I am looking to do a few upgrades to the suspension of my car. The car is a fully restored 68 charger, 470 stroker, 4 spd 4:10 gears with a 325/50/15 rear tire and stock size front tire. I have disc brakes in front and power steering.
I am not trying to make this an autocross car by any means, just upgrade the ride. All the steering linkage, ball joints, shocks etc. are new. A few problems I see are stock small block 40 year old torsion bars and sway bar coupled with new super stock springs in the rear.
My thinking was new torsion bars, a new sway bar, Hellwig? Also new shocks all around, QA1 or Bilsteins maybe.
Any recommendations for the torsion bars, shocks and sway bar?
Will the super stock springs hurt me? They are in the upper hole allowing the car to sit as low as it can with them.

Thanks!

You've got the right ideas so far, start with your bushings and ball joints make sure they are in order, then move into a set of Bilseins or the QA1 s if you like the upgrade your swaybars, Just keep in mind what your plans are for the Charger, do lots of reasearch and stick with your plan, no need to go all out for a nice cruiser, most times a set of good shocks and a little maintenance will make you a happy cruiser.

As for your front torsion bars lots of options from PST or Firm Feel ,Mancini ,Hotchkis , A 1" diameter bar will give you a nice ride withe the bilsteins, your superstocker rear leafs may be a bit much for a cruiser but upgrading your front torsions and shocks will definatly change the ride quality. Leaf Options again from firm feel ,pst , mancini,hotchkis, that rear end ratio is nice on the track but as a cruiser id opt for a gear vendor overdrive or take it down to a 3.55 ratio just to settle the engine down a bit.


Good luck
Ron

You just looking for a original type ride with crisper handling?

Maybe just R/T 440/Hemi T-bars, front sway bar, and front end aligned for 2-3 degrees positive caster.

See if you like that. Then it's an easy bolt on for Bilstein RCD shocks.

The stiffer the front T-bars, less weigh transfer lauching the car at the drag strip. Same with the handling shocks.

Not sure what a stock size front tire is
, but with 325 rear it will somewhat difficult to take full advantage of the suggested upgrades until tires are optimized.

Did the op mention frame connectors?

One thing I would suggest, do not mix and match parts from various vendors. In a case like our kit, all of our parts from springs, sway bars and shocks are tuned to work together. We have worked very hard to get the balance, and another manufacturers parts would most likely upset that balance.

As many have stated, its an overall package that will give you the best results. I'm partial to the suggestions of torsion bars, as the small ones (which even includes the factory hemi-six-pack-t/a bars) are still weak. Don't be afraid to step up to a 1.12... as I've said before, having a big-block calls for something stiffer so to prevent diving upon hard breaking as well as cornering. A tb such as about 1.06 isn't bad at all, but you will barely notice any difference. You will not regret a 1.10 or 1.12... and you'll be very pleased with doing it once and forget it (and this is all considering your basic intentions). The choice of sway bars can be used to "tune" the handling as per your driving style. Shocks.. you get what you pay for, so spend well. Your SS leafs could/should be de-arched for improved handling. Also, consider a smaller diamter steering wheel (do you have p/steering?). And... consider better lateral-support front bucket seats... so many on the market these days... try to sit in some that will grab/fit your body frame well and comfortable... they come in different widths, etc... and prices low-med-high, very high!

Nice reply mattax ,TC, mitch and others, hope the OP is following all this, getting some good advice from the regulars.

Thanks for all the info. Ok here goes. I would love to buy the TVS kit from Hotchkiss, but not in my budget and actually far above my goals! The car does have subframe connectors. I have stock replacement front shocks and shocks mopar sells w the SS springs in the rear. The car drives ok but feels like there is extra roll in the front. I really am just looking for original or slightly better handling. I may do the shocks, sway bar torsion bar deal. I will likely call Hotchkiss and see how I do with those pieces.

OK I kept it pretty simple as all I am really looking to do is obtain an original or slighty better ride and handling. I ordered a set of MP .96 torion bars to replace the .88 bars that are original to the car. I also ordered a new 1- 1/8" sway bar to replace my factory 7/8" model.

I have not bought shocks yet, I really do not know what to get. I just want a decent ride and something in the rear that will work with the SS springs. I'm wondering if a set of something that is adjustable would not be my best option?

