would it have had a rear anti-sway bar?

[culp71]

so any rhyme or reason to what received a rear sway bar...
a 71 340 cuda shaker ht, would it have had a rear sway bar?
did certain engine combos or such dictate this? (like the 727 with 340 never the 904)

I know some had "heavy duty" suspension from factory. would this have included a rear sway bar?
also what other items would be different then "standard" if it had the "heavy duty" suspension option.

[rUNCHARGER]

My understanding is a 71 340 or 383 R/T or Cuda was supposed to have the rear bar if they were't equipped with optional "Hemi" suspension. Also late 70 340 and 383 cars however my April built 70 R/T did not have a rear bar.

Sheldon

[js29no]

My old car A 70 383 R/T production 6-70 did have one.

[headejm]

My 1970 RT/SE 383 Magnum (May 1970 build date) does not have one.

[burdar]

When were the T/A and AAR cars introduced?  A rear swaybar didn't even exist before they came out.  The factory put them on those cars first...then they found their way onto other models. 

If your car came with one, your frame rails will be drilled for them.  If your frame isn't drilled, the car didn't have them.  I would "assume" that a 71 340 car would have come with HD suspension and WOULD have the swaybar.  Here's what the dealer data guide says.

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/dealerships/DealershipDataBook/1971/71_Barracuda_25.jpg

Take the data guide with a grain of salt.  They aren't always correct.  The 73 data guide says that the rear swaybar was not available on a 318 Rallye car.  However, my 318 Rallye came with one.

[culp71]

so it appears all '71 340 cuda's would have the rear sway bar.

I actually like the clean look without it, but if all of them had it I will put one on.

[Fred]

Mine is a 71 Barracuda 318 904.  In the notes section at the bottom of the build sheet, it said "Special Handling Car".

It had bolt holes in the frame for a sway bar, but no sway bar.   

[burdar]

"Special Handling Car" doesn't have anything to do with suspension.  It just means it was a special order car or fleet vehicle that needed something extra on the assembly line.  Something out of the ordinary that needed extra attention.

The HD suspension package was standard with the towing package.  Maybe your car has the towing package so it had the bar originally?  Maybe it was added by someone and later removed...it's hard to say.

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/dealerships/DealershipDataBook/1971/71_Barracuda_28.jpg

[70chall440]

My 70 Challenger RT 440 AT, AC, PS, PB California car did not have a rear sway bar, it is a Oct 69 build.

[culp71]

alright so Hamtramck lists that all 71 cuda 340s received the "Heavy duty suspension" that included
-HD torsion bars
-HD rear leaf spring
-front anti sway bar
rear sway bar is listed elsewhere as its standard on all 71 340s.

so I will add rear sway bar, and I already have front sway bar installed
I want to see if my current torsion bars and leaf springs would be correct...

question:
is what makes the torsion bars "HD", simply just larger size?
if so what size would be HD?
HD leaf springs are a certain leaf count?

thanks

[burdar]

Did you have to replace the rear frame rails?  Why didn't they already have holes in them for a swaybar if it had one from the factory?

[culp71]

yes I did. they had been "patched" in the past ,
so during stripping and blasting there was no way to tell,
nothing but misc plate steel, Swiss chess, rust and bondo.

[culp71]

what size would be considered the HD torsion rod/bar?
and how many leafs would be HD?

[burdar]

There are a lot of different charts that I've seen with slightly different bar diameters.  This charts says .90 bars but I've more commonly seen them listed as .89.

My Rallye 318 car had the larger bars with the aluminum colored inspection marks.

[culp71]

awesome, Ill look for some .90 originals but looks like I can get a new set or torsion bars with.920 diameter, that will work for me.

I would assume the leaf springs considered "HD" would be the 6 leaf, and "standard" is the 5 leaf setup?