Torque Boxes, Subframe Connectors & Rear SwayBar... too stiff?

[NYCMille]

Hi guys -

Been pondering over my suspension set-up in my 68' and need some questions answered. I am really trying to get this big boat to handle better - it actually handles good now but I would like to improve it more - basically to the point where the car will handle great on a road course. I would like to do these mods by the end of Feb. so I need honest opinions on this please.

This is my set-up right now - underneath it is what  I would like to do, but again, I want it set-up for handling but I don't want to make the car SO stiff that it is overkill. Please let me know what ya'll think.

Right Now:
Front:
- 17x9" wheels with 255/45/17s
- .96 Torsion bars up front
- KYB Gas adjust shocks
- MagnumForce Racing adjustable tubular upper control arms
- Hotchkis 1 3/8" swaybar

Rear:
- 18x10" wheels with 285/40/18s
- Pre-lowered Hemi leaf springs with 1" lowering blocks

Proposed:
- Replace KYBs with Edelbrock IAS shocks
- ART Torque boxes and Subframe connectors
- Hotchkis rear 1" swaybar

Possible getting rid of the 17s up front and getting 18s made to even out the rake

Thanks guys.

Mike

[RallyeMike]

All the stiff suspension in world doesnt do much good if the body flexes. Definitely go for the subframe connectors. Can't comment on the shocks. Adding the the rear sway bar will make noticeable difference, but I can't comment on the size - I have never used on that big.

[phat69charger]

Out of all of the chargers that I have had this is the first one that I had subframe connectors on and I immediately noticed the body was much more rigid, when I jack the car up in the front by the frame rail, now more of the rear of the car also starts to raise up, I know that body flex and give will slow the down the reponsiveness of the handling and take away from the torque of the car, your running low profile tires so it's likely your steering will be more reponsive than my tall ass side wall tires I'm running.

I don't know enough about suspensions to comment about your shock and swaybar selection but I can tell you that it has been known for a long time that the rear swaybar was a must for T/A Racing type vehicles, also what are you comparing your car to what would be your standard or equal you are trying to achieve? you know these cars where built when they didn't have computers welding the body up and automating the building process, I know my charger is not going to ride smoove like a Benz or be quiet like a BMW or handle like a 911 Porsche and I don't expect that from it but it will be very fun to drive that's for sure.

Go to a road race course and see how your car handles on the track and ask the people there that know more than most of us what it will take to get your car to handle better, or search on a SCCA site for improvements for big body cars.

Finally I would say that anything that you are planning to add is probably going to improve the car more than what it is now, so go ahead with a plan once you figure out what your car is lacking, have you ever been in a short wheel base car with a rollcage it steers like a go-kart, if your not going with a roll cage your car is not going to be as stiff as it could be with one.

[phat69charger]

Here's a link to an suspension upgrade article  http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/43561/