Rear sway bar for 1964 plymouth valiant

[65 Cuda 340]

Question, The Hotchkiss Leaf springs says 1967. Will they fit my 1964 ? or did the leaf spring design change in 67?

I've got 71 Duster 340 rear springs in my 65 Barracuda; put the 65 Barracuda's springs (HD) in my 67 Barracuda back when it was still a slant six (now 360). Only reason I swapped Duster 340 springs into my 65 Barracuda is that they only had a little over 100,000 miles on them, instead of well of 200K on my original 65 springs.

So yeah, 67 rear springs will fit your 64. Also 63-72 torsion bars.

 

[junkyardhero]

Question, The Hotchkiss Leaf springs says 1967. Will they fit my 1964 ? or did the leaf spring design change in 67?

the springs themselves will fit. depending on what you had and currently have hanger wise it you may need to modify or upgrade the hanger and bolts

rear eyes can take a 1/2" or 5/8" bolt and corresponding hanger

 

[junkyardhero]

I was lookin in my pants this mornin and that's the word I used. "Massive". You know what's too bad? That I didn't make it to the toilet in time.

+1 weight of the world
-1 set of shorts

the struggle is real

 

[64whiteghost]

the springs themselves will fit. depending on what you had and currently have hanger wise it you may need to modify or upgrade the hanger and bolts

rear eyes can take a 1/2" or 5/8" bolt and corresponding hanger

Sweet ! ok. Ill look into that. I seem to be leaning mor towards the Hotchkiss set.

 

[junkyardhero]

Sweet ! ok. Ill look into that. I seem to be leaning mor towards the Hotchkiss set.

i *think* but cannot confirm that the hotchkiss springs are 1/2" bolt eye

the last set i did was in 20 or 21 and i seem to recall them being 1/2"

 

[64whiteghost]

i *think* but cannot confirm that the hotchkiss springs are 1/2" bolt eye

the last set i did was in 20 or 21 and i seem to recall them being 1/2"

Oh ok and what size is the 64 Valiant ?

 

[RustyRatRod]

I have a 7/8" rear sway bar for Vixen. I just need to figure out which torsion bars to go with so it won't overdo things.

 

[junkyardhero]

Oh ok and what size is the 64 Valiant ?

most likely 1/2"

/6 cars generally got 1/2" and there's a whole thought that HD or V8 cars and post 73 cars got 5/8"

howeveah... a whole bunch can change in 50+ years and ma mopar is notorious for mixing it up on any given day.

i know that several FSM's list two different torque specs for /6 and V8 which would indicate a different bolt size.

this is all to say, verify what you have.

 

[junkyardhero]

I have a 7/8" rear sway bar for Vixen. I just need to figure out which torsion bars to go with so it won't overdo things.

seems like people like buying 'em like carbs and titties-- bigger is better. so i'd say go with 1.490 just to be on the safe side.

 

[RustyRatRod]

seems like people like buying 'em like carbs and titties-- bigger is better. so i'd say go with 1.490 just to be on the safe side.

Well, I was in the right place at the right time and got the whole thing cheap. So I bought it. It's not that I wanted the big one, I wanted one and there it was.

 

[junkyardhero]

Well, I was in the right place at the right time and got the whole thing cheap. So I bought it. It's not that I wanted the big one, I wanted one and there it was.

i get you.

keep in mind the basics: a big front bar induces push/understeer, and a big rear bar induces loose/oversteer, then match your "springs" accordingly with an eye toward balance of front and rear rates.

i'm also a proponent of softer spring rates and bigger bars, in that you can achieve some semblance of ride quality and still have decent handling. but that's a whole theory of handling that can devolve into squawking akin to an oil thread on a motorcycle forum.

anyway, a big rear bar isn't necessarily bad but when you have a high spring rate and the inherent design of mopar leafs short, stiff front section combining the two is a recipe for a very tail happy car.

 

[lilcuda]

FWIW, The Red Brick, aka "Tim's Valiant", which is quite possibly the best handling torsion bar and leaf spring Mopar out there had 40+ year old stock 340 rear leaf springs. The rear suspension was very compliant. I wish I knew what happened to it. It changed hands twice since I sold it, but I digress.

