I'm making this a new topic because of the multiple sway-bar post today, and rather than post this to each one, I'm posting once.

http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae59 ... l_Bars.jpg

Notes:
1) front end link mounts to lower shock mount
2) Ground clearance lost isn't as bad as it looks since there's a brace in the middle of the K-member for front valence panel. 1/2 bolt head below bolt head is about where low point of that brace is
3) I'd want to upgrade the front mount with a thru bolt (drill into K-member) for the top part of the mount (also put spacers between bracket and K-member)

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Thats what mine looks like!

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

thanks Ed, everyone appreciates it. The rear went on well didn't it? Didn't you put a 3/4" on the rear? I'm getting old and the brain is foggy, but I think we talked about it..

Also as I recall, Lou used this bar but made a custom bracket that doesn't hang down. James Longhurst, did you do something similar?


MJ

The rear was rather easy. Some drilling for the upper link into the frame, but nothing major. And some moving of the brake line on the axle, again nothing major.

Front bar is 1 1/8" and the rear is 3/4" (plus KYB's). The 7/8" bar wasn't available when I got mine, and I think it is a good thing because I probably would have gotten it (bigger is better right?)


I think I told you I'd give you some driving impression when I actually had a chance to push it, but never got around to it... Well I finally had a chance to push it a couple of months ago so here goes....


Note: both front & rear bars are using the poly bushings, which I think is necessary. (you can then always fine tune with rubber end-links)


The handling is actually very good, and overall seems neutral. If you go into a corner a little too fast, it tends to do a 4-wheel scrub of speed, rather than going into understeer mood. I can also induce a slight power oversteer (even with my 1bbl stock setup) with throttle, and the rear end isn't stiff enough to unload the rear tire (ok, maybe I don't have enough power).

I can keep up a rather high average speed since I don't have to brake (which is a good thing with 9" drums), or speed up much either (you don't attract the attention from LEO's since you're really not blasting on the straights). But you get the fun of G's in corners.

So in my opinion; the 1 1/8" front, 3/4" rear bars with poly bushings is what to have with a slant 6.

I believe the larger 7/8" bar is to counter/balance the added weight of V8's up front (esp a big-block), and with a slant 6 the 7/8" bar outback would actually be too stiff. It would be to easy to get into oversteer mode, and also you'd be more likely to spin the inside rear tire as it unloads (with a open diff that is).

Just need some faster steering now..........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

menko-
i never had one on my '63. for my '70 i used the 7/8" rear addco bar which i think is the same. i was happy with the mounts that came with it. if i were to change anything i would weld some leaf spring perches onto the rear axle for the inboard bushings or at least tack weld the addco stuff together to make it stiffer, but it's not a big deal. i haven't really driven the car hard enough to see how well it all works anyway.

-james

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Looks like the installation on my '66. Unfortunately, when I had the stock torsion bars, I bottomed things out on an unusually deep drain in a parking lot and bent the brackets pretty badly. I plan to make some better brackets for mine someday once I get the EFI running.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

Lou sent me some pictures from his 64. He basically moved the bar farther out and up and welded it to the K to keep clearance.



I have other pictures of various swaybars here: http://camimenko.com/gallery/v/Lancer/s ... n/swaybar/

Hope that helps

Looks like he did it a little better than I did.......

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Yes it does, thank you! Looks like Lou welded mounting tabs on the K-frame.

I'm gonna work on making/adapting brackets to get the bar to tuck up without welding. If I come up with anything good I'll post it.

Cheers

Steve

1966 Dart GT

Sidenote:

Mine's for a automatic (first pic in thread) and that's about as high as you can get due to the transmission cooling lines to the radiator.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

geez this is killin me seeing all this fun slant stuff (builds, sway bar install) and knowing i dont have a slant car must find slant car

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Cuda Progress
The dart as it sits now

http://www.bluestarspares.com.au/store/ ... %20253.JPG[/img]

Would this design work?
How much of a spacer between the K-member and the bracket?
This moves the front mounts closer together - is that less desirable?

I don't think it would work.

The spacer would only need to be about 1/4" thick. But cut at an angle. Look at last picture at the top of the thread. You can see that the K-member is at a slightly different angle than the plane of the roll bar and roll bar bracket

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

What if I had a piece shaped like this?
Compress clay/playdough balls under points A and B as the plate is held parallel to the sway bar.
The clay would give you the thickness and angles for the two wedge-shaped spacers.
Bolts at A and B would go through the K
I would probably file/grind the spacers from soft aluminum.
The L-bracket could still reinforce hole C.
Would the L-bracket be overkill if this mounts to the K-frame at two points?

Would the triangular piece be too ugly?

You can move the transmission lines if you have to.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair