Author Topic: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967  (Read 39336 times)

Jon Mello

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #15 on: May 30, 2011, 05:02:53 AM »
Bruce, thanks a bunch for posting that T/G rear sway bar. Very cool piece. I've seen some aluminum pillow blocks that have a brass or bronze insert for the sway bar to ride in and some that are just aluminum only. I don't see any noticeable wear on these pillow blocks of yours and they sure seem to be the 42 year old originals. Are there no problems with a steel sway bar riding by itself in an unlubricated bare aluminum pillow block?

Chad, thanks for the links to the L9 bolts. They appear to be an Australian manufacturer.
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Bruce302

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #16 on: May 30, 2011, 09:01:32 AM »
Jon,

The pillow blocks are straight aluminum, no inserts. And while the car may be 40+ years old it had less than 5 years of use. It is possible that there was a smear of grease on the sway bar, but generally dis-similar metals will not gall the way like metals do. 

Thanks Chad for the links to the L9 hardware. They could well have been a later addition, they weren't even drilled for the safety wire.

Bruce.

OCTARD

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #17 on: May 30, 2011, 04:41:40 PM »
Hello Jon,

Not that important, but the catalog link for L9 fasteners I sent was for Brighton-Best's down under locations.  According to this about us page, Brighton-Best started here in the US and was bought by a Taiwanese group in 2008.

-Chad

big iron

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #18 on: May 06, 2012, 12:42:42 AM »
Joe,
Did you notice that your last 2 pictures show a completely different bar set-up? All the parts are black. The  backing plate is thinner and solid with no long hole in the center.
Bob

Jon Mello

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #19 on: May 07, 2012, 05:48:23 PM »
Thanks for asking the question. I went back and asked Frank. While those unslotted plates you are talking about (see red arrows in photo below) came from the same person that sold Frank one of his rear sway bar set-ups, Frank believes that they were extra parts and not original GM pieces. Also, it should be pointed out that those (red arrow) plates are not threaded to accept a bolt and thus could only be used as a spacer. The only proper plates to be used with the rear sway bar are the ones with the slot (pointed out with a black arrow below). Thanks again for the eagle eye and for asking the question.
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BlackoutSteve

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #20 on: May 07, 2012, 08:09:49 PM »
Would it be at all possible for a photo/s to be taken of the supports in their intended location on a car please?
The drawings are not totally clear when trying to visualize exactly where.
Due to their rarity and I'm sure, expense.. I would be interested in fabbing the parts required in this kit myself.  :)
Restoring my RHD 69 Jane in Melbourne, Australia.
http://www.usmuscle.com.au/Forum/showthread.php?t=2840

Jon Mello

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #21 on: May 08, 2012, 01:00:10 PM »
While Frank was fortunate enough to be able to acquire two complete rear sway bar set-ups over his many years in the Camaro hobby, he no longer owns either one. I think if you get a factory sway bar and place it behind the axle up toward the frame area, you will get a good idea of where those brackets need to be. Sorry to not be able to be much better help than that at this time.
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big iron

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #22 on: May 09, 2012, 01:54:11 AM »
If I remember correctly those plates where called tapping plates and used the same bolts as the front bar used. Also the picture showing the upper bracket is distorted as the upper frame bracket was u-shaped , not laid over as shown in the pictures. That is the the way my set was in 1970, which probably was an early set. Looking at your pictures the tapped plate would have been much stronger,but never had problems with the tapping plate.
Bob

Jon Mello

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #23 on: May 09, 2012, 07:19:50 PM »
I don't think anything was laid out in the pictures with the intent to demonstrate how it was installed in the car, if that's what you mean. These were pictures that Frank took when he was putting the parts up for sale on ebay several years back.

I have heard the plates referred to as reinforcement plates but a tapping plate is an appropriate name also. You are correct that they were the same pieces that were recommended for use as a reinforcement for the bigger swaybars up inside the front subframe. You would drill out the stock holes in the subframe for mounting the sway bar bracket and bushings and the reinforcement (or tapping) plate would be inside the frame with tapped holes to engage the threads of the bolts. The slot in the middle of the reinforcement plate cleared the upward ridge stamped into the subframe between the two bolt holes (on each side). The red arrow below points to the ridge.



Front subframe bushing (and stock bracket) for the
1-1/16" sway bar plus the reinforcement (aka tapping) plate.

Courtesy of Frank Dihartce


Courtesy of Frank Dihartce
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big iron

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #24 on: May 10, 2012, 01:04:25 AM »
Went out and bought Untold Secrets and sure enough on pages 24,25, and 26 there was the complete system , including the thin tapping plates, used on the rear sway bar install on my 67 in 1970.
On page 47 there is a blueprint of the first design disc brake rear that I  used.
Still have most of the parts on the car, been in the corner of the garage for 37 years. Gathering parts to put it back to all most street original. ::)
Bob

Jon Mello

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #25 on: May 10, 2012, 04:40:14 PM »
One of Frank's rear sway bar set-ups is the same one as shown in Wayne Guinn's book. I'd like to know more about this car that you mention.

Here's a view of a subframe which has a reinforcement plate installed behind the mounting area for the front sway bar.
I believe it was plug welded to keep it in place.


The reinforcement plate can partially be seen by looking through the spring pocket hole.
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67pacer

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #26 on: June 24, 2012, 09:41:29 PM »
Jon,

Here are a couple of pictures of the brackets I have. Check your PM's.

Bill
Bill

BlackoutSteve

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #27 on: June 25, 2012, 09:40:21 AM »
Here's a view of a subframe which has a reinforcement plate installed behind the mounting area for the front sway bar.
I believe it was plug welded to keep it in place.

5/16" or 3/8" threads?
I think 5/16" were used all the way up to end of 1968, then swapped to 3/8" with the redesigned bracket.. Not totally sure.. Somebody??
Never seen plates with 5/16" threads before. maybe they fitted them when they switched to 3/8" which is why I ask..
Restoring my RHD 69 Jane in Melbourne, Australia.
http://www.usmuscle.com.au/Forum/showthread.php?t=2840

Jon Mello

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #28 on: June 26, 2012, 11:29:25 PM »
Steve, I checked with Frank Dihartce and he tells me the bolts to mount the rear sway bar to the tapping plates were 7/16" - 14 x 1". I hope that helps.
Jon Mello
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BlackoutSteve

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Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967
« Reply #29 on: June 28, 2012, 10:45:48 AM »
Thanks Jon, but I was asking/referring to your front subframe pics and post.  :)
Restoring my RHD 69 Jane in Melbourne, Australia.
http://www.usmuscle.com.au/Forum/showthread.php?t=2840

 

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