 

[RustyRatRod]

i get you.

keep in mind the basics: a big front bar induces push/understeer, and a big rear bar induces loose/oversteer, then match your "springs" accordingly with an eye toward balance of front and rear rates.

i'm also a proponent of softer spring rates and bigger bars, in that you can achieve some semblance of ride quality and still have decent handling. but that's a whole theory of handling that can devolve into squawking akin to an oil thread on a motorcycle forum.

anyway, a big rear bar isn't necessarily bad but when you have a high spring rate and the inherent design of mopar leafs short, stiff front section combining the two is a recipe for a very tail happy car.

I haven't decided on torsion bars YET, so I still have that open. I'm thinking maybe the stock 340 bars. It's a slant 6 car, so that "will" be an upgrade.

 

[junkyardhero]

I haven't decided on torsion bars YET, so I still have that open. I'm thinking maybe the stock 340 bars. It's a slant 6 car, so that "will" be an upgrade.

heck yeah. big block bars would be another option and if you were thinking of dipping your toe into aftermarket sizing, 920's wouldn't be out of control.

these cars were woefully undersprung from the factory, so bumping up several sizes isn't out of hand.

 

[RustyRatRod]

heck yeah. big block bars would be another option and if you were thinking of dipping your toe into aftermarket sizing, 920's wouldn't be out of control.

these cars were woefully undersprung from the factory, so bumping up several sizes isn't out of hand.

I have a long way to go yet so I have plenty of time.

 

[clifftt]

Thank you for your response. Do you have pictures of your car ? I would like to see how much rake it gave them.

Here you go, just took her out for a little spin this afternoon ...

 

[64whiteghost]

Best pics I can offer you now. If I get the car out for a ride, I’ll shoot you better ones. Car has Firm Feel .940” bars in front and 215/65R15’s all around besides the rear Espo’s, stock Formula S bar in front, no rear bar, new 20:1 PST manual steering box. Corners nice enough for me in town at street-smart speeds.

View attachment 1716101542

View attachment 1716101544

For the Espo springs it is at stock height or did you go + or - 1" ?

 

[clifftt]

Stock height (See post #19). The slight rake you see is due to the torsion bars adjusted a little on the lower side.

 

[64whiteghost]

I just replaced the original 4-leaf rear springs in my 63 Valiant convertible with stock 340 springs. These were used springs I got at a swap meet a long time ago and finally got around to rebuilding, By rebuilding, I mean taking them apart, sand blasting them, assembling them with new zinc interleaves, plastic spacers and clamps, then painting with semi-gloss black urethane. Left the front spring bushings alone, new shackles. Did not re-arch any of the leaves. I was expecting the same ride height, but the 340 springs raised the back end up almost two inches. (I trimmed the clamp bolts before mounting the springs.)

View attachment 1716101254

Interesting. I ordered the Espo 6 leaf 340 springs. Im thinking of ordering them -1

 

[64whiteghost]

My last two cents … when I bought my ‘66 Formula S, it had rear end sag. My assumption was the springs were worn and aged letting gravity taking its effect for 50+ years.

I ordered my Espo springs as stock, not the +1 or +2. The replacement changed my car, giving it a slightly raked look. (They were replaced about four years ago, have not “settled” lower.) It gets compliments. Expect replacements of any kind to do this to yours, unless you go with a de-arched (lowering) spring.

Got it ! Now im thinking i should do -1 lol

When you say stock you mean the 4 leaf or 6 leaf ?

 

[65 Cuda 340]

Just FYI, here's a pic I just took through the open garage side entry door of the rebuilt OEM 340 springs on the rear of my Valiant convertible. Before, the fender opening was barely above the lip of the wheel.

 

[65 Cuda 340]

This was what it looked like with the original slant six springs on it at the Appalachicola Boat Show a few years ago.

 

[64whiteghost]

Just FYI, here's a pic I just took through the open garage side entry door of the rebuilt OEM 340 springs on the rear of my Valiant convertible. Before, the fender opening was barely above the lip of the wheel.


View attachment 1716117489

Ahhh nice. Yea. I like the look of the car over the lip im thinking of doing -1 now if thats the height I would get

 

[65 Cuda 340]

Well, good luck. The thing is, the OEM 340 springs in my 65 Barracuda sit more like the lower picture of my Valiant. And the 65 Barracuda's factory HD springs, which are now in my 67 Barracuda (formerly slant six, now 360), sit more like the upper picture. So I'm not sure how much you can rely on Espo's (or anyone else's) +1 or -1 or 0 description. ????

 

[65 Cuda 340]

65 Barracuda