I'm going to the junk yard to yank the sway bars, what else is bigger/better on the IROC, like panard bars, or anything else?????

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late model 91 rs, fully loaded, auto, t-tops, red leather, paint- gm red and yellow blend (light red), custom painted 16" Camaro rims
305 tbi flat base 14"x3" with K&N, hypertech chip, accel super stock plug wires, only use full synthetic oil and delco filter, 2 1/2" cat delete pipe, Edelbrock 3" cat-back
MTX sub and amp, Bose all around
vic_v8@yahoo.com
street kills: New v-6 stang, 96 v6 camaro, totally killed '86 SC Camaro (305), 91 z 28 with 305
15.854@87.57 (I think I could have it 15.5 with good tires and two more runs)
next month: rest of ultimate tbi

 

get the "wonderbar"

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86',88',89' IROC-Z, 350 TPI, 700-R4

94' Formula, LT1, 6spd

 

The panhard bar and lower control arms are the same. The front and rear sway bars are bigger, as well as the wonderbar, which is the bar attached to the front sway bar. You'll know it when you see it, as it'll come off when you remove the front sway bar. The springs and shocks are better too, but they're probably worn out.

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1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
317 RWHP, 418 RWTQ
13.23 @ 107.62 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Member: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

The hollow 36 mm front and solid 24 mm rear sway bars came on 89-92 Camaraos and 86-92 Firebirds.

JamesC

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Get the steering box also.

 

last time I was at the junk part/used parts store the guy looked it up in the computer and said that the 36mm and 24mm are about $40 each, I'll trick him out of the wonderbar by saying that "it goes with the front sway bar" I knew about the steering box, but I probably don't have enough money, and the one on my rs is in great shape.

 

what exactly does the wonder bar do anyway?

 

The "wonder bar" is really a front frame connector. It connects the left,and right front frames together. It really made a big difference in my '82 Z28 project car.

 

ok I'm gonna get the stuff a week from today, I think that I saw some where that the torque arm is bigger, is that true. Btw is the torque arm supposed to be curved alittle? mine is a little.

 

Did the wonderbar only come on IROC's???

What years ???

engine choice matter??

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1989 Trans Am GTA

 

My 85 IROC had the wonderbar--I swapped it out for the Global West version.

JamesC

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The torque arms are the same.

The wonder bar comes on 85-90 IROC's. I dont know if its all of them or some of them. Every IROC I've seen, except for one, an 87 350, had one.

 

would it be possible to make my own wonder bar? couldnt you use 2 1" thick wall pipe running parallel with mounting plates welded on the end?

 

Does anybody have a part number for the wonder bar? Will it fit an 85 sport coupe. Is it worthwhile to install? If I ask a junkyard guy for a wonder bar will he know what it is? Thanks!

 

Take a look at your rear control arms. There are three sets of holes drilled cross ways in them. 16" wheeled IROC-Zs have a brace inside the U shape of the control arm that is held in place with two bolts that pass through the front two sets of holes in the arm. Your rear control arms may have the braces already or not, check them.

 

It's bolted across the front between the sway bar bushings and the subframe. Probably called a brace. Found on all IROCs, but a junk yard would go by the wheel size, which is 16" If you want to try a dealer, the p/n is 14042019.

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1985 Yellow IROC-Z 5.0 HO, T-5 3.73 Torsen, 4 wheel disks
PFCM pads, GTA wheels, Koni yellows, B&M Ripper, Dynomax

 

Thanks, Old, I appreciate it. Old, do me a favor and check that p/n. I just checked the price on the p/n at gmpartsdirect.com and here is what it said:

GM list price: $6.70
Wholesale: $5.03
gmpartsdirect.com price: $4.02(!)

Now, keep in mind that shipping is $9.95, so the total comes to $13.97. But, as long as you don't live in North Carolina, there is no sales tax. Anyway, I'm just checking because that seems so incredibly cheap. Thanks again for the info.

