1 1/4" front sway bar for a <Mustang II

[Learpilot]

Anybody know who makes a 1 1/4" front sway bar for a Mustang II.
Thanks , Rick

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Rick, I don't know of a kit but on my '40 I used 1.25 bar off of a junkyard Camaro/Firebird. Overall it's too wide but the width at it's first bends were okay, so I reshaped the rest with heat, then cut off the extra length and welded the end back on.

It has served well for close to 100k.

Charlie

[Learpilot]

Rick, I don't know of a kit but on my '40 I used 1.25 bar off of a junkyard Camaro/Firebird. Overall it's too wide but the width at it's first bends were okay, so I reshaped the rest with heat, then cut off the extra length and welded the end back on.

It has served well for close to 100k.

Charlie

THANKS !!!
Cutting and welding did not take the tension out ?  Did you cut with a saw or cut off wheel ? Not a torch .

[enjenjo]

I have heated and bent sway bars for years. I was under a car I did twenty years ago tuesday, and the sway bar is doing fine, even though I competely reversed the bends on the end of that one.

[jaybee]

Not that you'd have a reason to bend them there, but I assume this works because you avoid the center area, where the torsion action happens?

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Correct, I don't get into the torsion part. The rest of the work is just new handles so to speak. I do most of my cutting with the band saw or cut off wheels. I preparation for weld I gring a point on the mating pieces leaving the part that touches at 1/4-3/8" diameter then tack them together assembled in the chassis. If the fit is good I'll do a bit of filler work on the chassis then remove and finish weld and smooth it all out.

Charlie

[1800guy]

If I understand this correctly, I can not take a bar that is too wide and cut a section out of the middle?  Maybe cut it at a long angle to get more mating surface.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

No, the middle is what you want to leave alone, it is the torsion bar so to speak.

Pick a bar with a middle that is appropriately sized to allow you to mount it to the frame and then modify the ends to be shorter or otherwise reconfigured to reach where you can use a set of vertical links to brackets on the front of your lower a-arms, or right through the arms. It all depends on the room you have. You have to do a bit of "imagineering".

Charlie

[enjenjo]

If I understand this correctly, I can not take a bar that is too wide and cut a section out of the middle?  Maybe cut it at a long angle to get more mating surface.

I have never tried it, and would not advise it. Too many out there that just need minor mods to fit.

[1800guy]

So it looks like once again lack of money and the laws of physics conspire against me.  Back to the local research & recycle facility  - LKQ here I come.

[enjenjo]

So it looks like once again lack of money and the laws of physics conspire against me.  Back to the local research & recycle facility  - LKQ here I come.

What front suspension you working with? I might have some suggestions.

[1800guy]

It's for my Summer cruiser - a 71 Volvo 142E.  It's still in storage until next week, and I don't recall the dimensions right off hand.  It's a pretty simple bar with basically just two 90's - no fancy dips or twists.

[UGLY OLDS]

You have to do a bit of "imagineering".

Charlie

I like that term ...  
 Gotta remember that one .....

Bob......

[enjenjo]

It's for my Summer cruiser - a 71 Volvo 142E.  It's still in storage until next week, and I don't recall the dimensions right off hand.  It's a pretty simple bar with basically just two 90's - no fancy dips or twists.

Look at S10. I think it's a 1" bar, but you can shorten the ends to make it stiffer

[1800guy]

Look at S10. I think it's a 1" bar, but you can shorten the ends to make it stiffer[/quote]


Thanks - I'll check that out.  Every car needs at least one Chevy part, right?