Let's talk spreader bars...
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by wnjlt1
good job Eddie 70 
Thank ya, thank ya very much. It really is an easy install and can be done in less than an hour.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by wnjlt1
good job Eddie 70
Thank ya, thank ya very much. It really is an easy install and can be done in less than an hour.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,526
Likes: 99
From: Apache Junction, Arizona
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Front bar
I have a 79 vett with the Vette Brakes Bar. I had it welded on and I use an Elderbrock Alloy Water Pump with stock fan no problem. This was the biggest bang for the buck. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,000
Likes: 22
From: Boulder Creek California
A little but not nearly as much as lowering the inner mount, raising the outer (at the upright), or shortening the A-arm. I wouldn't want to put those stresses in the frame/bolts.
-Chris
-Chris
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 4
From: Va
Just received my pre-welded spreader bar from VB&P. Brackets would not fit either side. the pre-drilled holes did not line up with control arm bolts and one of the bracket tabs was welded on at an angle. Gonna be calling VB&P and asking for a new set of brackets. Other than that they look sweet. But a tad disappointed.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 718
Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville , NC
80 L82 spreader bar fit
Did some looking under the hood to see if the spreader bar will fit with the stock L82 fan shroud. No way will it fit positioned over the front A arm bolt. The fan shroud is right in front of the nut. Not sure how far back towards the rear A arm bolt the spreader bar can be moved. Anybody else run into this setup problem? I would like to keep the fan shroud and the spreader bar but dont want to throw $80.00 away if it just aint gonna fit.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
Originally Posted by rclinton
Did some looking under the hood to see if the spreader bar will fit with the stock L82 fan shroud. No way will it fit positioned over the front A arm bolt. The fan shroud is right in front of the nut. Not sure how far back towards the rear A arm bolt the spreader bar can be moved. Anybody else run into this setup problem? I would like to keep the fan shroud and the spreader bar but dont want to throw $80.00 away if it just aint gonna fit.
You're welcome to take a look at mine to see how it's installed and compare it to your engine compartment. I have it in a stock '73 with L-82 and everything fits fine. I bought the un-welded kit and mocked it up in the engine compartment, marked locations and then had it welded. A little paint, then install and it clears everything.
PM me if you'd like to compare notes...
GUSTO
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 718
Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville , NC
spreader bar fit on 80 L82
Thanks, If you got yours to fit with the L82 shroud Im sure it will fit in mine. Just looking at all the other pics then looking at mine there is no way it was going in the same location. Will be a few weeks anyway....car goes in the paint booth today for the primer then next week for the color. thanks again for the offer. Bob
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 4
From: Va
Originally Posted by b71vette
Just received my pre-welded spreader bar from VB&P. Brackets would not fit either side. the pre-drilled holes did not line up with control arm bolts and one of the bracket tabs was welded on at an angle. Gonna be calling VB&P and asking for a new set of brackets. Other than that they look sweet. But a tad disappointed.
Did anyone out there have any issues with the holes not lining up on their pre-welded kit ?
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by evalu8r
Can someone measure the center bar for me? I'm going to fab my own. The parts total are about $30 at Speedway.
Chris
Chris
I also bought my parts from Grisdale racing and they are cheap
Last edited by norvalwilhelm; Mar 31, 2006 at 08:59 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 102
Likes: 4
From: Cambridge Ohio
Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
My center bar is only 16 inches but it depends on your mounting.
I also bought my parts from Grisdale racing and they are cheap
I also bought my parts from Grisdale racing and they are cheap
Wow, only 16 inches? So one of the speedway 18 inch bars, with heim joints would do it? I was thinking it was wider than that, but I hadn't measured to verify......
Great info.....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 10
From: Scottsboro Alabama
Originally Posted by b71vette
Update: I spoke to VB&P on Thursday , they are going to test fit a new set of brackets to make sure the holes line up and then ship them out to me. They jumped on this really quick.
Did anyone out there have any issues with the holes not lining up on their pre-welded kit ?
Did anyone out there have any issues with the holes not lining up on their pre-welded kit ?
I received my spreader bar today. I saw your post about the brackets not fitting properly so I test fitted mine to see if they were ok. They fit perfect. Maybe yours were made on a late friday evening near quitting time and the worker was in a hurry to get to the beer store.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 10
From: Scottsboro Alabama
Originally Posted by evalu8r
Can someone measure the center bar for me? I'm going to fab my own. The parts total are about $30 at Speedway.
Chris
Chris
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: burlington wi
Originally Posted by GUSTO14
I installed one from VB&P in my '73 back in the early 90's as an all out effort to improve my cars autocross manners. I did this along with lowering, upgrading to complete F-41 suspension, polyurethane bushings and new shocks. When I installed the spreader bar, I set the adjustment with the weight on the wheels. At this point I could quite easily twist the bar about the Heim joints by hand. I later lifted the car (front wheels off the ground with suspension fully extended) via the front crossmember. I happened to grab the bar and noticed that I could no longer twist it by hand; it was under that much tension. I would not have believed that the front suspension flexed that much, but apparently it does.
I guess you could always measure the distance between the two top a-arm cross shafts with the weight on the wheels and then pick it up via the crossmember and measure it again. I would not be surprised to see half an inch or more…
Good luck… GUSTO
I guess you could always measure the distance between the two top a-arm cross shafts with the weight on the wheels and then pick it up via the crossmember and measure it again. I would not be surprised to see half an inch or more…
Good luck… GUSTO