Shocks: looking for Blistein quality at KYB price.

I will report back with some results pertinent to this topic soon. I have a '73 Duster 340 in the air right now. Starting out on the fresh total restoration (3,800 miles) it had the KYB's, 1.03" bars, and stock pencil thin sway bar. I was initially just installing Doctor Diffs Cordoba brakes and switching to a 15/16" aluminum master cylinder.

I have a bunch of parts I had been collecting for a Valiant AutoX car that is on indefinate hold. So, I decided to put some of those parts on the Duster. I put a Helwig 1.125? sway bar on it and some Hotchkis/ Fox shocks.

How it drove before was fine for many many people but I like to keep the skinny pedal down when I turn the steering wheel. One thing that is an annoyance with my 225/60-15's was that my wheel moldings would get contacted in an aggressive corner. The factory sway bar is inadequate. It's for looks. Don't work! Another thing, the KYB's are really stiff on sudden impacts like pavement transitions or road buckles. I think with keeping the KYB's but upgrading the sway bar alone would yield a 'decent' cornering car but that initial stiffness I'm talking about still isn't pleasant.

BTW, If you're in the right place (FABO F/S section) at the right time you can find a deal. I got my NIB Hotchkis shocks from Al and Theresa (Rat Rod Al) on here. I forgot what I paid but it was competitive with Bilstien's, maybe less. Get resourceful.

Now, to poke fun, those aftermarket front suspension's aren't far off in price than a full on torsion bar suspension. Regardless of which flavor you like they will be about the same cost. If you are throwing the best most raciest parts at the TB system you have to get $500+ shocks, $500+ TB's, $1,*** Borgeson box, $300 sway bar, ..... I'm not trying to make a point that one is better than the other but just pointing out that if you want a top of the line OE suspension it will take an investment. You can't "cheap out" when doing either style of suspension if you want the best. I get it, some don't need that level. I'm just pointing out that ****'s expensive!