wheelie bars?

[pfordamx]

Ok I know this topic has been beat to death, and I don't have a stock or superstock but I figured this would be the best place to find people with fast leaf spring cars. I have a 69 amx that is getting toward the end of a new make over with about a 650hp amc and were hoping for low tens the car has all calvert racing stuff out back and just some three way adjustable shocks up front . Previously the car only ran mid to low 11s and wheelstands weren't an issue. And they may not be now but I'm not used to car that pulls the wheels very much and want something there incase. So any sugestions on good bars for keeping the front end down and the car going straight. Would be appreciated

[Bob Pagano]

Talk to Calvert, he started making single wheel bar for his T-bolt and I am sure he is looking to expand the line. You wont get any torq steer out of a single wheel bar, its a bit safer and wont unload the car.

[pfordamx]

I well my curiosity is I don't have the length limitation of a stocker, would a set of double 60 or so inch bars be advantagous? Or do solid bars not work well with leafs

[Ian Hill]

i have a single bar and set it up as high as it would go without hitting the rear valance of my camaro - it hits the bar hard and the front tires just touch down before the 60ft mark. i had to adjust the rod ends to stop "torq-steer". without the bar the car went dead straight, with the bar it would launch to the right. also i find that with the bar i lose 60ft to the tune of .10 at the top end. The car likes to be high and free during the launch, but after near scraping the top lip of the trunklid on the track for near 250 feet one of the last few times at the track, i have desided it is in the best interest of the sponsorship billboards mounted to the concrete sides of the track, that i run the bar from now on! i feel bad, i can not remeber the name of the fellow that makes the bar. i bought it used. it is a single bar setup that mounts to an aluminum plate that mounts between the diff cover and the housing so no welding is required. it is a vey cool piece and i recommend it to anyone. the fella i bought it from was an A/S camaro racer which said his car was hitting the bar so hard it would unload the wheels at the launch, with an automatic i can't believe you'd have an issue. Caltrac's bar actually puts more pressure on the rears the harder you launch, but you have to modify your trunk abit to make it work (other wise you may have a big dent in your trunk before you know it. Both good pieces, just my 2 pennies.

Originally Posted by Bob Pagano

Talk to Calvert, he started making single wheel bar for his T-bolt and I am sure he is looking to expand the line. You wont get any torq steer out of a single wheel bar, its a bit safer and wont unload the car.

[Dave Turner]

Sounds like one of Ken Kier's units Ian?

[pfordamx]

How far down can you adjust that style of bar, like I said never been in a car that does wheelstands would like something that can hold it down to a foot or less off the ground and I understand you can do a lot of chassis tuning to help that tendacy but I'm also dealing with a 97 inch wheelbase

[Bob Pagano]

Ian Hill, John's new bar is in conjunction with the bars that were deemed illegal by nhra for stock, they are reworked and his are legal now and work very well, Find a video of his Thunderbolt.

[Jeff Lee]

I raced (car being rebuilt) a '70 AMX with 634 HP AMC AMX in SS/H using Cal-Track Springs, bars and AFCO DA shocks with 9x29.5" slicks. So probably not much different than yours (Ran 10.00's). I was using AJE wheelie bars which I highly recommend for your suspension. Do not use solid bars. I've tried. Alternatively, I would thing the Ken Kier or even Calvert wheelie bar mentioned below would work. I like the idea of a single bar.
I think 60" bars are over-kill, some kid will trip over them and I think on a 9 or 10 second car they rank right up there with 4" OD exhaust tips on ricers.
That's my .02!

[Richard Grant]

Most low ten second cars I see running are lifting the wheels a lot more than a foot so that may be a challenge. Remember the more pre load you place on Cal Trac bars the less they wheelstand, however you may also have less traction. Actually riding out a two to three foot wheelstand is loads of fun. Why don't you just try to imitate a A/B class stocker?

[pfordamx]

I'm guessing wheel stands are just one of those thing you have to do once or twice to get used to it and I'm sure they are fun. makes me wish I could go for a ride in someone's car that pulled them consistently