I just removed my front sway bar to make it look nice and replace the bushings while I have everything apart. There are 2 bushing brackets that go into the frame and then there were 2 round bushings with a clamp that went around the bar. They're all rusted and bent up. 69 service manual says they are for early Firebirds only. Do I need these then and what are they for?

There are endlink bushings, with the long bolts, and there are swaybar mounting brackets, which mount to the subframe under the front bumper. Those are available from NPD as Kit 7243, various sizes available.

I got the end link bushing kits and sway bar mounting bracket bushings, but what are the other 2 round bushings that just clamp on the sway bar? Guess I don't need them because NAPA had diagrams and they were not shown either. Weird.

I am conducting some repairs on my sway bar now and I dont have the other 2 bushings that you are talking about either.
Its news to me if they are needed?

I cannot understand how the stabilizer bar would be able to "stabilize" anything without those bushings. The Pontiac Parts book shows some different sizes for 1st Gen Firebirds but I don't see it eliminating them. Are you referring to #54?

I have 53/54 and the stabilizer link. I think that he was talking about something else. Unless I dont understand either?

my '69 vert also has the parts shown above. After crawling under and taking another look, there IS a pair of steel clamp bands around a rubber bushing, clamped tight with a nut-bolt combination. They are located just inboard of the frame brackets, an inch or so away from the bracket.

Is it possible they would be used to keep the sway bar from shifting too far from one side to the other in its brackets?

Vikki,

That could be the case, but I would HOPE that the fact that the sway bar is attached to the control arm via a strong steel bolt would be enough to keep it in place.

I looked at my original '69 sway bar, and mine has the same round pieces.

I have #53 and #54. The 69 service manual says the additional round bushings were for early firebirds only. It gives exact measurements on where they go on the sway bar. Maybe they realized they weren't needed and stopped using them? I can't find anyone who even carries them.

Did the sway bar diameter change during '69? Mine has the 11/16". These may provide additional stiffening by limiting bar travel during suspension compression.

I have 11/16" also. I think the TA's had 1". I guess I'll just drive it without them (some day) and see how it handles. So do the bracket bushings require any grease or just install them dry?

My '67 conv that originally had a 326 and a two speed also has the 11/16. FWIW--When I ordered my polygraphite front end kit from PST the guy who took the order acted like there were many different sizes of sway bars.

The parts book shows an 11/16" - part number 3908373 for both '67 and '68. The '69 uses two different part numbers based on non-TA (3955778) and TA (3958466) models but do not give the diameter.