My daily driver is an 86 Mustang GT. It has a ride like a logging truck.



There used to be an outfit called Eibach that would sell a tuned suspension for Mustangs; springs, bars, and shocks/struts. The advantage was a softer ride and great handling. It might be interesting to contact them and describe what you've got. I bet they can bend you the right part.

Best regards,



Paul Menten

Meridian, Idaho

Was thinking of your question, I was up in my barn , ran across a rear sway bar from a fox body mustang 84 through 92 gt's  , has 2 bolt holes per side, around 7/8"  39" outside to outside, measured my 56 ford it's 40" inside to inside rear leafs, easy fit ! 

Po ol Davie

Sparta , Tn.

[quote]AZ28 (7/12/2007)

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The rear axle housing of a Mustang with an 8 - or 9 inch diff ought to be really close to the same spring pad centers as one of the mid-fifties Ford sedans, right? Same clearance issues at the punkin and similar tube diameters? .... Mustang parts are for some reason un-naturally cheap compared with parts for these same fifties sedans - I know the t-bird stuffcommonly goes the other way -twice the price and morefor virtuallyidentical items. Might be worth a look at the Mustang brackets and some minor invention if you want a rear bar.



The width between the spring pads on 65 and 66 mustangs is the same as 54-56 Fords. Ditto on the overall width. So is the 57 (and I believe 58 and 59) 9 inch (again ditto on the over all width). Don't know about any others, they may be the same but all the later rears are longer (except for the V8 Maverick)

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

The rear axle housing of a Mustang with an 8 - or 9 inch diff ought to be really close to the same spring pad centers as one of the mid-fifties Ford sedans, right? Same clearance issues at the punkin and similar tube diameters? .... Mustang parts are for some reason un-naturally cheap compared with parts for these same fifties sedans - I know the t-bird stuff commonly goes the other way - twice the price and more for virtually identical items. Might be worth a look at the Mustang brackets and some minor invention if you want a rear bar. 

There are many competitors for the Mustang parts trade and it tends to help out with price control - as well as promote different solutions to the same problem. There may be a couple of different rear sway bar mountings to choose from. Some more adaptable than others.

The problem with a mismatch of front and rear sway bars is this - the end of the car with the greatest "roll stiffness" tends carry the most turning force and then slide first when at the limit of traction. A really stiff bar in front - none in the rear - the car "pushes" - gets "tight" - understeers. A really stiff bar in the rear (relative to the front) gets "loose" - fishtails - oversteers. The Detroit answer to rear wheel drive handling has alway been to make passenger cars push - and we all grew up used to that sort of handling reaction (for good or for evil). The front end "washes out" and heads for the outside curb in a tight turn. For this reason, suppliers of suspension components are very sensitive to selling someone a part that can make an ill prepared car do the exact opposite - swap ends at speed on dry pavement - worse on wet.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Southwest Thunderbird has sway bars for the 56 Fairlane, they are reluctant to sell just the rear, they claim it caused the handling to be squirrley.  A set of front & rear are right at $400 with shipping.

Thanks for the tip.

Marty

Marty

you may want measure up a late 70s or early 80s trans am  , they had a pretty easy to mount sway bar set for the rear, easy to come by.   I also used a pretty fat front sway from 69 gto on my 57 ford ,a little angle iron, some nice bushings , I was good to go !

Po ol Davie

Sparta , Tn.

my '56 Crown Vic has a rear sway bar that I got from Quickor Suspension. I am not sure they still exist since my internet searches haven't turned up the old website....I noticed much improved handling and way less "roll" goin down the freeway. It's an improvement worth doing for my 2cents

Woodland Hills,Ca

Mine is an after market unit from the afore mentioned Southwest Thunderbirds

You gotta have the right tools and know how to use 'em.

TC - Austin, Texas

I have a '57 9" rear end in my '55 Crown and I have a sway bar from Thunderbirds of the Southwest.  I also installed new rear springs from Posies and new gas shocks.  My Ford corners like my Firebird!    

Marty,

Passanger cars never came with rear sway bars (as far as I know), not sure about Birds or wagons. I know there was a great article in Legendary Ford a while back about putting a front/rear sway bar kit in a 57 T-Bird. In the article it shows before and after pic's........what a difference in body roll!

Rob

I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning!