Late sway bar to early A?

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flingdingo

flingdingo

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So I'm finally getting around to making some improvements to my wagon. We've been too busy driving it since we bought it. We've taken it on a few family trips, and while the car rides great when empty, load a family of five and a week's worth of luggage into it, and it is scary at freeway speeds. So, the first round of improvements are in the brakes and suspension.

This car doesn't need to out-stop or out-corner a Porsche, I just want it to be a nice driver. I have a '73 Scamp in the garage that is getting upgraded suspension and brakes, so I've got a lot of factory parts to use, if possible.

My plan for the wagon is to use the V8 torsion bars from the Scamp, and the anti-sway bar if possible. I know the later cars are wider, but will the sway bar work on the early body? If not what are my options? Was there a factory bar on the early cars? I've done a bit of research, but I haven't found anything other than massive aftermarket bars, which I don't want for this car.
 
I serious doubt The sway bar from the 73 will not fit since it’s designed to go through the K Frane abd the early A K Frane would require much work to make it workable. Yes there was a factory sway bar for the 65/66 but generally hard to find and can be spendy if you find one. Yes the aftermarket bars are pretty big but IMO worth it. I’ll Be using a Helwig 1 & 1/4 hollow bar designed for the early A- lightweight compared to the solid bars and do the same job. just MHO!
 
In order to install a sway bar your going to need lower control arms with the mounting tabs. 65'
 
You just need to make your own mounting tabs and weld them to the control arms.
Then you can use any sway bar you want.
 
I have the tabs for the LCA's. I forgot about the through-the-Kmember mounting.

Anyone have a picture of a factory early swaybar?
 
Wouldn't it be nice if the entire 73 suspension would bolt under the early A ?
There is pic of a pre 73 sway bar in a recent for sale post.
[FOR SALE] - MOPAR A-Body Firm Feel Front Sway Bar '62-'66 A-Body $215
These pre 73 bars route around the front of the K. OEM had large low hanging triangular forward mounts with a bushing captured in it. Bolt ears easily broken, grind away welds to R&R the bushings, just not a great design.
I haven't searched it but I would think Addco or some mfgr offers a close to OEM grade sway bar for your application.
 
brian6pac said:
You just need to make your own mounting tabs and weld them to the control arms.
Then you can use any sway bar you want.
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67-72 sway bars are to wide. The link ends on the bar end up under the ball joint on an early A
 
Use an aftermarket sway-bar and be done with it. I have used the Firm Feel solid bar on several early a-bodies. It makes a huge difference. Also, gas shocks. I've used both KYB and Bilstein.
 
65 Dartman said:
67-72 sway bars are to wide. The link ends on the bar end up under the ball joint on an early A
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I was referring to aftermarket sway bars and any sway bar that is close to the correct width.
Just because you can't fabricate doesn't mean I can't, I can make anything work as long as it's close. Bbody front sway bar on my 64? It's already been mocked up.
How about this guy that put a Jeep rear sway bar on his fish. Tell him you can't do it !
 
Early A still installed, 67/72 on the floor. Early A front and rear under the bench.

478F73F5-F35B-42FA-B85B-892D87F86156.jpeg


7784EA1D-8567-4A82-97A6-0B5CCD15BF6C.jpeg


F329EE89-470F-4D43-A21E-BDA548825DF4.jpeg
 
66fs said:
Your plan sounds good, maybe add HD rear springs.
Click to expand...

Commando66 said:
Also, gas shocks. I've used both KYB and Bilstein.
Click to expand...

Both of these are in the works. The Scamp rear springs are worse than the wagon's, so I'll be buying those new. New shocks are waiting to go in, just Gabriels for now, but I plan to upgrade to Bilsteins in the future.
 
I have held a 73-76 sway bar up to an early A-body. It's close enough that it MIGHT work. It is narrower than the 67-72 bar. You will need to fab up some frame brackets. I would start by mounting it to the control arms to see where it needs to be on the k-member.
 
Years ago when I update the suspension on my '65 Dart, I used the suspension from a '75 Dart Custom. Everything swapped over. When I was done the only remaining '65 stuff was the kmember, cross link, idler, pitman arm and steering box. I even used the '75 Sway bar. This required cutting the kmember where the bar ran across and welding in new metal. I have been running this setup for 10 years now, works great.
 
kesteb said:
Years ago when I update the suspension on my '65 Dart, I used the suspension from a '75 Dart Custom. Everything swapped over. When I was done the only remaining '65 stuff was the kmember, cross link, idler, pitman arm and steering box. I even used the '75 Sway bar. This required cutting the kmember where the bar ran across and welding in new metal. I have been running this setup for 10 years now, works great.
Click to expand...

Got any pics of where you cut the k frame and welded in new metal? Sounds like a pretty good swap!
 
I narrowed a late a-body k frame to use in a 63 Valiant for multiple reason, one being the later sway bar. Got to mess with it twice because I didn’t realize the change in wheel base between the early and late cars meant the k frame moved under the motor meaning my motor mounts were off.

I did bolt up the way bar and it all looked to work fine. But never drove it.

Car is gone, but I still have the k frame.
 
I can tell you it doesn’t appear that a Hotchkis 22385 sway bar is going to fit a 66 Barracuda without fab work. It’s close but not direct fit.
Their web site shows it as an option when you shop by vehicle but it does say 67-72. Looks to be a little wide as mentioned above. I have read here on FABO that the Firm Feel sway bar may cause interference due to it mounting outside the strut rod to the lower shock mount hole. Also if you want a hollow bar Firm Feel is not making them right now due to material problems. I just ordered some parts from them and was talking to them about buying a hollow bar.

20CD9F1A-C843-4920-821B-BC769846ADB2.jpeg
 
68Cummins said:
I can tell you it doesn’t appear that a Hotchkis 22385 sway bar is going to fit a 66 Barracuda without fab work. It’s close but not direct fit.
Their web site shows it as an option when you shop by vehicle but it does say 67-72. Looks to be a little wide as mentioned above. I have read here on FABO that the Firm Feel sway bar may cause interference due to it mounting outside the strut rod to the lower shock mount hole. Also if you want a hollow bar Firm Feel is not making them right now due to material problems. I just ordered some parts from them and was talking to them about buying a hollow bar.

View attachment 1715291748
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Did you ever get this sorted out? I'm planning to order a 22385 bar for my 65 Dart with QA1 Control arms.
 
68Cummins said:
I can tell you it doesn’t appear that a Hotchkis 22385 sway bar is going to fit a 66 Barracuda without fab work. It’s close but not direct fit.
Their web site shows it as an option when you shop by vehicle but it does say 67-72. Looks to be a little wide as mentioned above. I have read here on FABO that the Firm Feel sway bar may cause interference due to it mounting outside the strut rod to the lower shock mount hole. Also if you want a hollow bar Firm Feel is not making them right now due to material problems. I just ordered some parts from them and was talking to them about buying a hollow bar.

View attachment 1715291748
Click to expand...


How wide is your bar link to link ?
 
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