I’ve got a street/strip car, and am deciding if I should go with an anti-roll bar or not. What should I do?
An anti-roll bar is one of if not the biggest improvement you can make in having a G Body launch level. Some people run true ARB’s on the street, while others are concerned that the links may bind, or become bent/damaged with street use. For a car that sees more street or strip, a true race anti-roll bar may not be the best idea. Some designs such as the Wolfe Racecraft bar which use either aluminum or bronze bushings may become worn very rapidly on the street, and cannot be replaced without cutting the ARB mount from the car. For a car that sees more strip than street, many racers will disconnect one of the links on their ARB. This renders it ineffective, but you won’t risk much damage to the bar. If your car is more street than strip, you may want to look into something like the Spohn Performance G-Body Pro-Series Rear Drag Sway Bar. It’s a bolt on bar that implements poly bushings, and still works very well at the track.
I’ve got a set of Southside bars for my rear. Would going to a regular adjustable control arm setup lower my 60’ times?
While the Southside bars have proven themselves time in and time out, your G Body came from the factory with a 4 link setup, and with a little work, can be adjusted and treated as any backhalved, 4 link racecar. The best reference in regards to how to make your stock style suspension work with traditional control arms, and required reading by anyone serious about making their car launch properly, are the writeups by Kevin Slaby from Baseline Suspensions. From launching your drag car, to setting pinion angle, his website will tell you everything you need to know: http://www.baselinesuspensions.com/
I’m trying to figure out if _____ will fit in the back of my G Body. What is the width of the stock G Body rear end?
A stock G Body rear is 52 ½” from backing plate to backing plate.
Who makes the best rear control arms?
There are PLENTY of manufacturers out there to choose from, all with comparable products. Some are more street oriented, some are strip oriented. Iceman, TRZ Motorsports, Race Suspensions, Wolfe Racecraft, BMR Fabrication, Hotchkiss, etc, all make quality parts. My best advice? Click on the sponsor links at the top of the forums and browse around. The sponsors will often offer special pricing for MalibuRacing.com members.
I’d like to put adjustable control arm brackets on my 9” rear end. Where can I get them?
I personally think that A&A Manufacturing makes the nicest set of brackets with multiple adjustment holes. They can also be sourced from Speedway, and companies like Art Morrison and Auto Weld even offer complete packages with them already welded and ready to run.
I’m trying to find spherical bushings for the upper control arm mounts on my housing. Who sells them?
Any other comments or suggestions for the FAQ, feel free to ask!