1979 Vette rear stablizer
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 339
Likes: 9
From: Goodyear AZ
1979 Vette rear stablizer
I have a 1979 Vette which I have had for the last 30 years. I started redoing the entire suspension and body mounts. I noticed my vette did not have a rear stablizer bar, was the stablizer bar an option on the 1979. Figured I probably should add, any thoughts are appreciated.
thanks
thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 273
From: Dunedin NZ.
From what I have read the rear stabiliser bar was fitted to the big block C3's and is not necessary for road use for the small block cars. I'm sure a tech guru will chime in if I'm incorrect!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 86
From: Rotonda FL
Early C3's had 9/16 rear stabilizer bars (Big blocks & gymkhana suspension) and later had 7/16 (sbc with gymkhana option). If you are going to install, suggest a stock style with moveable links between bar and rear arms rather than the aftermarket variety. Do searches under C3 parts section - several are for sale.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,455
Likes: 977
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
All the BB cars had a 9/16 rear bar (for obvious reason...the BB C3 are much more nose heavy than the SBC and will inherently understeer without a rear bar to counteract that tendency) and only the SB C3's with a the gymkhana sport suspension had a 7/16 inch rear bar (the majoirity of the SBC C3's do NOT have the sport suspension and thus no rear bar). The easiest way to eye a SBC C3 with the sport suspension is to peak in the rear wheel well and look for the rear sway bar. OEM GM rear sway bar, then most likely the car came from the factory with the gymkhana sport suspension...rare though. I would strongly discourage putting a rear bar on a base suspension C3 without matching the front and rear bars (my 78 1 1/8 inch front bar with sport springs front/rear 7 leaf steel spring or 360 composite and 7/16 inch GM style only rear bar). Do not use aftermarket rear bars that are NOT the GM style sway bar which were intentionally used by GM when the car suspension was designed for a very good reason....they restrict the rear trailing arm proper movement.....
Last edited by jb78L-82; Aug 1, 2016 at 08:50 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
The first rear mod should be VB&P Smart Struts.
I'm in a little disagreement on the OEM and Aftermarket sway bars. If you buy crap you get crappy results. Both my front and rear bars have spring end links. So they are adjustable. Adjustability is so nice because you can use a bigger dia. stiff bar and set it to not come into play until you have a larger amount of wheel compression. So it is like NO sway bar for typical driving and then at high lean angles it helps. Far superior to factory setups.
I'm in a little disagreement on the OEM and Aftermarket sway bars. If you buy crap you get crappy results. Both my front and rear bars have spring end links. So they are adjustable. Adjustability is so nice because you can use a bigger dia. stiff bar and set it to not come into play until you have a larger amount of wheel compression. So it is like NO sway bar for typical driving and then at high lean angles it helps. Far superior to factory setups.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,455
Likes: 977
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
The first rear mod should be VB&P Smart Struts.
I'm in a little disagreement on the OEM and Aftermarket sway bars. If you buy crap you get crappy results. Both my front and rear bars have spring end links. So they are adjustable. Adjustability is so nice because you can use a bigger dia. stiff bar and set it to not come into play until you have a larger amount of wheel compression. So it is like NO sway bar for typical driving and then at high lean angles it helps. Far superior to factory setups.
I'm in a little disagreement on the OEM and Aftermarket sway bars. If you buy crap you get crappy results. Both my front and rear bars have spring end links. So they are adjustable. Adjustability is so nice because you can use a bigger dia. stiff bar and set it to not come into play until you have a larger amount of wheel compression. So it is like NO sway bar for typical driving and then at high lean angles it helps. Far superior to factory setups.
Last edited by jb78L-82; Aug 1, 2016 at 08:44 AM.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 339
Likes: 9
From: Goodyear AZ
thanks
Thank you all. I bought suspension kit which included rear sway bar from Ecklers. Guess I will have to get the hardware to attach the sway bar, anyone have suggestions.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,455
Likes: 977
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
Last edited by jb78L-82; Aug 1, 2016 at 04:24 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
In '79 you only got the rear stabilizer bar with the Gymkhana (RPO F37) "Heavy Duty Suspension" option.
In addition to the rear stabilizer bar such included a significantly heavier front stabilizer bar, stronger front coil springs, stronger rear leaf spring and "heavy duty" shock absorbers.
In no way a suspension expert I will say however that there must be a reason that all the factory suspension system upgrades I know of always affect all four corners. Simply adding a single component without at least similar upgrades to the full original system may not produce any benefit and may even degrade performance.
In addition to the rear stabilizer bar such included a significantly heavier front stabilizer bar, stronger front coil springs, stronger rear leaf spring and "heavy duty" shock absorbers.
In no way a suspension expert I will say however that there must be a reason that all the factory suspension system upgrades I know of always affect all four corners. Simply adding a single component without at least similar upgrades to the full original system may not produce any benefit and may even degrade performance.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 339
Likes: 9
From: Goodyear AZ
In '79 you only got the rear stabilizer bar with the Gymkhana (RPO F37) "Heavy Duty Suspension" option.
In addition to the rear stabilizer bar such included a significantly heavier front stabilizer bar, stronger front coil springs, stronger rear leaf spring and "heavy duty" shock absorbers.
In no way a suspension expert I will say however that there must be a reason that all the factory suspension system upgrades I know of always affect all four corners. Simply adding a single component without at least similar upgrades to the full original system may not produce any benefit and may even degrade performance.
In addition to the rear stabilizer bar such included a significantly heavier front stabilizer bar, stronger front coil springs, stronger rear leaf spring and "heavy duty" shock absorbers.
In no way a suspension expert I will say however that there must be a reason that all the factory suspension system upgrades I know of always affect all four corners. Simply adding a single component without at least similar upgrades to the full original system may not produce any benefit and may even degrade performance.
I bought the whole Eckler kit, which included front and rear sway bars, shocks, front and rear springs. So I guess i need to get the hardware to attach the rear sway bar
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,194
Likes: 109
From: Las Vegas NV
Is it the street and slalom kit? I bought that kit for my '79 and it came with the hardware needed to attach the rear sway bar. Just needed to find the nuts in the frame through the undercoating, really wasn't a big deal.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 339
Likes: 9
From: Goodyear AZ
Boy do I feel like an idiot, I found the hardware kit in the bottom of the rear sway bar box. Thanks for making me aware.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,194
Likes: 109
From: Las Vegas NV
Don't feel bad, I'm running the original strut rod cams because I didn't notice the plate in my kit, still need to change that out someday, and I've already had it aligned. Its easy to miss some parts when its a huge kit like that!