Old school Front Swaybar Vs. The Neuspeed 22mm Front Swaybar - On a '79 Scirocco Where You Have To Move The Fuel Lines To Install The Neuspeed Swaybar!

[gforbess at attglobal.net (Gordon Forbess)]

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 23:32:45 -0400, "Peter" <peter@thescirocco.com>
wrote:

>Anyway, I have a new (as in never installed), old school front swaybar. I'm
>not sure of the manufacturer, but it's the type that goes next to the rad
>support. I think it might be a GMP front sway bar. The installation
>instructions only gives two clues: no. 125, and to use it with their rear
>bar no. 331.

I don't think they are GMP bars.  At least the P/Ns don't match
anything in the 1980 GMP catalog I have.  Catalog shows 19 or 21mm
front and 19 or 22mm rear bars available at that time.

>I also have a 22mm Neuspeed swaybar, that I can more easily install on my
>'81 Scirocco. 
>
>I'm trying to decide which swaybar to use, and I'm looking for feedback from
>anyone that has used, or is using the old school swaybar.
>
>Does the old school front swaybar strengthen the front crossmember, or
>stress it by using it as a leverage point?

The way mine is made (with the upside down U-bolt over the cup, angle
iron support below w/ heavy brackets up to the bumper bolt) appears to
be supportive.  In the 25 years it's been there, I have no cracks.  I
also don't have an air intake hole in the cross member, which seems to
be a weak spot in later cars.  

>I think the matching rear bar, no. 331, bolts to the triangular
>reinforcements on the rear trailing arm, and I have one like that, but I
>think that has an ADDCO sticker on it. Anyone running that type of rear bar?

Sounds like it's very similar to the GMP rear bar I have.  Another mod
that I haven't thought about in 25 years, so no problems with it.




Gordon
75 Mk I/Drake 1.9
http://pws.prserv.net/gforbess/scirocco/scirocco.htm