Slab vs Fuse?

SuperDave

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Okay, forgive my ignorance please. I'm gifted with an embarrassing IQ (higher than my credit score anyway), but at 53 years, I'm still an idiot. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.

What's the difference between a slab side vs a fuselage body? And which one best describes mine? 73 Newport Custom 4dr post. I call it a lead sled, it's heavy as all get out (sticker inside the door says 6100 lbs! OMFingG! No wonder it's so slow! Is that a typo? Title says 4200, which is correct?) and it has an acre long hood and trunk. I thought fuselage bodies were coke-bottle shaped, like Chargers, Cudas, Chevelles, etc.
 
You have a fuselage that weighs 4,200 lbs.
 
Okay, forgive my ignorance please. I'm gifted with an embarrassing IQ (higher than my credit score anyway), but at 53 years, I'm still an idiot. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.

What's the difference between a slab side vs a fuselage body? And which one best describes mine? 73 Newport Custom 4dr post. I call it a lead sled, it's heavy as all get out (sticker inside the door says 6100 lbs! OMFingG! No wonder it's so slow! Is that a typo? Title says 4200, which is correct?) and it has an acre long hood and trunk. I thought fuselage bodies were coke-bottle shaped, like Chargers, Cudas, Chevelles, etc.

Fuselage doesn't refer to the side profile, it's the end profile, check the pic. I think the 6,100 is the GCVW, max rated weight for cargo and passengers, although it sounds high to me. Typically they were rated for 11 ~ 12 hundred pounds passengers and cargo. I think 4,200 is the shipping weight, it's probably a couple hundred pounds more. 2¢

69_300_neu.jpg
 
Slab Body= Car years 1969 or before (besides the "forward look" cars ending in 1961)

Fuselage Body= Car years 1969-1973

Your 1973 Newport falls under the Fuselage body style

I also believe Slab and Fuselage are C-body car terms, am I correct?
 
Is there a special name for the cars produced between the Forward Look and the Slabside?
 
Not very exciting, is it?
Thanks for the information!
 
Is there a special name for the cars produced between the Forward Look and the Slabside?
Clodges,Plodges,Ugly ducklings,Darth Vader's Grandpa's car,LOL!! :lol:

The Dodge 880 full size filled the void after Desoto was cancelled.
(Clodge) It was basically a Chrysler shell with a Dodge front clip (with Chrysler bumpers on some years) and used what would have been a Desoto dash.
The Dart had an identity crisis as it went from full size,to B body and finally as an A body in a very short time.
Virgil Exner was on his way out the door as his styling at the early 60's hurt Chrysler.
The hiring of Elwood Engle and among other stylists was a step to change all that.
(Plodge) Canadian Dodges were Plymouth cars with Dodge clips.
Right up until 1966 the Canuck Valiants were Dodge Darts with Valiant interiors
 
Clodges,Plodges,Ugly ducklings,Darth Vader's Grandpa's car,LOL!! :lol:

The Dodge 880 full size filled the void after Desoto was cancelled.
(Clodge) It was basically a Chrysler shell with a Dodge front clip (with Chrysler bumpers on some years) and used what would have been a Desoto dash.
The Dart had an identity crisis as it went from full size,to B body and finally as an A body in a very short time.
Virgil Exner was on his way out the door as his styling at the early 60's hurt Chrysler.
The hiring of Elwood Engle and among other stylists was a step to change all that.
(Plodge) Canadian Dodges were Plymouth cars with Dodge clips.
Right up until 1966 the Canuck Valiants were Dodge Darts with Valiant interiors

Wow, so many new words for me :thumbsup:
Very interesting story, thank you!
 
Darts were never B bodies. That term came about in 65 and Darts were A bodies in 65.
"Dodge Dart. ... The production Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a mid-size car for 1962, and then was a compact from 1963 to 1976. The Dart nameplate was resurrected for a Fiat-derived compact car that was introduced in 2012."
So in 1962 the Dart was essentially a B body (before it was designated as B body)or mid-size platform for one year only.
56967.jpg

1963 it was a compact which was was essentially an A body (before it was designated as an A body)
157320_Front_3-4_Web.jpg
 
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So if between the slab and forward look was full size and not C bodies then the Dart was an intermediate and not a B body as I stated.
Just as they weren't an A body in 63-64, yet they are frequently called Early A body cars.
 
"Dodge Dart. ... The production Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a mid-size car for 1962, and then was a compact from 1963 to 1976. The Dart nameplate was resurrected for a Fiat-derived compact car that was introduced in 2012."
So in 1962 the Dart was essentially a B body (before it was designated as B body)or mid-size platform for one year only.
View attachment 346805
1963 it was a compact which was was essentially an A body (before it was designated as an A body)
View attachment 346806
is that your 63?
 
The '62 "full-size" Plymouths and Dodges were DOWNSIZED that year. Which lasted until the '65 model year, when they became "full-size" again on the C-body platform. That particular "full-size" Plymouth/Dodge platform was the same size as the later '65 Belvedere/Coronet cars and '66-'70 B-body cars.

The '73 "square front" Fuselage styling Chrysler was a transitionary design to lead into the Formal Front end styling of the '74 Chryslers.

"Forward Look" and "Fuselage" were Chrysler Corp advertising nomenclatues for their styling. "Slabs" and "Formal" might be considered more "slang", by comparison. "Slabs"also relates to the head stylist that designed the '62 Lincoln when he worked for Ford. See any styling cues shared with the '63 Turbine Car and '64-era Thunderbirds? Don't recall any Chrysler definition for the styling between "Forward Look" and "Fuselage". BTAIM

When the downsized '62s came out, the only car that Chrysler Corp had to bid for the CHP was the Chrysler Newport (which met their wheelbase spec). Which resulted in the Dodge 880 vehicle on the same platform. A "quickie" deal in order to get the '63 bid cycle. The Chrysler nameplate was considered to be "too expensive", but a similar Dodge was acceptable. The Dodge 880 fit the lower-end of the former DeSoto market, with the Chrysler Newport hitting the higher-end of the former DeSoto range. Dodge extended up a bit, Chrysler went down a bit.

Personally, I'd consider anything on the original 1960 Plymouth Valiant (which was originally slated to be a Dodge Valiant, for the Dodge dealers to sell) and Dodge Lancer to be "A-Bodies. Years ago, a former Valiant design engineer did an article on them for "The WPC News". He stated that the original 1960 platform was used, basically unchanged, all the way to the end of Valiant production. With the torsion bar suspension being a downsized version of the '57 full-size torsion bar suspension, as I recall.

Enjoy!
CBODY67
 
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