The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Hello Dave i have a 1972 dodge challenger it came with a 318 my question is i am installing a 440 in it can i use the original torsion bars . will this be safe enought with this motor. thank you . Randy

You can. Many do.

But I wouldn't.

To me correct handling is more important than straight line speed. In a street car anyway. And in any car I might be carrying my wife, family or friends.

So I would fit the correct suspension for the engine. Make sure the brakes are up to scratch as well. If I advised you any other way and you later crashed I would feel pretty cut up about it.

so i really not sure do you know what size torsion bars i need thank you i really like the car to be safe as possible

0.94 inch diameter was the stock size for the 440 and 426.

A front sway bar would be a must. A rear one as well would be even better.

Some reference info, mine came with the a66 package which included a .92 bar holding up a small block 340. That seems about right for reasonable cruising comfort and a bit of "spirited" driving. (Also has a 0.875 front sway bar.) I think the 318 used a smaller 0.88 t-bar.

Mopar Performance sells a .096 I believe which would seem about right with a 440 but others may have different opinions.

if you are going to spend the dollars on new torsion bars, you might as well put in beefier ones like the ones from Firm Feel Inc, in Washington State. i got mine from them, they are not expensive, they are a full 1 inch thick. i also bought a front sway bar kit, which you will need if yours does not have a factory one. There is also a rear sway bar kit but that is rather pricey if you also require the main link leaf spring pads. They make all their own stuff in-house. They also sell Koni shock absorbers which i bought as well, these 4 items will dramatically improve the handling.

I special ordered my T-Bars from Dick Ross at Firm Feel too! They are as big as a Oak Sapling!(1.14) Front and rear FF sway bars too! I like your thinking Goldenback! When Dave gets behind the wheel he can advise me of the suspension setup I have. I use Edelbrock IAS dampers but am thinking of switching to Koni's. I'll wait till Dave&Drew set me straight. Road manners is WAY more important to me than straightline performance,(drags). BTW, Your suspension looks very tough GoldenBack. I bet it handles flat and tight.

thanks Eddie, unfortunately it only looks good in the garage- still not up and running yet! still doing panel and paint, which is all very new to me (attempting metallic paint blending- even the pro's baulk at that sometimes so wish me luck). you're SB's sound huge! Yes Dick at FF inc is one of the most helpful people i have spoken to, i learnt a lot. Also when the rear Koni's didn't fit they offerred to pay the return postage. Eddie, if you order the Koni's, PLEASE ask Dick to check them before sending. Mine were manufactured wrong - they had put a metal bush (sleeve) on the lower fitting, where, as you know, it should be rubber. Of course they didn't fit and i was tearing my hair out wondering how to fix the problem without sending all the way back to the USA. They are made in Europe (Holland), not China. Anyway, after doing some measuring, guessing and holding my breath, i pressed out the steel sleeve and using heaps of black lithium suspension grease, pressed them onto the lower shock mount pin with a big G clamp. It worked very well luckily, so i was able to let my breath out. Tell Dick you have spoken to Steve from Perth, Australia about that fault- he should remember me i think.

Also, not that it matters, but its GoldenBLACK, not Golden back, I chose that name as i was originally going to paint my 71 RT clone Gold with all the black stripe treatments and spoilers, so it was a "Gold and Black or Gold 'n Black car". But now i am going for Red ! and i don't even like that name much anymore, but has to stay now.

By the way, the rear SB is the factory Rallye unit. just reinstalled it with new poly urethane link bushes and new body clamps, although used the original chassis plates, just welded studs in place of the holes.

Thanks GoldenBLACK, I should read more carefully!!!(Sorry man) When the time comes, I will call Dick Ross and of course mention you're trouble. He's a pretty good guy, I had to send back my Fast Ratio steering arm to him thinking it wouldnt clear my headers as TTI stated in their instructions. He sent it back and told me to install it, it WILL fit! he was correct. Now I have a 20:1 fast ratio manual box, with a beefed suspension. It handles very well, but I am at the limit of my 'old school' tire &wheel size. They're simply to small. When I worked at the prison I thought people were calling me ed, when I listened closer I heard dickhead.

No worries about the name- as i said, i don't really like the name any more, sounds like a New Orleans Mardi Gras name, although GoldenBack sounds like some new breed of exotic bird...anyway... its seems strange that they call the 20:1 box fast ratio over there, because over here , that is our standard box, with 4.6 turns lock to lock. Even the Fords have it as well. Most of our Aussie Charger RT's had the 16:1 box, which was considered fast ratio, and was used in the track cars for the twisty race tracks. But i suppose if they gave you a different Pitman arm (from a 73?) it would make the 20:1 box feel quicker?

here's a picture of one of our rare Charger Six packs that had the 16:1 box as standard. These steering boxes are so hard to get that they usually sell for at least $800-$1000 when they come up. regards

Man, I really dig those 'Oz' Chargers! Sweet.

Its like a parallel car universe that I never knew about! Aussie Chargers, Valiants, etc....

Fun stuff!

Moparman1972 wrote:Its like a parallel car universe that I never knew about! Aussie Chargers, Valiants, etc....

Fun stuff!

yeah, know what you mean!! Most of our Mopar stuff had close origins with the US Mopars until around 71. But our 69-72 2 door Valiant Hardtops were your 68 Darts, with just revised fenders, hoods and grilles. They imported the Dart bodies and put a new front on them. Heres some of my 71 Hardtop:

Wow, definitely different. Were square headlights the style back then or was it a required change?