Front Sway Bar what size for LS1 V8 car, V8 sway bar Options

[TurboWalt]

I'd like to purchase a nice sway bar for my LS Series conversion (1976). Can anybody out there with V8 experience make a suggestion? I have no idea what size I should buy. Or is an adjustable the way to go?

Thanks, Walt

[messix]

does your car have one already?

[TurboWalt]

does your car have one already?

Yes, it does. Not sure of the specs on this one. I'm in Baghdad, car is in California.

[Mike Bellis]

I have a factory 930 sway bar on mine. 200lb rear springs, no rear bar. My car handles awesome!

The one in your picture is not a factory Porsche piece. The factory one is a torsion tube that mounts under the gas tank. I had one like yours on my last one. I used to hit stuff with it since it hanges under the car. I even draged a cat 200 feet one time. Poor kitty...

[messix]

I have a factory 930 swab bar on mine. 200lb rear springs, no rear bar. My car handles awesome!

The one in your picture is not a factory Porsche piece. The factory one is a torsion tube that mounts under the gas tank. I had one like yours on my last one. I used to hit stuff with it since it hanges under the car. I even draged a cat 200 feet one time. Poor kitty...

late model 911 had that style, although i think yours is missing the mounts to the body.

looky here http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/...%2D%37%37%29%20

[TurboWalt]

I have a factory 930 swab bar on mine. 200lb rear springs, no rear bar. My car handles awesome!

The one in your picture is not a factory Porsche piece. The factory one is a torsion tube that mounts under the gas tank. I had one like yours on my last one. I used to hit stuff with it since it hanges under the car. I even draged a cat 200 feet one time. Poor kitty...

late model 911 had that style, although i think yours is missing the mounts to the body.

looky here http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/...%2D%37%37%29%20

Mike, is yours 20 or 22mm?

Messix, I'm hoping I have the body mounts for that bar (good catch). That picture was taken when Renegade performed the GEN 1 SBC conversion, along with other major upgrades.

[pjhaun]

does your car have one already?

Yes, it does. Not sure of the specs on this one. I'm in Baghdad, car is in California.

What is the third small hose for? I also noticed that you cut round holes in the aluminum cross member; doesn't that weaken the cross member?

Thank You!!!!
Phillip J. Haun
Oak Harbor, WA.

[TurboWalt]

Phillip,

The small third line is for the AC. As for the holes drilled, I suppose it could weaken it. Or make it lighter! I purchased the car with the conversion already performed. All the work was done by Renegade in Vega$. I'm in the process of converting to LS Series V8 power using a Renagade kit. I'll be using a 6 speed transaxle. So some fabbing will be in order for transmission mounts and the shifter.

Here's a pic from the bottom of the hoses:

[andys]

TurboWalt,

I've got the undercar sway bar like yours. Mine is from a "89 Carrera. I've been told that the undercar bar only came in one size, and that aftermarket one's don't exist. I don't know if this is in fact true, but that's what I was lead to believe or was told or??

My LS1 conversion car is nearly done, meaning I can't report on the handling since it's not quite on the road. I would prefer to have adjustability with the front bar especially since I have adjustable shocks on all four corners.

What 6 speed are you going to use?

Andys

[Andyrew]

You need to tell us your rear suspension. How does it handle now? Have you driven it? What type of driving do you do?

That is a 911 front suspension/sway bar. You need to measure that bar to determine what it is, You probably dont have to touch your suspension setup at all.

Tell us what its doing (driving) and tell us what you want it to do (ie, it pushes, and you want it to be neutral, or it oversteers quite easy, or you want to autox and the last time you did all you did was spin, or you want to take it to the track).

The common setup is 180 to 225 rear springs, no sway bar, then upgraded torsion bars and a medium sized sway bar or stock torsion bars and a large sway bar. Combine this with good shocks. The rest is sway bar adjustment, camber/ caster, shock adjustment, and tire pressure.

Your car looks well sorted.. I bet you just got it and are really tempted to do stuff to it. but it looks like a nice car from under.. Whats it look like from the top? Is that j-lo?

[Mike Bellis]

I have a factory 930 swab bar on mine. 200lb rear springs, no rear bar. My car handles awesome!

