What torsion bar would you recommend????

[dsd1967]

I've got a 67 belvedere that was a small block car and is being upgraded to a 512 stroker. I want the car to have some decent street manners, so it's getting the PST polygraphite suspension upgrade, and quick ratio steering kit and it has a factory anti sway bar. I'm looking for recommendations on a torsion bar size. I want it to be good handling, but I don't want it to ride like a log wagon. Just some other bits of information on upgrades that are done to the car.

Motor - has a lot of aluminum on it (heads, intake, WP and WP housing) so it should be approaching the weight of a factory SB
Hood - fiberglass
Aluminum radiator
frames are tied
Front and rear torque boxes
Lower control arm stiffening plates installed
Lower radiator yoke stiffening bar installed
Front disc brake conversion
KYB shocks
Caltrac mono leafs out back, no plans for a rear sway bar (at least for now)

I'm leaning toward the .960" bars offered by Mancini. I think the 1.03" would be a little too stiff. I'm not looking to run a road course....just trying to get it to handle a little more like a modern car.

Any thoughts, feedback or recommendations? What are you running and how does it ride and handle?

 

[hunt2elk]

I just received my new .960 Mopar Performance bars from our local Dodge dealer. $232. plus tax which was the cheapest I could find. My stock ones were .920 and are quite a bit lighter than the new ones. Amazing what .04 in more metal gets you. These were recommended by a couple of different Mopar guys as being a good overall bar.

 

[dsd1967]

Just Suspension is offering a 1.00" bar for $199....they call it a sports touring or pro touring. There's not too much description on it's intents. I'm afraid that may be too stiff also.

 

[Stumper]

Let us know what you wind up with. I'm in need of heavier bars too (thinking the 0.96") and also don't want to go too far.

 

[Big G 74]

DSD1967,

What you describe is pretty much what I have, except for the metal bulge hood o my 74 charger. I went with 1.06 TB from Firmfeel. The car handles great. I stroked my 440 to a 505 with aluminum everything, 655 hp at the crank, 684 torque. I also have boxed in LCAs, tubular uppers and Clatrac. Like I said, sounds like we have the same car!!. The 1.06s are great!

 

[Kern Dog]

Just Suspension is offering a 1.00" bar for $199....they call it a sports touring or pro touring. There's not too much description on it's intents. I'm afraid that may be too stiff also.

I run the 1.0 bars in my Charger along with a custom made 1.25 front sway bar and KYB shocks. I am not a dragstrip guy though. I like to turn corners.
The ride is firm, but not harsh by any means. These comparisons are tricky though. What one guy likes can be unbearable to another. 2 weeks ago I was in Los Angeles for the Spring Fling show. I took the Charger there from my home in Sacramento. While there, I drove a Coronet R/T that belongs to a FBBO member. It had the .96 bars and rode much softer than my car. If you are looking for a nice, smooth ride, that may be the way to go. I suspect that your car weighs a bit less than my Charger, so a thinner T-bar than mine may still deliver a firm, yet tolerable ride.

 

[WileERobby]

Depends on your intended use, and if for street/highway use, what type of roads. If you travel on garbage Baja-like roads like here in NJ/NY, stiffer bars may seem harsh to some people.

 

[ga66mopar]

I used the .96 mopar bars on my 66 belvedere with a 440 and it rides and handles very well. I was interested in having a smooth ride out on the highway as well as decent handling. I have been very pleased with the .96 bars.

 

[Propwash]

Going through the same thing with my 512 on my roadrunner Dave. Glad you brought this question up. I have a bunch of suspension upgrades like yourself (Firm Feel 1" torsion bars, Hotchkis adjustable strut rods, Cal-Tracs, 11/16th" Tie rods/sleeves, KYB Front/Rear Edelbrock IAS shocks, torque boxes, LCA stiffeners, and to be installed the Globe West subframe connectors, Helwig front and rear sway bars) , but i've run into a street/strip road block.....Tires. Been looking at the M/T ET Drag radials for the rear so it doesn't grip like i'm riding on grease when on it with the BFG radial T/A's, but the problem with the M/T's is the soft sidewall causing issues (especially in a side load scenario). What are you doing for tires? Bird won't be road ready till next month, but the firm feel bars are real good quality and they're good folks to deal with.

 

[Kern Dog]

When I see a shopping list of great parts like Propwash has, I wonder why the car is then fitted with either drag race or generic tires primarily meant for cruising. These suspension parts will never see their potential unless a better tire is used. A quality rebuild with OEM factory parts is a good match for a 60 series Cooper, BF Goodrich or Mickey Thompson tire. Spending big $$$ on bigger sway bars, frame connectors and shocks is comparable to having a Richard Petty SuperBird running Prius sized tires on the racetrack.

 

[Jeremiah]

I would go > 1" on the torsion bars.

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

FF 1.12's

 

[dsd1967]

I ended up going with the .96" bars. I kind of started thinking like Gregory C.....what do I really want to do with this car. Straight, Turns or a Compromise of both. I went with the compromise.

I decided I wanted a street car with some mild road manners that will also be good in a straight line. I do not plan on road course racing with this car....mostly straight line acceleration, but at the same time I don't want the car completely leaning over when I turn a corner on the street. Some of the upgrades I made were free (reinforcing the LCA), and some were incremental upgrades over the low end package cost from PST (quick ratio steering, poly bushings, thicker tie rod sleeves. Tying the frame and torque boxes will serve either puropse. I didn't want the car riding like a log wagon going down the road either.

I got the bars from these guys for $197.20....Mancini said they couldn't match his pricing. There was no problem with the transaction...it took a couple more days than I expected for them to arrive, but they are what they were advertised.

www.monicattichrysler.com

My car won't be on the road until this fall...or early next spring, so I don't have feedback on my combination. For rear tires I will probably go with Mickey Thompson ET's or some type of street/drag tire. I haven't got that far yet...I'm still trying to get the drive train under it. The car may get broke in on the bologna rind tires it came with until I can get the funds around for the rear rims and tires.

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

 

[rrTor-Red]

Sounds like basically what you want with your car as I do mine. I went with 1 1/8" FF torsion bars, tubular upper control arms, adjustable strut rods, 11/16" tie rod sleeves, bilstein shocks, LCA reinforced. I myself, can't wait to get everything on the car but soon.

 

[dpstark2]

I have 1.06" FF bars, and they're great. Not overly stiff by any means, and it really helped the car get around corners. I also have the large FF sway bar, UCA's, KYBs, steering box, and poly bushings. No complaints so far, and everyone that drives it likes it. No rear sway bar, but I'm considering it...