn't realize the '72 grille changed (to the two-bar design from '71s single bar).

Check the parking/turn lamps for another difference.

[Drew Dowdell]

Cutlass of course

[NeonLX]

OK, this time I definitely pick the AMC. Look closely at the front fender of the Matador, you can see the "401" badge. This was also the first year that AMC used Mopar's Torqueflite auto tranny to back up their own excellent engines.

The Montego is vaguely interesting but I don't know if the 429 was still available in the intermediates for '72?

I love the Cutlass but I gotta go with the AMC this time.

[A Horse With No Name]

Sprint would be my second choice, I think...

[Drew Dowdell]

Always the one to be practical, wasn't there a 442 Wagon or am I being fooled by clones? If there was, that'd be my choice.

[ocnblu]

I can't figure out which one I like the best, they're all cool. Let's see, there are twelve choices. I'd own each one for a month and then when the '73s came out I'd have to get a '73 something.

[Camino LS6]

Always the one to be practical, wasn't there a 442 Wagon or am I being fooled by clones? If there was, that'd be my choice.

There have always been rumors of factory-built 442 wagons and GTO wagons, but officially none were ever offered. I've seen claims of documented examples. but there was never any regular production.

I can't figure out which one I like the best, they're all cool. Let's see, there are twelve choices. I'd own each one for a month and then when the '73s came out I'd have to get a '73 something.

Ocn is Ocn, no matter the decade!