[John62]

I would like to add boxed lower control arms on my stock 1965 GTO. I do not want to box my originals, but set them aside. I do want a factory look so can anyone recommend anything. The repos are Taiwan, not to sure about quality. Would I be better off finding good used originals and having new bushings installed then buy the boxing kit? After that what size sway bar would be best for street driving.

[tempest1964]

I added the boxed ones on my '64 Tempest Custom from MotorCityMuscle on e-bay. They were about .090 thick steel. Don't know what gauge that works out to. The factory ones that I took off are about .125 thick. Much beefier. I wasn't real happy about that. I plan on getting the inserts and welding them to my originals. As far as sway bars, I went with 1 1/4" up front and 1" in the rear. This seems to work pretty good.
Good Luck
Tony

[GT182]

Ask B-man (Bart) by PM or here where it got his from.

I bought a complete (upper and lower) set of boxed control arms from him plus a 1-3/8ths rear sway bar. The control arms look to be just as "beefy" as the originals.

[John62]

Originally Posted by GT182

Ask B-man (Bart) by PM or here where it got his from.

I bought a complete (upper and lower) set of boxed control arms from him plus a 1-3/8ths rear sway bar. The control arms look to be just as "beefy" as the originals.

Hopefully he will weigh in. You bought a set from him? Is he a reseller or was this a extra set he had?

[b-man]

Originally Posted by John62

Hopefully he will weigh in. You bought a set from him? Is he a reseller or was this a extra set he had?

That set of lower arms came off of my personal car that I used to drive daily ('64 Tempest), I don't build them for resale. I happened to be upgrading to aftermarket control arms from Currie Enterprises, so the old arms went down the road.

I boxed them myself using heavy thick-wall tubing (1/2" wall) tack welded inside to reinforce the arm so the sway bar bolts wouldn't crush the arms. I also boxed the bottom side with 1/8" plate for pretty much the full length, they're stitch-welded with a TIG welder every inch or so to control warpage.

The control arm parts had all been bead blasted down to clean bare steel, then after welding they were dipped in semi-gloss black POR-15 so the inside as well as the outside would be coated. I just last weekend threw away the old box (the box once held a new chrome TH400 dipstick tube) that I filled with POR-15 to do the dipping.

A lot of nice work went into them, they're a pretty much bullet-proof set of box stock control arms.

You using them yet Gary?











Here's why I sold off the old suspension parts.

[b-man]

As to the original question, buy the boxing kit and box your original arms (or another good used set) and put new bushings in them.

Or buy a good used set of factory boxed arms and put new bushings in them, they're still out there to be had.

I'd use either a factory 7/8" rear bar or a 1" aftermarket rear bar, combined with a 1.25" second-gen T/A front bar.

[John62]

Thanks for the info guys. It is clear I need to find a nice original set of lower control arms. I have no problem blasting painting and welding up the kit if I don't find original boxed first. New bushings, no big deal. I went thru my front end last year so the original front sway bar will stay. It has new rubber and end links. All new bushings and springs as well. So now to find some used control arms and buy a new sway bar. Thanks for the pic's, don't understand the sway bar above the control arm, does that matter?

[b-man]

Sway bar above the control arm = adapting an aftermarket sway bar that was very close to fitting between the control arms, but not quite. Didn't want to grind away on it with hopes of it fitting, so I made the brackets to adapt it.

Bought it from a seller who said it was an H-O Racing sway bar, but it turned out not to be. So I made it work, and ended up with a nicely tucked-up very big (1-3/8") rear sway bar.

Lemons into sweet lemonade.

[GT182]

I'm sorry to say this Bart but no, not yet. Hopefully they'll go in this Spring when I have the Auburn limited-slip unit put in. They're still sitting faithfully and waiting for that day. I won't part with them no matter what.

[tiacguy]

I have at least three sets of the stock control arms your looking for. Email me if interested tiacguy@verizon.net

[jeff chmura]

heres a set on ebay right now....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Original-...JWx26e&vxp=mtr

jeff

[John62]

Originally Posted by jeff chmura

heres a set on ebay right now....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Original-...JWx26e&vxp=mtr

jeff

Thanks Jeff, they do look nice. It looks like he is making them and not originals from whatever year they started making them. With shipping I am at $175. I think I can make some for less, hopefully. Just need to figure out exactly where to drill the holes, other than in the boxing kit slots.

