sway bars
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver WA
sway bars
I am not an engineer with only a limited background in Metallurgy. I am doing a restomod on a 1964 with a stock frame and suspension. I am running an ls3 from GM Performance with the Hot Camed motor with 500 plus ft lbs. of torque with a TKX tremec 5 speed and a 3.70 posi rear end behind it. The car is turning into a "trailer queen" but possibly in a few years it might be auto- crossed. I am looking for ideas or suggestions as what to do for sway bar applications. I can not find any posts or threads with my question. What is the chemistry of an F40 front and rear bars and are they heat treated or as rolled and then formed to it's install configuration? What should the rear leaf spring count be? For now,I am looking to improve handling for recreational driving only. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.
Last edited by stingery; Feb 4, 2026 at 07:20 AM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,416
Likes: 1,144
From: Dyer, IN
I am not an engineer with only a limited background in Metallurgy. I am doing a restomod on a 1964 with a stock frame and suspension. I am running an ls3 from GM Performance with the Hot Camed motor with 500 plus ft lbs. of torque with a TKX tremec 5 speed and a 3.70 posi rear end behind it. The car is turning into a "trailer queen" but possibly in a few years it might be auto- crossed. I am looking for ideas or suggestions as what to do for sway bar applications. I can not find any posts or threads with my question. What is the chemistry of an F40 front and rear bars and are they heat treated or as rolled and then formed to it's install configuration? What should the rear leaf spring count be? For now,I am looking to improve handling for recreational driving only. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,434
Likes: 1,252
From: Sarver Pa
2021 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Stock sway bars are mild steel, the ends are forged to shape. Springs, bars and shocks should always be considered as a package. Mixing things up can be frustrating. also consider beefing up the frame. The welding on them was very poor.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,264
Likes: 1,766
From: Central Michigan
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Adding antisway bars always reminds me of an amusing story back when I was in the suspension business. We had this customer who was a college professor and owned this AMC Javelin. Someone (possibly before he bought it) had installed this add-on rear sway bar that was even bigger than the factory one in front. The type that bolts to the straight axle and the ends, facing forward, attached with some kind of bracket to the frame/unit body. It kept tearing away from the front chassis attachment points and he was always bringing it in for repair like once a month. Numerous times I tried to tell him it was WAY too stiff for that kind of car/chassis. He never wanted to hear this because he 'knew better' because he was a 'college professor'. He finally solved "my" problem (him) by driving the car off a bridge while reading a book. He survived but the car was trashed. Happy ending.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,399
Likes: 187
From: Allentown Pa.
The welding was not super,that's for sure. If you are serious about beefing up the stock frame, get a copy of the old Chevy Power book from the 70's. Maybe there is still a reprint of it out there.. A whole section of how to race prep a C2 or C3 frame.
