Gurney/Savage T/A Barracuda or Posey T/A Challenger Rear Suspension Photos/Pictures?

[Fish Bite]

I'm curious if anyone has or can point me to photos of the actual rear suspension setup of one of Gurney's or Savage's T/A Barracudas? Specifically, I'm curious to see the horizontal shock system that I assume was installed for tuning the leaf springs/dampening axle wrap. I have an October 1970 issue of Car Life with a writeup of Savage's car that says for the rear suspension, "There's a Panhard rod for sideways location . . . . There are shock absorbers in the usual places, plus the AAR chassismen added horizontal units, made from Konis, running from the roll cage back to the top of the axle housing just inside each wheel." I'm curious to see the setup.

I found photos of Posey's #76 T/A Challenger hoping it shared a similar design, but any possible horizontal shock is blocked in the photo. I see a single approx. 7/16" or so bolt (judging by the head diameter compared to the cage tubing) through the subframe on each side that could be the mount for one side of the shock (I've circled them in the photo), and the Car Life article says the shocks ran from the roll cage back suggesting this subframe location might be the attachment point.

 

[mvh]

I recall reading a book by Bob Akins where he describes working on the Mopar Trans Am program... it might have some material on this, if you can find it.

 

[niceolddart]

I don't have any info but, I sure like what you're doing. I love watching vintage Trans-Am racing! Super cool to see.

 

[HPP]

I've got this one, but it doesn't really help clarify much. Doesn't really look like a traditional shock.

IIRC, the Cudas started with watts link and then swapped over to panhards.

 

[dr dodge]

I've got this one, but it doesn't really help clarify much. Doesn't really look like a traditional shock.

IIRC, the Cudas started with watts link and then swapped over to panhards.

View attachment 1716528423

maybe they used the panhard, and replaced the watts with the shocks going forward above the axle

the chassis pics are one end, and that axle bit you see is the other end

 

[72bluNblu]

Here's a few I have. I thought I had a few more, I'll keep looking.

This one is from an old Mopar Action article "building the AAR 'Cuda Trans Am", it looks like it shows the pass through for those shocks before the covers were added.

 

[dr dodge]

 

[Fish Bite]

I've got this one, but it doesn't really help clarify much. Doesn't really look like a traditional shock.

IIRC, the Cudas started with watts link and then swapped over to panhards.

View attachment 1716528423

Yes! That's a great shot, thanks. Judging from the large body and that large adjuster screw facing down, it looks like a Koni shock. I was curious if they modified it to a coilover, but it appears to be just the shock.

 

[Fish Bite]

Here's a few I have. I thought I had a few more, I'll keep looking.

View attachment 1716528440

View attachment 1716528442

This one is from an old Mopar Action article "building the AAR 'Cuda Trans Am", it looks like it shows the pass through for those shocks before the covers were added.
View attachment 1716528445

Thanks! The construction photo is great showing everything before they boxed in the shocks. The adjustable link for the rear sway bar is interesting. With it having two pivot points like that, you would think it would try to lean over under compression versus transferring the load directly, but I assume they designed it that way.