69 sway bar bracket,my fix....

[69 OUR/TEA]

I posted needing a sway bar bracket for my 69 because of one of the straps that is welded on to hold the bushing in place was at one time removed and had a make-shift strap put back in place.Seeing from doing a search on what people were doing with theirs,there is noone that repos that strap/bracket so finding a used one is what I had to do.Then an idea came to mind to have a tool and die shop make the die and stamp them out for me as both of my 69's all the straps are crunched or gouged,and the bushings are shot.If mine are like this,there must be alot more out there in need of these to.And it it seems just that outer strap is what gets hammered from hitting curbs or whatever and the bracket that bolts to the frame usually never goes bad.
Well,after having a meeting with the die maker,it just was not going to be worth putting that much money into making the die,plus the minimal amount that he would have to run out.I would be lucky to get my money back.What I would have to have asked for them,most would think that would be to much for 2 little straps of metal and urethane bushings.
Since I have a press,I decided to make my own die out of a chunk of steel,the male and female part, to stamp out and duplicate the bead thats in the strap to hold the bushing in place,and try and make it look as close to an original one as possible.And after the bead is stamped out in the strap,also have a U shape form to press the strap down into to get the shape of it to fit onto the mounting bracket,instead of trying to bend it in a vice or around a pipe,etc.
As far as the bushing goes,it is not available in rubber,only urethane,so thats the route I went with that.It is shaped alittle different than the orig rubber ones,and will be needing to have the top bead filed down some to fit in place correctly.
I will post pics of it when I have it all put back on the sway bar and car,for now some pics of what I made.

[69 OUR/TEA]

pics.....

[69 OUR/TEA]

last ones

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Heck of a job there Paul!  When you were explaining it to me, this is exactly what I envisioned

[bull]

Good work. It looks pretty much like the originals to me. Now someone (maybe you?) needs to make it so that the strap can be attached to the base some way other than welding it.

[69 OUR/TEA]

Good work. It looks pretty much like the originals to me. Now someone (maybe you?) needs to make it so that the strap can be attached to the base some way other than welding it.

Bull,actually I was going to do another style like that to for those who can cut off their orig one but don't have access to a welder to put them back on.When I have some spare time,I'll try to come up with a bracket as such.For my two chargers though,I am putting them back on by clamping and welding like factory.

[resq302]

Damn, Paul.  That looks almost dead on to original!  Nice job!

[tan top]

Damn, Paul.  That looks almost dead on to original!  Nice job!

   nice job   

[69 OUR/TEA]

Thanks guys,as I said both my cars are in need of these,crushed/bent/gouged,and since they don't make them,had to improvise.

[resq302]

yup, necessity is the mother of invention!

[69 OUR/TEA]

Forgot I made a thread on this,here are some shots of the sway bar bracket straps that I made to duplicate originals welded back together and on the car.I have to say,the urethane bushings went on rather easy,and fit awesome into my straps.Keep in mind,I did have a threaded C clamp pulling it all together and vise grips on each side pulling the strap to the base bracket so I can tack weld,then removed for the heavy weld that would be holding them together.I am real happy how they turned out looking like original.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Ill say!   They came out great! 

[tan top]

Ill say!   They came out great! 

  , awesome job 

[resq302]

Ill say!   They came out great! 

x's 2!