The front sway bar was optional all the way through the end in 1976. I've seen slant six stripped down cars with them and loaded V8 cars without. It really was a crapshoot.
The factory bar is pretty meager though, measuring about 3/4". It does help some, but the aftermarket sway bars are a better way to go. You can get up to 1 1/8" solid or 1 3/8" hollow. They are a bit spendy though. I made a 1 1/4" front bar by modifying one I got from a mid 70s GM 1 ton truck. I laid the stock one over the truck bar and cut the GM ends off. I drilled the ends for the end links and installed it with new bushings. The 1 1/4" custom bar cost me less than half of a new one. An additional benefit is that the custom bar is 11% stiffer than the best solid bar made new due to its larger size. The 1 3/8" hollow bar stiffness is directly proportional to its wall thickness. SOME hollow bars use a .188 wall, others are as thick as .250 wall. Still, the custom bar is stiffer than any other new bar available today.