Let me blunt, the .96 bars are a waste of time, I buy from you any new set of 1" bars if you don't like them, hows that for putting my money where my mouth is?

I'd go one further and say 1" are a waste of time/money. I'd bet you wouldn't notice a much of a difference from the .960 bars? I had them (1")on my car (451") for one season and stepped up to 1.120" Much better IMO.

Ok. What do you not like about the .96 bar that you liked about the larger bar.

Josh -- about the TBs (.96 and similar small other TBs) -- I applaud the back-up that others here have spoken about their own experience with weak similar bars. I can't believe anyone would even sell you such bars for improved handling -- or else they simply don't have experience, or their standards are pretty low, or they just want to make the sale.. and see you coming back for a repeated sale asking for larger TBs. Its an overall package, but the TBs are a major contributor to improving the handling potential of the car. I've spoken this so many times, from my past experience (concentrating on competiton autocross but STILL STREET DRIVEN any day). MOPARS from the past were all sprung very lightly, even the HEMI-sixpack cars (yes even AAR/T/A), and sadly advertised as "heavy-duty". TBs of 1.06 and progressively up will start to give you a noticeable ride difference.. and still will NOT be harsh at 1.12! Yes, you'll need good quality shocks, a good size front sway bar (1.125~1.25.. get a hollow bar for lightened front weight), a rear sway bar (any size ~.75 to .875... at 1" your talking competition), beefed up rear leafs (keep them near flat for improved handling), competition-type upper control arms for increased caster (and a little negative camber), poly bushings, better struts, good tires/rim package, eventually an improved driver's seat for lateral control. you could weld the k-frame and add subframe connectors. But... you need to get serious with the TBs.. and 0.96 are NOT intended for improved handling. DON'T BE AFRAID OF A TB SUCH AS A SIMPLE UPGRADE TO ~1.06, 1.10 OR BETTER YET THE 1.12 (I REALLY WANT TO SAY 1.18.. FOR THE STREET, OR 1.22 IF YOU WANT TO INCREASE OTHER COMPONENTS, TOO). YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT AT A SIMPLE 1.10~1.12.. (you'll later even consider the 1.18.. yes for the street!... but they are a little hassle to change.. so do it once and forget it. YOU WILL REGRET THE 0.96.. A TRUE WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. (I've also said it before... I'd never give up my 1.24 TBs from my Challenger.. and it is street/hwy driven.. and it is competition raced in autocross and road course events.... and its admittadly a little harsh with 1.24 TBs on some local streets (not the highway... very smooth and stable and pure joy to drive on the hwy!) , but still completely acceptable to drive on the street (by my standards... similar to other ppl's and brand-X cars having them setup for improved handling).

I took these guys advice and used a 1.06 bar on my A body and have no regrets at all with it. Dick has it spec'd at 250lb rate.

OT: An A-body t-bar is shorter than an B/E body t-bar.
Both length and diameter factor into the spring rate.
A b-body bar of the same diameter will have a bit lower spring rate.

On topic:
I don't know why you all are insistant this gentleman will be unhappy with his tbar upgrade considering his base and objectives. Take a look at the tires, rear springs and the types of use he has in his objectives. The tbars and swaybar selected will both noticibley reduce the roll he is experiencing. Could it be even higher roll resistance? Sure. But for his combination there are other places to make changes that ought to go with higher roll rate. Plus if some drag strip launches are part of the plan, which it seems to be, then staying on the soft side with the t-bars can be used to advantage.

For a good launch, 90/10 on the front shocks would a useful function. Not many companies offer that with an option to go back to near 50/50 for the street, so that will limit the options. On the drag race forum you may find some people who know off the top of their head. On the rear, it would pay to measure the shock length at reat and at compression and extended as it may not fall in stock parameters any more.

Finally, an alignment that is more favorable to the handling characteristics will make a difference too. Especially if you are going to modern radial tyres that tend to prefer a bit more negative camber than bias and cross-plies. This is true even for general use street tires like the BFG Radial T/A. Set the ride hieghts, a bit negative with the camber, and 2-3 degrees positive caster if you can, and then a very little toe in (static). The higher rear may make it harder to get even 2 degrees caster, but each car is a little different, just do the best you can.