67-69 camaro rear sway bar installation

[pavell]

I have been contemplating ordering a hotchkis rear sway bar; i was reviewing the installation manual that hotchkis gives and they mention that there can be problem with the clearance of the exhaust and the sway bar (for the rear bar).

they say:

"You may have to have the exhaust pipes re-bent to
provide clearance for the new sway bar assembly. Any competent exhaust shop can
handle this modification easily."

http://www.hotchkis.net/_uploaded_files/2207rinstructions859484421file.pdf
page 3

I have stainless steel magnaflow exhaust and don't want to have it modified as it will put me over my budget. Has anyone actually had problems with their exhaust pipes and clearance? Thanks guys.

[latamud]

I have been contemplating ordering a hotchkis rear sway bar; i was reviewing the installation manual that hotchkis gives and they mention that there can be problem with the clearance of the exhaust and the sway bar (for the rear bar).

they say:

"You may have to have the exhaust pipes re-bent to
provide clearance for the new sway bar assembly. Any competent exhaust shop can
handle this modification easily."

http://www.hotchkis.net/_uploaded_files/2207rinstructions859484421file.pdf
page 3

I have stainless steel Magnaflow exhaust and don't want to have it modified as it will put me over my budget. Has anyone actually had problems with their exhaust pipes and clearance? Thanks guys.

Might not be helping here but thought I'd chime in. I have a 66 Mustang with 3" Magnaflow stainless exhaust. My car is lowered about 3" all around and I ran a 7/8" rear sway bar. I was worried when I bought the exhaust kit that it might interfere with the sway bar but surprisingly it fit, it was tight but it all fit with the 3" tailpipes. If you can't get an answer here try calling Magnaflow, they probably have already experienced the sway bar issue on a Camaro and would be able to tell you for sure.

[pavell]

yea it has 2.25in magnaflow stainless mufflers and I believe its a custom catback (2.25in).

[David Pozzi]

The Hotchkis First Gen rear bar is pretty narrow and was originally designed to connect to end links that come off the rear seat pan area. They now have a crossmember to connect the links to but the bar remains rather narrow.

If there are any clearance issues and you don't want to move the exhaust, I'd go with a 2nd gen rear bar. It's wider and connects to the inside of the frame rail. I've installed two on first gens, but didn't use their end links. I used rod ends, so I can't say for sure their frame bracketry is exactly right for a first gen.

Below is a pic of a 2nd gen Hotchkis bar I installed on Bad Penny. His car had a drag rear suspension with mods to the frame rail top, so the end links attach above the frame rail so they could be as long as possible. I also made the bar adjustable.

2nd gen bar measures 31.75" outside to outside on the ends.
David