Evening everyone. 1972 Skylark Custom currently with a 350 upgrading to a 450-500hp 455. I briefly searched & didn't see a topic. Wondering what the best upgrades are to do to the rear suspension. Will be upgrading to a limited slip of course(have a 3.08 peg leg now). Will be replacing springs & adding Bilstein shocks as well. Do I need to upgrade upper or lower control arms? What would be a good size sway bar to add? No rear sway bar currently. Any ideas of putting this power on the ground in a budgetary fashion will be greatly appreciated. If there is a good link on here I would be more than happy to research it. Thanks!
You could post a WTB on this forum for an original rear sway bar and the boxed lower control arms. Or, you can box your control arms by welding reinforcing pieces to the bottom, open end of each arm. That plus your new posi rear and new springs and shocks should do it. The bars and control arm plates can be purchased as a kit for your car in either original 7/8 inch or upgraded 1 inch diameter. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/..._2AxAnbWJfYBkLiNP7XeeTvIEcadg7XRoCXm4QAvD_BwE https://www.opgi.com/skylark/ADDC939/
'76-'81 Trans Am or Rally Sport Camaro front swaybar is a direct fit. Mounted with 1" rear factory bar & boxed arms will change it from trying to turn a beached whale to carving a turm with a high end BMW. Well, not really that well, but makes a substantial improvement.
Straight line and cornering are different when it comes to parts. At your power level a set of Southside machine style bars work great for planting the tires. Uppers and lowers are about 400 to 450. https://southsidemachine.com/product/1964-1972-all-gm-a-body-lift-bars-for-buick-skylark-gsx-g-s/ https://southsidemachine.com/product/1968-1972-gm-skylark-upper-control-arms/
Kyle I have tried a few different combinations and the best handling and ride for my car is the following. Rear suspension: Replace all the bushings with factory style rubber. Box the lowers with the OPGI kit. and add the rear sway bar. I boxed my uppers by cutting a plate to fit and weld it in. (don't know if it really helped but I feel better about it. ) New rear springs from ESPO springs, and added air bags. I used Monroe 50/50 shocks. My car had the F41 braces. Front suspension I replaced all the bushings with new rubber bushings also. Installed the 1 1/4" Trans Am sway bar with polyurethane mounts and end links. All the steering components were replaced. A used Grand National steering box was installed with the adapters and pump upgrades. 50/50 shocks were also used. My original front big block springs were within stock ride height specs after the rebuild. The car handles curves well and I can tune the rear suspension with the airbags. Polyurethane bushings were tried at one point and were too stiff and squeaked.