Front Sway Bar ????

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, on my 47 Chrysler I did not have a sway bar, so today decided to pull the sway bar off the 47 Chrysler parts car.

It came off relatively easy, except for the left side bolt on the lower control arm, a liberal dose of heat, WD 40, and some patience, and it was off easy.

Under the parts car, they had it undercoated, the metal under the under coat , was all shiny and new, and the areas where it was painted, the paint looked shiny and new.

Okay here is my problem, the sway bar bolts onto the front frame horns on my 47, just fine, 4 bolts.

It is where the bracket attaches to the lower control arm bottom, the control arms on my car are different than the parts car, so I have a problem, on how I am going to attach the sway bar and bushing to the lower control arm.

I suspect my lower control arms came from the 1951 Dodge,( Plymouth bodied Canuck Dodge) along with my engine trans, front spindles and brakes etc.

Now would anyone have a picture of the bracket that holds the sway bar onto a 1950-52 Plymouth by chance, that way I can see what I am going to need.

I suppose I could fab the Chrysler bracket to fit, but not sure how I may do that yet.

Final question, how much difference is there in ride and control, witha sway bar installed, versus no sway bar, in the front end assembly........Thanx Fred

[55 Fargo]

Here is a pic of it installed in my 47, I will of course take it off, sand blast and powder coat or paint it.

I have the lower control arm mounts attached, even though they do not clip over the top plate, the bushings, and sway bar are nonetheless, still sitting snug.

I am going to fab some kind of bracket, and see what happens, this is okay for temporary, I have driven the car, it all seems to work fine.

Any ideas Guy's should I fab some type of braket to hold the sway bar and bushing to the lower control arm........Thanx Fred

[Andydodge]

Fred, am not sure what the differences are between the 2 styles of lower arm, is it possible to remove the bracket from the arms that had the sway bar and attach them to the new Chrysler?.......as for driving without a sway bar, I remember driving my 40 Dodge without the sway bay, I'd taken the original one off and was having a 1" thick one made up with ends that would allow heim joints to be bolted on and took it for a drive around the block..........what a difference.....lol.....came home and left it in the garage till the new bar was installed........The 41 Plymouth came with no front sway bar when I bought it.......it was an older "restoration" and I drove it round the block with the 6.00x16 crossplies and no sway bar.....I'd forgotten what a **** of a drive it was, lol........all over the road.......after installing a 1940 Plymouth sway bar(same thing as a 41), even with the crossplies it made it much more civilised...........sway bars or more correctly ANTI sway bars do just that, stop the sway and should be manditory on ALL cars, especially Mopars........andyd

[PatS....]

Fred, this is what my '49 looks like, if that helps any. If you plan on installing Charlie's kit and replacing the kingpins, maybe at the same time you could swap in the parts car lower A arm.

It's not that difficult a job really. A good winter project?

[55 Fargo]

Hi Pat, I have the sway bar installed see the pic.

I don't think I will swap lower control arms, as I have sold the parts car, and the buyer wants the front end intact. I toofk the sway bar out,as I needed it.

I plan to some day install a shock relocation kit, so I am sure this will work just fine I think.....LOL

[Plymouthy Adams]

Was faced with a similar problem, the big block installed pushed the radaiator forward..the original sway bar was in the way..it stood on pedestals quite high above the frame rails..I thought this was a very easy adaptation..stock bar from a donor car...slips right in no bending required..adapted a couple original brackets from a D24..two homemade devices and Bob's your uncle..

[55 Fargo]

Hi Tim, and thanx for the photos, I was able to bolt this puppy to the frame horns as per spec, and then used the lower control arm brackets, by modding them a bit . The sway bar and bushing sits in quite snug to the lower control arm, they aren't much different than the bigger Chrysler control arms.

Went for a bumpy cold ride this morning dow the gravel road, and it seems to work well.

I figure it should work okay, now to get a shock relocation kit, I figure that would smooth things out real fine ona bumpy gravel road.

This road sucks, and my under side of the car is dusty anddirty because of it.....Fred PS first real frost last night, went down to 28 f, supposed to be 55 today

[55 Fargo]

Fred, this is what my '49 looks like, if that helps any. If you plan on installing Charlie's kit and replacing the kingpins, maybe at the same time you could swap in the parts car lower A arm.

It's not that difficult a job really. A good winter project?

Sorry Pat, do not see any pics, hey how much are shock relocation kits these days, can I use my fairly new shocks with this kit, or doI need another size to fit.......Fred

[Dodgeb4ya]

Fred,

Later today I'll post the pics you need.

Bob

[55 Fargo]

Thanx Rob, appreciate that, the way I now have this sway bar installed, do you think it will work out okay.

I just went for another ride about 10 miles worth, it seems to makea difference in rid, and the bushings on the lower control are on nice and snug with the bracket I re-shaped to fit.....Fred

[Dodgeb4ya]

OK, Here is a mess of pics Fred. Looks like your lower control arms are 1949 and later Chrysler. Depending on the car there are I think 3 different types of spring seats requiring different sway bar end clips. See the pic of the 1952 chrysler clip pic- thats the style you need. I do not have any extras-sorry bout that Fred. You can make them of search around to locate them.

[55 Fargo]

Thanx Rob, I suspected the clips were a bit different, and will try and locate some, I have the 47style clips on now, and have shaped them to hold the bushing snug against the lower control arm. I am quite certain the previous owner used the front end components froma 51 Canadian Dodge, thus the difference in lower control arm.....Fred