Tom if we were closer I would loan you my 1.18" bars and my Hellwig 7/8" rear bar in that order. I cant wait to get my combo on the road, have a bunch of little stuff to do yet. But back to your axle movement, I think some rear sliders would make a big difference. They take the shackle flex out of the equation.

With a full length panhard bar, the point where it crosses the centerline of the car is the roll center height. So moving it up and down changes the roll center height which changes the roll couple (roll resistance).

So the height you put the panhard bar totally effects roll.

In Nascar Cup when they move the "bar" up and down (a short J-bar panhard bar) they are changing roll center height and changing oversteer/understeer

I think it will dictate the rear roll center which will affect how the car behaves on some level, but yes, it should not affect roll rate.

I am considering a Watts on my car, it will allow me to run more tire without rubbing the fender.

As for bigger than a '73 bar, you can step up to running a tubular 1.5" bar with adjustable arms, that will require some fabrication to mount up. If you do a 2" tube with bushings to mount it, then want to go to a larger or smaller bar later you can use the same mount, just change the ID of the bushings to match. Not sure what bar that would dictate on the rear. I imagine to get what I want I will probably have to make it anyway. I will start out with a 1-1/8" '73 style bar on my car on the front and no bar on the rear and see how it does, then go from there.

Nice results Tom ... congrats and keep getting faster!!!

Thanks Mitch and everybody else, I'm going to keep researching ways to stiffen this thing up a bit. It could be worse, I found this old Barracuda pic... I do like the Panhard idea, just have to see what I can find/make work. Next race May 31!

Hi Tom. Congratulations on your performance so far! Looking great. I have been running the Dart in CAM-T, and I am leading the points right now in the Sacramento chapter. Before we get too excited, note that there are only seven cars in the class so far, and one got no points (non spec tires I think)so no big deal, but good so far. As far as your rear side movement, it may be less than the pictures seem, but it it does promote oversteer on quick transitions, so you might visit the "tightening" idea. The problem I have found with the 73 style front sway bar is; none of the bars I have looked at, install at anything over 50%. They all seem to tie in to the std sway bar tabs, and that's no good. My bar is installed at 70%, and I wanted to try to improve that! It will take a VERY large bar to achieve the roll rate you want at 50%. I want to change to the 73 crossmember also, but it looks like I may have to go to a custom "race type" bar. (3 pc design). Take care, and thanks for making us proud. Rick.

Rick, I am excited, 7 cars is a full class, where can we see results? Did you get tires? I put the pic below of your car, and I agree on the sway bar vs K member, I was actually thinking of going back to the earlier 67-72 so I could go with a different sway bar...

Dan says you can install a 67-72 bar on a 73+ with a little fab work.

Hammers fix EVERYTHING!

I about have mine re-buttoned up....finally got my new billet clamps I ordered in NOVEMBER.

Tom, I just finished running the nostalgia drags at Eagle Field, so my car still has the rallye wheels on it. I have the Dunlop star spec 2 on my autoX wheels, and they seem to work fine. I really don't have anything to compare them to, being my first set of "race" tires though. They are small at 245/45-17, but fit the car well. This should get you to the points page (if I did it right)
SCCA Sac results
Rick

Here is my car with the rallye wheels. (if I did it correctly)

I believe this is called a knock-ometer

no, the correct term for this is a "fine calibration" instrument.

Yup.

"Fine, DON'T FIT!" SMACK

"FINE! DON"T GO IN!!!!" SMACK!!!


"FINElly it went in, I KNEW it would!"

Is that the 67-72 bar?

Great to see you out there representing Rick, nice job!

Is that the 67-72 bar?
[/quote] Yes