Drag racing setup that can be both comfortable, and stable at speed

[DAMatt]

I made a mistake when rebuilding the suspension, in reusing the old torsion bars & leafs. Thought the car looked cooler standing lower, but little did I know...

I am thinking of starting from scratch, and rebuilding the suspension. My 3 goals are a) good 60ft in tbe 1/4, b) comfortable ride, and c) the car must be stable at speed. All this while not using parts that look to aftermarket (so no caltracks etc).

Now I know you can't build a drag racing & corner carver in the same setup, but lucky for me I have zero interest in taking corners. But is the setup required for high speed stability at odds with the one for a good 1/4 mile launch?

Also, I have heard about SS springs, but from my understanding, they give out a very harsh ride, so it would not meet the b) requirement.

Could you think of a complete list of parts I would need, to meet a), b), and c) all at once? I would want to keep a lower stance if possible.

 

[33 IMP]

SS springs don't ride bad, in my opinion. Get the right ones, rated for the ACTUAL weight of your car. The front segment being very stiff, they work for a drag launch, but a long soft rear segment gives a decent ride.
Then dial in as much caster as you can, and get externally adjustable shocks on both ends.
And get a pair of extra wheels, and some real race tires to use at the track, not on the street. What makes a drag car stabil on the big end also results in a stabil car on the freeway.

 

[topside]

Yup, caster is your friend especially in a straight line. Minimal toe-in for drag racing.
PS or manual steering ? Don't need PS for drag racing, obviously.

 

[DAMatt]

I have power steering, and intend to keep it. For the brakes I ak considering going to manual, but that's another story...

I also have a new set of bilsteins, and PST stamped steel UCAs. I don't want to go tubular, the car is #s matching, and was restored with concours readiness in mind. The car also has the front end with poly bushes. I am thinking of rebuilding it with rubber for a softer ride, would it affect steering, and stability at speed?

Is a poly bush front end detrimental for drag racing?

Are my worn out original R/T torsion bars equivalent to smaller diameter ones? I read advices to use slant 6 bars, would it be safe on the highway @100+mph? What diameter do you think would be best for drag racing with a big block, but also safe at speed on the highway? Can I also have a lower stance with lighter torsion bars without busting my front shocks? (Already happened with the worn stock ones).

Ok, while I will reconsider SS springs, are there alternatives that look stock-ish, and are also comfortable?

I understand I need at least front adjustable shocks... Are adjustable rears mandatory? My bilsteins were just put in...

Are there little bits I may be unaware of, like hangers, shackles, etc? How do I know if I have a 1.5 or 2" eye? Only heard it mentioned, don't actually know how to look for.

If you were to build a suspension from scratch according to the aforementioned criteria, what would it contain?