Just wondering if anyone has some sage advice for me on the pros and cons to different size front torsion bars? My car is a 1971 Cuda coupe.
So some background is needed I know. I am building a bored and stroked R3 small block with aluminum Eddy heads that should come out close to 420 cubic inches. This EFI motor should run 500 horsepower and 500 foot pounds of torque. I am installing the US Car Tool stiffening kit for the front shock towers that runs from the cowl to the shock tower through the inner fender area. I am also installing home made frame connectors. The car does have torque boxes as well. I know that Hotchkis makes the best matched suspension system out there, but I cannot handle what the rear sway bars look like. Probably not a big deal for some, but I just have to have it looking more like a stock deal hanging off the bracket on the rear frame rails in front of the rear axle. So what I'm thinking about in the front suspension is going with the Bilstein shocks, 1" torsion bars, Firm Feel upper tubular control arms, a Firm Feel 1 1/8" front sway bar, and the stock lower control arm.
In the rear will be a Strange 60 with an Eaton Trutrak torsion differential, a Firm Feel 3/4" sway bar, Bilstein shocks, and Mopar Performance hemi springs.
For both the front and the rear I am also planning on installing regular rubber OEM type rubber bushings at all of the suspension locations for a pliant ride. The purpose of this build is to have a comfortable riding car. This car will not be tracked at all. Long drives and cruise ins will be the order of the day with my ownership at least.
So I am looking for what others have done to their 340 engined Cudas as far as front torsion bar size? What would you recommend to me as far as size of the torsion bar to what I am trying to accomplish with a comfortable street car? Pros and cons to the different sizes would be fair to talk about as well.
Thank you,
Mark
