Tech Question
David Gibson, Charlotte, NC, 1968 Plymouth Fury III Convertible 318
I’d like to have better than stock handling for my 1968Plymouth Fury III Convertible. I’m looking at adding a 1-1/8″ frontanti-sway bar and a 7/8″ rear anti-sway bar. Should I go to a higher rate(larger diameter) torsion bar for better handling? I understand that theTorsion Bars for this car are 44″ long. is this the same length as the1973-1978 Mopar B-bodies? Can the torsion bars be interchanged (aftermarketbars were once available through Mopar Performance) to get a stiffer springrate (or do you know of a better C-body 44″ torsion bar that is available)?What about the rear springs (did the 1970 S-23 or Sport Fury GT – especiallythe 440-Six Barrel cars – have special/better springs? Finally, are thereany better shock absorber (dampers) for the C-body?
David, ’73-up B-body bars are only 0.4″ shorter, but there are other factorsthat prevent interchangeabilty. MP never offered either size, only the 38.5″(A-body) and 41″ (E, ’72-down B). Firm Feel (www.firmfeel.com) offers bothC-body lengths: 44″ (ply and Dodge) and 47″ (Chrysler and Imperial), indiameters ranging from 1.00 to a bone-jarring 1.25″. Cop cars, HD wagons,etc., typically came with 1.04 or 1.06″ bars. FF’s 1.12″ ones are probablyspot-on for you.
Cop cars, HD wagons, etc., all had stiffer leaves, but I’d go new. Just besure the ride height isn’t increased over stock if you want any handling.
Koni made shocks. They are out there if you look. I got my last set fromFrance. Koni Australia also can be helpful, but maybe not for C-cruisers,since they were never officially sold there.
FF also offers excellent frame-hung rear sway bars.
Rick
Comments are closed.