My new Z has a bunch of little suprises in store! swaybars..

[Hugh]

I was looking at buying swaybar kits online because this Z was feeling like it floated down the highway. I happened to notice some bolts and a nutplate behind the passenger seat, though... and I peaked under the car to find a full rear swaybar in there. It looks to be of pretty good size... not stock. The end link bushings, however, were completely blown out.

 

I'm thinking this car had a good suspension put on it many many years ago... and what looks like old stock parts is really just old aftermarket parts. Might help if I had any experience with a bone stock Z.

 

It seems to be a few inches lower than stock, too far of a drop for just bad struts. I suppose the old springs may have sagged a bit though... depending on how good the quality of the parts put in were. I plan to gradually upgrade everything... but in the meantime, I'm taking baby steps.

 

I put some energy suspension polyurethane bushings on the front end links today. It was a bitch to get apart because the end links hadn't been removed in years. (but the nuts didn't match from side to side... so they've been off)

 

For a total of $8.99, the front suspension is worlds better than it was. I'm no longer afraid of the front swaying during lane changes on the freeway.

 

I'll get to the back sometime this week. I need to get the swaybar bushings that mount to the body, but they're not OEM so I will have to measure them. I've read the best method is slipping a wrench over the swaybar, I suppose I'll do that.

 

Once I get this thing tightened down to the road a little, I can already tell I will love driving it.