alexandervdr

What is the correct diameter of the original front sway bar on a 64 coupe sbc ?

project63

Standard anti roll bar is 3/4"

alexandervdr

3/4" front bar is difficult to find new,maybe I am not looking hard enough? Any suggestion where to buy?

JohnZ

LICS always has good reconditioned used ones.

alexandervdr

Thanks

Is there a reason why most vendors start with a 7/8" or 1" ? My 64 will have aircon (VA), PS (Borgers) and the shorter springs (claimed to have 50lbs higher rating than standard) .

Pop Chevy

With modern tires , I would think 7/8 would be a better choice.

TJefferson2020

I'm no expert but here's my experience with my 64 convertible.

Thinking I was smart, I put a 1.25" on the front and a .75" on the rear. My theory was to eliminate as much body roll as I could. I put 500 lb springs on the front and adjustable Koni's all around. Poly bushings.

I have to say the car is flat like a go-kart. I could easily take an off-ramp at 75 mph. BUT here's the rub.

You get zero warning when you lose adhesion. No squeal, no cowl vibration, nuthin'.

With hard tires (Comp T/A's) it's a perfect storm of slippery, unpredictable sliding machine.

I've gotten used to it over the years but I'm changing out the bushings and downsizing the anti-sway bars. I'll also be swapping out the 11 year old Comp T/A's (not sure what with yet).

My car is very "tight". I love the road feel (got rid of the rag joint and replaced with a billet joint). No squeaks or rattles.

But it doesn't "fling" itself around corners and can be exhausting on long trips. You have to muscle it.

I think a better set up with these springs (360lb composite rear) and shocks would be a 1" up front and a .5 in the rear. It seems that getting to heavy a bar in the rear reduces corning ability.

I have made so many mistakes over the years including the "I need MORE horsepower...a bigger cam...." problem.

Now I run a small block that puts out around 325 hp at 5500 or so. Way more street-able that the first build.

JohnZ

Depends which vendors, and whether they're selling tubular or solid anti-sway bars; tubular are easy to make with simple tooling (and are much larger than solid), and solid are hot-forged with expen$ive tooling required, and both are completely different animals.

Adding a rear bar without compensating by adding more front bar will simply generate immensely exciting snap oversteer.

Pop Chevy

Snake, you have WAY to much rear bar !! AND old hard tires. With high performance cars it's balance that you are looking for, just try fresh tires and a smaller rear bar. If going to a 1" front then try a 3/8 rear or none.

JohnZ

Chevrolet engineers spent thousands of hours developing the midyear chassis as essentially neutral (with just a hint of understeer for safety) with a 3/4" solid front and NO rear bar for small-blocks, and with a 7/8" solid front and 9/16" solid rear bar for big-blocks (F40 on big-blocks increased the front bar to 15/16" and doubled spring rates at both ends). Departing from this basic formula for normal street use gives generally unsatisfactory and/or unpredictable results.

TJefferson2020

I know. That's why I'm changing it.

Thanks. I've had some racing guys say to lose the rear bar. Once my car is back on the road I'm going to be swapping out the front and losing the rear - I'd like to test a few different combinations, but I'm guessing GM knew what they were doing...

And you are right about immensely exciting snap oversteer. Very exciting. As in "I need to change my underwear."

Pop Chevy

I have a habit of wandering far away from factory specs with lowered suspension, stiffer springs ,stickier tires and much more hp..
BTW, you should be able to feel the car rotate under you in a controllable manner. ie "drift"