I picked up the brand new, custom built, 7/8th inch sway bar for the front of
my '67 MGB GT Friday evening, installed it Saturday morning, using new JC
Whitney urethane bushings and my original MG end links, and drove most of the
twisty roads on the Island Saturday afternoon. Joy! A friend of mine works at a
spring shop which manufactures leaf springs and sway bars for motor homes and
very large trucks. A couple of months ago (every thing costs -- either dollars
or time -- this was done on the Very Cheap) he volunteered to build me a bigger
sway bar if I provided him with my existing 5/8th inch bar to use as a pattern.
Curiously, I really didn't notice any difference in the handling on public
roads driving around all this time with no sway bar at all. What a
difference with the new one, though! The smallest bar stock he had is 7/8th
inch, the same size as the Addco front sway bar for the 'B, but still, much
thicker than most British add-on bars. I was a little concerned that it might
make the ride too harsh on bumpy roads (it doesn't), and that it might cause
too much understeer (it doesn't). It's great! No body roll at all, and no ill
effects on the ride. In fact, the car is very "tossable" on tight corners,
compared to driving with no sway bar, or with the 5/8th bar. I really don't
understand why, but it seems to have less understeer now, rather than more. I
may just forego adding that 3/4th inch rear sway bar I've been lusting after.
Perhaps I'll just apply those dollars saved toward saving up for one of Doug
Jackson's Panhard rods as my Christmas present from my spouse (somehow, she
always knows exactly what I've always wanted!).
Regards,
Jerry Causey - 1967 MGB GT
Whidbey Island, Washington, embraced by the Puget Sound
(fairly close to Seattle, and the rest of the USA)
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