[jeff chmura]

John,
no problem, saw this thread last night, saw these posted on ebay, figured it may be an option for you.
Jeff

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by b-man

Bought it from a seller who said it was an H-O Racing sway bar, but it turned out not to be. So I made it work, and ended up with a nicely tucked-up very big (1-3/8") rear sway bar.

I ran a TRUE 1-3/8" HO RACING rear sway bar under my 64 GTO and would have much rather had the additional rear ground clearance your design offered, Bart. Nice Work.

Tom V.

[GT182]

That 1-3/8" rear swaybar is massive to say the least. Does it make a big difference Tom, or Bart, in handling over a 1" rear bar?

I will put it on but I've been wondering about it since I first got it from Bart. If I'm ever asked "Where's the Beef", I've got it and it's just waiting to do it's thing.

[ron cozzo]

I'm in the process of rebuilding the chassis on my 68 GTO right now and happen to have original and reproduction control arms to compare. Original is 0.090" thick. Repro is 0.100" thick.

[John62]

Originally Posted by ron cozzo

I'm in the process of rebuilding the chassis on my 68 GTO right now and happen to have original and reproduction control arms to compare. Original is 0.090" thick. Repro is 0.100" thick.

So you are saying the repos are a bit thicker. I guess the next question is the quality of the metal itself. Why don't you put both in a press and let us know the results. Kidding of course. Do you see a right and a left? Are the bushings pressed in from opposite sides or are they identical.
I ordered the UMI 1" solid sway bar, fair price and made in USA.

[ron cozzo]

Originally Posted by John62

So you are saying the repos are a bit thicker. I guess the next question is the quality of the metal itself. Why don't you put both in a press and let us know the results. Kidding of course. Do you see a right and a left? Are the bushings pressed in from opposite sides or are they identical.
I ordered the UMI 1" solid sway bar, fair price and made in USA.

Yes, the repro is thicker. There is no right and left, both sides are the same. Factory uppers and lowers are also both sides the same.

I'm using Addco 1.25 front a 1.00 rear bars. Same sizes I used on my 64. About $280 on ebay for the pair, with hardware.

[b-man]

Originally Posted by GT182

That 1-3/8" rear swaybar is massive to say the least. Does it make a big difference Tom, or Bart, in handling over a 1" rear bar?

I will put it on but I've been wondering about it since I first got it from Bart. If I'm ever asked "Where's the Beef", I've got it and it's just waiting to do it's thing.

It did make the car corner very flat and it did induce some oversteer (back end wanting to come around) if driven aggressively on the city streets. I can remember taking a few left turns pretty fast and I could feel the back end starting to slide, but nothing that you couldn't feel coming on and control fairly easily. I used the 1-3/8" rear bar with a 1-1/4" front bar, it was a good handling car all things considered. Your car will handle best if the front and rear are sitting at normal ride height or even a tad lower.

The oversteer is the opposite of how these cars normally handle, they like to understeer (front end sliding, not turning) when driven hard.

I can't compare it to the 1" rear bar, but I have one I will be using on the Tempest soon along with the front 1-1/4" bar. The Tempest now has a lot of suspension and brake upgrades. It has no rubber suspension bushings anywhere now, even the body mounts are urethane. I also went with 14" and 13.4" Corvette C6 Z06 4-wheel disc brakes along with 18X9" wheels.

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My Le Mans convertible has all rubber bushings with a 1-1/4" WS6 front bar and a 7/8" rear bar. Will be running 14X6" wheels/215/70-14 whitewalls and 11" '69 GP front disc brakes with stock rear drums. I will also replace the body mounts with urethane, mainly because convertibles need all the help they can get to stiffen the body/chassis structure. It's just a cruiser with just enough upgrades using stock parts to make it a more stable car.

[John62]

B-man, you seem to like the second gen. F body 1.25 front sway bar. Is it any different from any other 1.25 aftermarket sway bar made to fit the A body?