Wondering if my Catalina would benefit from adding a rear sway bar. Any thoughts? What donor car should I look for. Thanks.

Wondering if my Catalina would benefit from adding a rear sway bar. Any thoughts? What donor car should I look for. Thanks.

Hey Phatcat-

That's one of the mods that I have planned for my 1967 Bonny CV. I have a few friends here in the area with mid-1960's big cars and ALL of them have sway bars.

My feeling is that anything you can do to enhance the ride/handling of these beautiful boats is worth doing.

I have heard recently that the trailing arms should be reinforced, but I don't know how much truth there is to that. None of the guys I know have done that to their cars, and there has been no negative reaction/problems.

Don't know which cars have the bar for your application (I got mine from a local Pontiac guru here), but I would guess anything up to mid 1970's????

Did your convs. come with HD suspensions? I have a 67 Cat Conv. that has the HD and I dont get much sway. Of course, if you zoom around a corner in the big boat your next stop has to be a tire store.

Ed

I think the main problem is learning to drive the Titanic again after so many years of rack & pinion. Overstearing is a major issue... Maybe I should be looking at front end mods before the back, or maybe I just need to learn to drive! There is a early 70's GP at the U-Pull-It that I am going to canabalize this weekend. The only thing HD about the hardtop is that like the convertble, it has a full box frame, rather than just 3 sides like the other big Pontiacs. I kinda like the way it floats over the road (going straight) but the back springs are a but mushy and are being replaced next week. Suprisingly, according to the specs in the repair manual, the car is only sitting ½" lower than it did 37 years ago. Last week I replaced the stock 14" rims with a set of 15 x 7 rally II's and I like the way it sits a little taller now with some attitude.

Aw, but the character of the low slung poncho is comprimised if you raise it too much. http://forums.performanceyears.com/g...icon_smile.gif Be sure to use Heavy Duty springs.

I like the low slung look as much as the next guy, but I hate the sound of my exhaust dragging and scraping at even the slightest incline into a parking lot, driveway, etc.

Won't the HD springs raise the car more?

Doesn't seem to. Just prevents the scraping a little. The top of my rear wheel opening is 22 inches high. No scraping

Phatcat;
Did you replace the springs and if so, how did it turn out?

ADDCO makes front and rear sway bars for 65-70 Pontiac B-bodies, including urethane link kits. I thought I was SOL with my 68 Cat until I found them. Heres the link.... www.addcosuspension.com

addco suspension makes front and rear sway bars, along with urethane link kits, for 65-70 Pontiac B-bodies. i thought I was SOL with my 68 CAT. Go to ADCCOSUSPENSION.com

first time you do a power turn or drift, the rear bar contacts the rear end, the bar will break at the mounting bolt or collapse the control arm if it is not reinforced (boxed). Ask me how I know.

Engineer, what excactly is required to box in the lower trailing arm? What material did you use, and where did you put it?
Also, do the polygraphite bushings have any negative effects to the large car such as increased road noise? I am well aware of the positive ones