Finally after all these years

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MileHighDart

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My Dart finally handles like I wanted it too.
Just got back from my first test drive after installing new boxed lower arms, Hotchkis adjustable strut rods, and the massive Hotchkis 1-1/2" tubular sway bar.

I did a home alignment using a Joe's Racing caster/camber gauge, and a set of toe plates.
Spent a lot of time on it, but got it just where I wanted, and exactly the same on both sides.
Set it to: 4 degrees caster, 1/2 degree neg camber, and 1/8" toe.

The car feels better than it ever has in the 13 or 14 years i've owned it. Firm, NO body roll in the curves, or not that I can detect. Feels planted on the road, and I feel in total control, not all loose as a goose like its been for years. Went up the canyon from Lyons, 35mph curves at 50 just feels like a sunday drive, Love it ! Thought I was going out for a 5 min test drive, and I just couldn't stop driving, was out for about 35 min.

This stuff was the final step. In the last year I've also done PST 1.03 torsion bars, and QA1 tubular upper arms, and a new Moog Idler arm.

Pics are the stuff I just finished installing. So happy with the car right now I can't believe it.

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Very cool news! I have just about the same pile of parts going in the Valiant, hopefully I get the same results. I think I will be a couple of hundred pounds lighter so that's not going to hurt anything either.
 
Very cool news! I have just about the same pile of parts going in the Valiant, hopefully I get the same results. I think I will be a couple of hundred pounds lighter so that's not going to hurt anything either.

Good luck with your install, it's a fair amount of work, and cash spent on parts, but it was worth every penny and all the time spent on it.
 
Just one question,
Does the weight of the girl in the trunk aid traction?
:lol:
 
OK, two questions,
Whose lower arms?

Just picked up a set of original a-body arms from a member here, stripped them of rust, welded on the Hotchkis sway bar tabs and a set of stiffening plates that I got from PST. Put in some new bushings and added a few coats of gold paint
 
What are you running for shocks?

One of the things I haven’t upgraded yet. Right now they are Monroe Gasmatics, somewhere down the road is like to go to the bilstiens, but kind of used up my car budget for a while
 
Good stuff!
Are you also running a rear sway bar? If yes, which one?

Thanks!
 
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