fordman84

Hey guys, I've got a '66 coupe that was originally an I-6. Previous owner swapped in a V-8 (poorly, I might add). So now I am taking it all apart and upgrading all the steering/brakes/suspension.

My question is the sway bar. It had the original wimpy sway bar on it (5/8" I think) and now I have a 1' for the front. I bought the new one through a national dealer (unsure of sponsors and rules about that so I'll keep the company quiet). I never thought about the mounting bracket needing to be larger/more spaced out, but the mounting holes on the plate attached to the frame are much narrower than the bracket for the new sway bar.

Is there an easy solution? I can't really narrow the holes on the sway mount bracket, and not sure I want to "wobble" out the holes in the mounting plate. I was thinking I could make my own adapter out of a piece of flat iron. Bolt it up to the stock mounting plate, and then bolt that to the new sway bar brackets. I have done some searches and haven't found anyone else with this problem, so wondering if I am just completely overlooking something. By the time I got to putting the sway bar under the car the other night I had wrestled with both sides control arms/springs/etc. My brain was kinda fried so I might have missed something obvious.

Gracias in advance.

socalwrench

I would probably make a plate that bolts to the frame, and that the brackets can bolt to. There should be an adapter out there somewhere.

Starfury

I had basically the same issue with my 15/16" front bar (can't recall where I got it from). Ended up using a die grinder on the mounting bracket to enlarge the holes a hair. Wasn't really a big deal for me, but not sure how far yours are off.

2+2GT

The bar you were sold is screwed up. The factory used the same mounting points for the bar on 6, 8, and even Shelby. Call your dealer and complain.

tx65coupe

I have upgraded Addco sway bars on mine. They fit just fine. I didn't encounter that problem. I think something is wrong also.

fordman84

The bar itself is ok, it is the u-shaped bracket that holds the rubber bushing that isn't lining up with the mounting plate. It makes sense to me that the holes would be further apart, since the bracket needs to be wider to go around the bushing on a wider/thicker bar.

The bar itself is the right length and the ends match up perfectly. It is only the middle that doesn't line up.

fordman84

Also, was your car a V-8 to start with? Mine was a 6cyl, so had the tiny, tiny sway bar on there.

2+2GT

You could think that, but you'd be wrong.

The sway bar frame brackets were the same whether it was a teeny-tiny 6 banger or 1" Shelby GT350. Your U brackets are wrong. I have a 1" bar on my 66 and the brackets fit just fine. Unless you want to spend a lotta time on the phone, shipping brackets back and forth, just file out the ones you have a bit. Not the car, the new brackets.

fordman84

Sounds good, thanks for the advice. I'll snap some pics and see if I can get them loaded here or linked here so you guys can see what the brackets look like. From what I could tell, I'd have to redrill the holes right at the right angle bend (where it goes from being flat up against the car to the loop part around the bushing).

Thanks again though for the ideas. I was close to shipping it back because I can't use it, which would have cost $20 in shipping plus the 15% restocking fee.

Timetravelinn

I'd send the sway bar back....I just installed a 1 inch grab-a-track from mustang plus this weekend and it bolted up perfect. I used the new u bolt and the stock bolts.