The one in your picture is not a factory Porsche piece. The factory one is a torsion tube that mounts under the gas tank. I had one like yours on my last one. I used to hit stuff with it since it hanges under the car. I even draged a cat 200 feet one time. Poor kitty...

late model 911 had that style, although i think yours is missing the mounts to the body.

looky here http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/...%2D%37%37%29%20

Mike, is yours 20 or 22mm?

Messix, I'm hoping I have the body mounts for that bar (good catch). That picture was taken when Renegade performed the GEN 1 SBC conversion, along with other major upgrades.

I'm guessing 22mm. It's big. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) My whole front suspension and brakes are from a 930.

[TurboWalt]

I'll have to ask the PO what the rear setup is. I haven't driven it so I can't really comment on its behavior. My plan is just an extreme street machine. My answer to a "pro-touring" car.
I'm sure the car is setup well. PO has spent some $$$ on this thing. I'm just kinda seduced by the fancy hollow adjustable bars that are on the market. I suppose I should just get it running then go from there.
I will be using a built re-geared Audi 01E non Quattro 6 speed.

Topside View

[jaxdream]

does your car have one already?

Yes, it does. Not sure of the specs on this one. I'm in Baghdad, car is in California.

The mounts for that sway bar are on the pieces that bolt to the crossmember and the body/pan behind the setup that seem to be missing.You would have to cut off the mounts on the A-arms to install the mounts that are used with the trough body /under tank style sway bar. If that's the route that you want to go in , GO , it shouldn't be that big a deal , lots of folks do it and get good adjustability . Just reenforce the mount area on the body where the thru style goes and should be golden. I like your Phone Dials , what are they 16 inchers??And that rauq parking brake is classic (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) , used them myself at times. Good luck , and come home dude!!!!

Jack / Jaxdream

[jmmotorsports]

I have a 22 mm through body bar on my V8 and am pretty happy with it. The 86-89 Carreras had 22 mm front bars, 85 and earlier had smaller bars,I think they were 19 mm. You may already have a 22 mm bar. Get home, drive the car and see how it works first.

Jerry

[jmmotorsports]

Also you will have 19 mm torsion bars with that front suspension instead of the smaller 914 t-bars. Should be a good all around set up.

Jerry

[Andyrew]

Walt, J-lo is a super wide fendered yellow 914 that was owned by a couple forum members and recently got a v8 conversion in the past couple years.. It had A/C and looked very similar to yours underneath.

The 01E should be an awesome trani! Where did you find a non quattro? Or did you take the FWD tail off of a A4 trani?

Halfshafts are going to be custom I assume?

[andys]

I'll have to ask the PO what the rear setup is. I haven't driven it so I can't really comment on its behavior. My plan is just an extreme street machine. My answer to a "pro-touring" car.
I'm sure the car is setup well. PO has spent some $$$ on this thing. I'm just kinda seduced by the fancy hollow adjustable bars that are on the market. I suppose I should just get it running then go from there.
I will be using a built re-geared Audi 01E non Quattro 6 speed.

TurboWalt,

When you say "re-geared", can you be more specific? An R&P change or ?? Who is re-gearing it? Where are you sourcing the adapter plate and clutch? You know I have an 01E in mine, right?

From some track setup work on a 500HP V8 914 track car, I'm finding that the rear of the car required stiff springs in order to settle it down, otherwise it had way too much movement and instability. For a street car, my first thought is that the car may be over-sprung and/or over dampened in the front, but you an I will soon find out.

Andys

[sean_v8_914]

looks like blue 200 lbs renegade v8 springs

[TurboWalt]

I appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions.
Especially: "Good luck , and come home dude!!!!" thanks Jack.

I'm sourcing my transaxle & clutch from: http://advancedautomotion.com/
Scott is the contact there, great to work with.
Its a factory 2wd trans. 1st and 2nd ratios will be: 2.44 & 1.66
http://www.par-engineering.com/ is the source of the gears.

The adapter will come from:
http://www.kitcarchassis.com/
Eric is the contact there, he does some really cool work.

[burton73]

What is going on is your Carrera under the aluminum cross bar is hanging very low. When you get the brackets that I have shown it will pull the bar up. I have never hit anything with my old car with this set up on it. I am putting this one on my V8 car right now. You will try it out and I think you may like it.

You will need to see how it clears your water lines? I see a piece of wood over on the driver’s side?

Bob