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    Results 1 to 12 of 12
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Oct 2006
      Posts
      634
      Country Flag: United States

      69 el Camino Front Sway Bar..

      I have a 69 el Camino with a big block. I have the SC&C Stage 3 kit on the front with a Lee 14:1 box. I have Spohn Delsphere adjustable rear control arms. I have stock springs in the front and BMR 2" lowering springs in the back.

      I am still using the stock bar and want to get something better. The car does sway slightly and half way through a deep turn its a little unsteady. I think its from the camber changing due to the sway bar not holding things tight. I have one degree of camber with 7-8 degrees of caster and a slight toe in..

      I was thinking of the Hellwig but I see some on here prefer the UMI over the Hellwig..

      Whats your favorite for this car in full street trim, no racing but I do drive Western Pennsylvania roads, they are anything but boring and flat haha..


      Thank you..Name:  front lower dirvers control arm.jpg
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    2. #2
      Join Date
      Mar 2004
      Location
      Mid-Michigan
      Posts
      2,764
      Country Flag: United States
      I think you would do better by going to lower profile tires. Do a Plus2 on the wheel size and get that sidewall down out of nosebleed territory. Honestly, that is where you are getting the sway from, not the bar.
      My truck is a slot car with the stock bar up front. Of course the lowering and poly bushings help immensely but the biggest improvement came with the shorter sidewall tires.

      Mark
      Mark:
      "Bad Ast" Astro Van. Just because I did it... Doesn't mean it's possible...
      This my Bad Ast thread...
      https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...roject-Faze-II
      This is my Fotki album...
      http://astroracer.fotki.com/

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Oct 2006
      Posts
      634
      Country Flag: United States
      I'd prefer to keep the 70 series tires, I'm old and like the smaller tires. I wish I could get to like the newer wheels but I just can't over come it, lol..

    4. #4
      Join Date
      May 2015
      Posts
      249
      Country Flag: United States
      I installed a 1.25" anti front sway bar on my 65 Malibu. I got it from a 78 or so Pontiac Trams Am. Just a cheap junk yard upgrade.
      I believe those will fit your El Camino also.
      I would install a rear anti sway bar also.

    5. #5
      Join Date
      May 2010
      Location
      kitchener,Ontario,Canada
      Posts
      2,336
      Country Flag: Canada
      A bigger front bar will help some a rear bar will also help but I have to agree 70 series tires will prevent you from noticing any huge gains . I get your thoughts on "circus wagon " looks . Check out maybe wheel vintiques 16 or 17 inch , with a 255 50 series , this will give big gains and still a decent ride .
      Spinnin'my tires in life's fast lane

      Ryan Austin
      On twitter @raustinss
      On Instagram austinss70

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Oct 2006
      Posts
      634
      Country Flag: United States
      I saw one car with 17" wheels that I liked. It was a 70 Mopar with stock steel wheels in 17 x 8 front and 17 x 10 rear.. They were painted the same color as the car and kind of faded in..

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Oct 2006
      Posts
      634
      Country Flag: United States

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Mar 2004
      Location
      Mid-Michigan
      Posts
      2,764
      Country Flag: United States
      The rally wheels on my truck are 17's in front & 18's in back. 255-50 x 17's would look good all the way around on your El Camino and would eliminate a lot of that sway you are seeing.
      You have a lot of coin tied up in handling parts under the car and are not seeing any of the benefits with the tall sidewall tires.
      If you are running 225-70-15's the OD is "about" 27.4 inches
      The 255-50 x 17's are the exact same diameter, 27.4 inches. The 2" shorter sidewalls will make for a very noticeable seat of the pants performance gain.
      Mark
      Mark:
      "Bad Ast" Astro Van. Just because I did it... Doesn't mean it's possible...
      This my Bad Ast thread...
      https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...roject-Faze-II
      This is my Fotki album...
      http://astroracer.fotki.com/

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Oct 2006
      Posts
      634
      Country Flag: United States
      Thanks Mark! I really appreciate your feedback.. I'm going to look into the 255x50r17..



    10. #10
      Join Date
      Jun 2012
      Location
      Chicago burbs
      Posts
      247
      Country Flag: United States
      My setup is similar to yours with all the SC&C equipment, with the exception of 285/35/18's up front, and a watts link in back. Last year I switched from the 442 F/R sways to Helwig on both ends. I'm a big fan, love driving the car on the street and it did really well at the road-course last year. The front is hollow and the rear is adjustable. I'm not entirely sure that DS is all too different from Hellwig, but I'm no Mark Savitske so I wouldn't really know.

      I wouldn't ever go back to the stock sways and love my setup the more I drive it.

      1969 442 6.0L LQ9 T56
      Fab9 w/ custom 3 Link conversion
      FAYS2 Watts link
      Thanks to Mark at SC&C for his honesty and passion for the sport, and Ron Sutton for the wealth of knowledge that has helped shape so many of the cars on this site.

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Oct 2006
      Posts
      634
      Country Flag: United States
      Thanks 442! Glad to hear there is a big difference. I don't have a rear bar now, I'm just using the stock front bar with poly end links, one guy told me just using those spherical end links would help a lot.. Those Helwig bars sure are less expensive then the Detroit Speed bars...

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Jun 2006
      Location
      Katy,TX
      Posts
      1,678
      70s Formula and Trans Ams had 1 1/4" front bars. Granted harder to find in bone yards nowadays. Shocks can make a big difference also.

      I will agree with the others that tires can make a big feel difference. Years ago on my 78 TA that I autocrossed with 255-60-15s swapping to 255-50-16s was night and day difference-and 25" 16 road race slicks an difference even over that. 17" wheels were not around yet back then.
      1978 Black Trans Am 455 Edelbrock heads [email protected] through mufflers on pump gas
      1981 Trans Am 400 stock type motor
      79 Camaro getting a 500" 695 hp IA2 Pontiac motor
      1965 GTO project car
      470ci/Chevy dual quad 409 604 HP 64 Impala SS project
      2004 Pulse Red GTO





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