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Performance suspension

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sandcrab View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sandcrab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Performance suspension
    Posted: 10-November-2021 at 10:09AM
New member here. I have a '72 Formal Roof Gran Torino Sport. I bought it on ebay and had it restored to the exact specs of the one I ordered from the factory in spring of '72. My original car had the performance group with rallye pack gauges, HD suspension with 351 4V Cleveland, 3 spoke Rim Blow Steering Wheel, etc. My new car is a GT Sport model with 351C 2V but it didn't have the rallye pack gauges which I bought and put in. About the the HD sway bar. Did all Gran Torino Sport models have the HD sway bar? Or just the ones with the performance group? Thanks. I will try to get a picture of my car up soon. I have a lot of questions and ideas that I would like input on from anyone. Thanks in advance.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72 RS 351 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-November-2021 at 10:18AM
Welcome.

The largest front bar was 1.125", lots of the 70's mid sized cousin cars had that. I bought a custom 1.25" bar I never got to use, and plan to put it in the 73 I'll sell later. The stock big bar with all urethane bushings should be stiff enough.

My first car was a 72 with 351C-2V, a nice combination. For big gains, you will need bigger heads and much more rpm, 6500+ at least.
Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W
73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later.
92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W
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sandcrab View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sandcrab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-November-2021 at 11:27AM
Thanks for the info. I was referring to the rear sway bar. I should have made that clear in my post. Sorry. I have a slightly oomphed up motor. I was told it was around 350-370HP. It has headers and it had a big Holley with a Edelbrock intake. It has a streetable cam and I was told the heads were from a '70 or '71. Can't remember now. I just put a Holley Sniper injection kit on it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72 RS 351 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-November-2021 at 11:40AM
The rear bar is definitely the most important of the two most of the time. OEM use much too small rear bars, any increase will help handling a lot. Usually for people who like good handling and a firm ride, using all urethane bushings for a larger rear bar ends up being the best.

The 2V Cleveland heads are similar but better than all other small block heads, except the 4V heads. So the 2V heads are better aimed at milder rpm, say 6k tops, which matches what most people want for their engine.


The 4V heads are made for much higher rpm than stock level(other) parts, so mismatched from the factory, or an individual's build, the bottom end usually suffers. That's what you read about 4V engines, the soft bottom end, but the issue is poor parts choices, low to mid rpm parts, combined with the high rpm heads. The bigger heads need bigger intake flow, cam flow, compression, valvetrain parts, oil control mods for the higher rpm, and the higher rpm shift point. Most all people compromise on all or most of those items, thus they discover the bottom end is softer than other small blocks.
Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W
73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later.
92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sandcrab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-November-2021 at 11:33AM
I guess I will probably make sure the rear sway bar is big enough but I was wondering if all of the Sport models had the larger sway bar in the rear.
FormalRoofGuy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-November-2021 at 1:52PM
many cars didn't even have a rear bar! normal rear bars were 5/8" a few were 3/4. biggest ive ever found was a 7/8"
JOHN
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rockatansky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-November-2021 at 2:55PM
you have to be careful with your pair ups of the anti-roll bars. most cars are set up for throttle understeer / lift oversteer which is predictable and controllable but if you combine an unbalanced set of sway bars you can create a car that won't make it through a turn
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72 RS 351 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-November-2021 at 3:18PM
Originally posted by Rockatansky Rockatansky wrote:

you have to be careful with your pair ups of the anti-roll bars. most cars are set up for throttle understeer / lift oversteer which is predictable and controllable but if you combine an unbalanced set of sway bars you can create a car that won't make it through a turn


Ditto. Yes, you need to work on both ends for a good balance of the whole suspension. Be sure to have  the large 1 1/8" front bar, a better rear size, and then use the urethane bushings to fine tune how the vehicle handles.
Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W
73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later.
92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72FordGTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-November-2021 at 3:19PM
Welcome! For 1972 and 1973 only cars with the competition suspension had rear sway bars.  HD suspension was just stiffer springs and shocks, but only had a front bar.  Later Torinos and it's relatives lost the competition suspension, but the heavy duty suspension sometimes had a rear sway bar, which varied in size.  

Typically the biggest are 1 1/8" front and 7/8" rear, which is exactly what Addco offers in the aftermarket.  That's the easiest solution, but maybe not the cheapest.  The made a larger rear sway bar for some LTD II cop cars, but finding one is unobtainium.  

For good handling, spring upgrades should be included.  Base suspension springs are way too soft. We have a ton of great info on the site, including lots of details on springs here:

Vince

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote handsofstone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-November-2021 at 3:36PM
   From what I have seen here you want to avoid poly stabilizer bushings. They will snap on you. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sandcrab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-November-2021 at 2:35AM
Thanks for all the input. Another item I have always wondered about is raising and lowering the car on the chassis. I was told once years ago that there was a tuning bolt, screw, knob, etc that would raise or lower the front of the car without adjusting the spring, shocks, etc. Anyone know about this and how do I find it and tune it?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote handsofstone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-November-2021 at 2:43AM
    That's a new on on me. NASCAR will be going that route with the new generation of cars.  F1 and Indy have roughly that. I will follow out of curiosity if nothing else.

Maybe he was talking about B body mopars. 


Edited by handsofstone - 13-November-2021 at 2:51AM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72FordGTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-November-2021 at 6:03AM
You must be thinking of Mopars with torsion bar suspension. There is nothing that can do this on a coil spring short/long control arm suspension that a Torino has. It would be possible if you swapped in adjustable coilovers, but that requires some fab work.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote handsofstone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-November-2021 at 7:01AM
  Even on mopars, any torsion bar adjustment would change the geometry and send you for an alignment from what I remember.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72 RS 351 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-November-2021 at 2:33PM
Ditto, torsion bars. Those are on many later Ford trucks, like the 95-01 Explorers and similar F150's then. Those bars all have an adjustment block with a bolt that allows adjusting the height of each side(bar).

Find time to read the big thread here about coil springs people have put in their cars, and the ride height they got. That's where to start for serious suspension work.
Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W
73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later.
92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72FordGTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-November-2021 at 2:43PM
Yes, lowering the Mopar suspension will affect the geometry, but that's true with almost any control arm type suspension, especially if far beyond the factory ride height.
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