[This message has been edited by Parrydise7 (edited November 11, 2001).]

 

Heh.. that price is probably for a nut or bolt or something I agree, there's no way GM is gonna let a stamping that size sell for for that cheap!

Somebody aughta go to a dealership parts counter and find out what that part number actually is for

 

I went to a dealership and ordered the part. For that price, even if it is the wrong part, what the heck.

Okay, I just picked up the part. I was expecting something pretty substantial. It isn't. This part is about the length of a soda straw and a little thicker. I wanted to confirm that this is the wonder bar, but the guy at the dealership isn't a Camaro guy, so he couldn't help. However, as far as I can tell, the p/n is correct.

[This message has been edited by Parrydise7 (edited November 19, 2001).]

 

I pulled a couple wonderbars off of cars at the junkyard this week. Your description doesn't sound like the ones I found.. The bar itself is about 1/2" in diameter, and has flat steel stampings welded at the ends for bolting to the body. The whole assembly is atleast 2' long.

IMHO, these aren't that hard to find in jnkyards. I didn't at all have to go out of my way to find the two I now have!

 

Hey guys. We got on this topic last week or so about that part number. The one you guys are talking about is wrong. The one you want is 14079634 and should be described as a lower tie structure brace or lower tie brace, etc. I ordered the other one too so now I just have a new part to put on.

 

Thanks, Gravitar, you are correct. The part I ordered isn't anywhere close in size to what you described. Hey ebmiller! Can you double check that p/n? I went to gmpartsdirect.com and nothing comes up for that p/n. Sorry to be a pest. Thanks for the info.

 

Don't worry about being a pest, there's worse out there....like some jackhole called speedlvr...

I rechecked the number just to be sure and that's it. I also did a search for "wonderbar" and came up with that number over 10 times. I don't know why it doesn't come up at GMPD, maybe because it's been discontinued. To verify yourself, or anyone else for that matter, click on Desert86Iroc's CD rom version on the home page. Once you're in, go to Body parts, front (group 8.000), then click 1991 "F" collision/front (pg 8-4). It's number 25 in the diagram:"Bar, Lwr Tie Frt Stab". That's it alright. I just got one recently for a song

Anyhoo, these things are going for about $60 now on ebay but they're still easy to find. Find a junkyard and find an IROC and you should be set unless someone beat you to it, or just get the Global West one, they're supposed to be larger. Good luck..

[This message has been edited by ebmiller88 (edited November 23, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by ebmiller88 (edited November 23, 2001).]

 

Thanks, Ed, you did have the correct part number. You are also correct that the part has been discontinued. The dealer that I spoke to said the part is no longer available. Anyway, according to the parts guy, the part is called a "lower tie structure bar for front stabilizer."

 

No the torque arm shouldn't be curved.

 

my ta is slightly curved, btw some things came up and I had to put the sbs off for a little while. I'll check some of my friends cars t.a.'s .

 

I finally located a wonder bar. BTW, it wasn't easy finding one. I called junkyards all over California. Even worse, I had to pay $50.00 (plus tax)!!! So, Gravitar, you might want to think about pulling as many of those wonder bars as you can.
I'm editing this message to let everybody know that I could have bought a wonder bar from Global West for $46.95 (although shipping is $5.00). For anybody that's interested I think Global's p/n is TS14.

[This message has been edited by Parrydise7 (edited November 26, 2001).]

 

The Global West version is much beefier than the wonderbar (I purchased the GW version a couple of years ago before I realized my IROC already had one). Highly recommended. Pics are available at the GW web site. Stick their brace in as well as their SFCs and your car will suddenly tighten up.

JamesC

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Hmm.. thanks for the tip. I'll have to put that on the "always search for" list when I hit the junkyards

For added strength, I was thinking about welding my wonderbar to the subframe. Doesn't seem to me like something I'd ever need to remove! Is this useless and unnecessary, or possibly a good idea?