72 Dart Swinger : 4 Link

[GURT WILDERS]

Hey guys. It’s been a little while since I introduced myself and my car, there’s been some build progress and thought I would share.

All the work is being done at my friends shop in Brentwood CA, Ryland Racing. I wish I had the time, tools, and place to work on my own car but I unfortunately don’t. So I figured I’d do the next best thing - give it to my old circle track buddies who eat sleep and breath racing for a living. I dropped off my car and a mountain of parts to them a few months back. first project I had them tackle was the 4 link. I had plans to get a badass Currie 9” built but money got a little tighter than expected. So I ended up sticking with the 8.75”. Anyway here’s some pics and parts used listed below. Wilwood disc brakes and Richmond 4:10 gears goin in next.

-Freak Ride parallel 4 link with panhard bar
-Viking double adjustable coil overs
-Hotchkis 1” rear sway bar

PS - Not sure if the sway bar will stay Installed. If anyone has any insight if it should stay/go, pros or cons of having IN ADDITION to a 4 Link, please let me know. This is basically just going to be a spirited street car and maybe once in a while hit a road race track.

 

[TT5.9mag]

Looks nice. The rear sway bar (just like everything else on a race car) is a tuning tool. Some guys like how the car handles with one and some guys don’t. It tightens up the car for sure. But how you drive will dictate what you do with it. On our road race Miata we have a couple different front/rear bars and use them to tune the chassis for different tracks/conditions.

 

[tjpatte]

I’m not a fan of the panhard bar, you make a hard right turn and that thing is gonna fold like a lawn chair.

 

[TT5.9mag]

I’m not a fan of the panhard bar, you make a hard right turn and that thing is gonna fold like a lawn chair.

Agree. I’d make the bracket taller and use a straight panhard.

 

[NC Engine Builder]

Hard to tell in those pictures, but looks like you have seriously reduced your suspension travel in the rear. And hopefully those heims are rubber bushed.

 

[GURT WILDERS]

Looks nice. The rear sway bar (just like everything else on a race car) is a tuning tool. Some guys like how the car handles with one and some guys don’t. It tightens up the car for sure. But how you drive will dictate what you do with it. On our road race Miata we have a couple different front/rear bars and use them to tune the chassis for different tracks/conditions.

Thats a good way to look at it. Thanks for the input.

 

[GURT WILDERS]

Hard to tell in those pictures, but looks like you have seriously reduced your suspension travel in the rear. And hopefully those heims are rubber bushed.

Everything is urethane mounted to the frame side. Final adjustments and further modifications to come.

 

[GURT WILDERS]

Agree. I’d make the bracket taller and use a straight panhard.

We had the same conclusion. It was just what came in the kit. We’re gonna cut the upper bracket so there’s more clearance between the housing and probably swap to a straight bar and use the tallest mounting position.

 

[autoxcuda]

I’m not a fan of the panhard bar, you make a hard right turn and that thing is gonna fold like a lawn chair.

mid built with good material and thickness it will be fine.

circle track race cars run J-bars with 10” slicks bouncing off other cars and walls.

the Orange bar bottom center takes all the side load

 

[tjpatte]

mid built with good material and thickness it will be fine.

circle track race cars run J-bars with 10” slicks bouncing off other cars and walls.

the Orange bar bottom center takes all the side load



View attachment 1715830176

That short stout J bar is only going half the distance with only one bend, two different worlds there.

 

[TT5.9mag]

The J bar is successful because it’s a single bend (and probably .250 wall) in a stout tube. Put 4 bends in the bar and it becomes inherently less strong. Some of those dirt roundy round cars have some crazy rear suspension setups. Man that’s a lot of stuff goin on.

 

[TT5.9mag]

That short stout J bar is only going half the distance with only one bend, two different worlds there.

Treed me.

 

[tjpatte]

The J bar is successful because it’s a single bend (and probably .250 wall) in a stout tube. Put 4 bends in the bar and it becomes inherently less strong. Some of those dirt roundy round cars have some crazy rear suspension setups. Man that’s a lot of stuff goin on.

The more I watched that video the more adjustability I found in that setup, crazy and you’d better have a good log book!