I just installed a 1 1/4" swaybar (from a Firebird) on my '70 GS350. What a huge difference in handling. The car goes around corners nice and flat now.... a huge reduction in body roll. Car is more fun to drive and probably safer as well. I have to thank George Nenadovich for his excellent site which described how to do it, and Grisby (from this site) who found me a nice sway bar for an excellent price. :TU: Georges article was a virtual instruction manual. It included all I needed to get the parts and get it done. http://www.buickperformance.com/swaybar.htm Before I installed the swaybar I stripped it and repainted it. I used a wire wheel in a drill which I found was more effective than my siphon type sand blaster. I degreased it with Gasoline and painted it with black spray-on truck bedliner so that it will resist stone chips. Fun project with a great pay-off in performance.
Cool. But, isn't that bedliner spray like a crinkle, rough finish? If it is, that's not cool where the bushings clamp down on the bar. Just curious.
Steve, Install the rear boxed arms and rear sway bar and you will love the way the car handles. Also, get new gas shocks. Glad to hear the article helped you.
Answers Andrew, I applied the bedliner paint (spraycan) in 3 light coats. The end result was not really rough, rather like an orange peel finish. I felt that the trade off in terms of resistance to stone chips was worth it. You are correct though a really rough "non-skid type" finish would be no good where the bar contacted the bushings. Thanks Again George! I have converted to disc brakes, removed my dash and added the swaybar using the info on your site. It is a gold mine of info! Appreciate your sharing what you have learned over the years.... a lot!
Hey, You finally got it on!!!! :beer :beer Catch you at Carlisle your next trip down and once again thanks for the help on that windy day. take it easy,bill g
The Gas-a-just shocks. Have been around for decades. I have had the same set on my Lark for, God......um. Since some time in the 1980's!! They're cool. Very high pressure gas. They make our older cars a little stiffer, but handle better.
1.25" swaybars Bill AKA Grisby, this is the spot for you to insert a plug for your buddy who sells swaybars! Has he still got a pile of them from Trans Am's and Firebirds?
does anyone know if you can also fit these sway bars on a 75 century ? or wouldn't it fit ??? Greetings Lennard
DEFINITELY Gas-A-Just shocks. Worked GREAT and took some HARD hits without any damage on my old Skylark.
what's difference about it ? to me it looks like the suspension is the same on a 72 aswell as on 73/77 maybe the frame would be different ? And how about a rear stabilizer from a 72 ? should fit i think. Both rear end should be 8.5 's ( appart from moddifing the lower controll arms ) and what cars could i find these bars on ? ( the ones that do fit ) since i'm going to a big junkyard in a few weeks or so Again i'm not an expert on buick's ( my first real american car ) Greetings Lennard
73-77 have a wider frame and different suspension. Rear axle is also wider and has different locations for trailing arms. So, nothing from the 72 will work on the 73-77
hmm to bad i cant seem to find many good parts for my 75 century i do have found a new stabilizer ( both front and rear ) at pst ( i thought ) but they are over there ( america ) and i live i europe so it will be very $$$ to have those shipped here. Maybe a litte later perhaps that's why i wanted to know if they were interchangeble since i'm going to one of the biggeste junkyards here in europe. any tips that might work ( concernig stabilizers ) Greetings Lennard And thanks for the info. I'm learning quite a lot about buicks on this site :TU:
Hey Lennard, look for a rear swaybar from another 73-77 G-body---- Olds Cutlass, Chev Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix, etc. I think the rears are more common for those years than the '72 and older cars anyways--- Having a rear swaybar makes more difference than just having a fatter front bar.......... .....happy hunting!!!!! (I hope you can find one on that side of the 'Pond'.......
