Will a Sway Bar Make a Difference?? First Autocross EVER!

[@janinedelcamp1941]

I LOL on your 1st lap and the background music...as always I can't wait to see what your next video will bring. Great job!

[@donm8856]

It was the sunglasses that made you faster 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ElliesGarage]

YES! Those were my speedglasses!! 😂😂😂

[@pascaljeske7307]

Nice Drive in the Event Love it fun with Carl 👍❤️❤️👍

[@65Gamerguy]

Another thing I would suggest is installing an export brace for the shock towers, if you haven't already, it makes a big improvement as well. They aren't very expensive $125 to $175 range and can be installed pretty quickly. I have them on both my 1968 and 1970 Mercury Cougars.

[@agooser26]

I totally agree with this suggestion on an export brace. This and the suggestions I gave above are all upgrades that could have been done in 65, but there are many other upgrades now that you may also look into. It all depends on how much you want to do and or how original you want to keep Carl.

[@ElliesGarage]

Our 65 actually has export braces to the shock towers, but we could install one of those montecarlo bars. Thanks for that advice, though!!

[@65Gamerguy]

@@ElliesGarage Since you said braces in plural, I am guessing you are referring to the factory braces since there are two of them. An export brace is one piece of metal that replaces those and is made of much thicker metal. I would say it is about three times thicker and obviously much stronger. It was required on cars exported by Ford to foreign countries to strengthen the front end, hence the name. The factory braces allow the shock towers to flex and over years can cause the shock towers to weaken and even crack. The export brace is the top side equivalent that the sway bar is to the bottom side. Love your videos by the way!

[@montes3of3]

The contrast between 4:18 and 6:52. Awesome.

[@malcolmellis9654]

that was entertaining..n a very nice old Ford...just adorable....power and brakes...that's what the girl needs 😎

[@ElliesGarage]

You got that right!

[@TomEckstrand]

It takes courage to put yourself out there as a new driver. Way to go, Ellie, you did an awesome job!

[@ElliesGarage]

Thank you so much Tom!

[@drfalcon4102]

when I had my 64 Falcon, after I stuck a larger (250-6) in it, I put a front sway bar in it from a 64 Comet V-8, and 10 inch front Brakes, HUGE improvements, and cheep too

[@ElliesGarage]

Nice!

[@67Stang]

Very cool, You should be proud of yourself and Carl.

[@Duaneoca]

I love this video! I’m so glad you had fun, and can appreciate why folks get inspired to build cars for this kind of thing. :) stay safe on the roads. Maybe let it out a little in the twistys. ;)

[@mitchelburt8969]

Love It!!! I’m so proud of you and what you have/will accomplish! Your Mom, Dad and Luke are tremendous support and make your videos fun and entertaining! We miss you guys and pray blessings upon you!❤

[@ElliesGarage]

Thanks Mr. Mitchel!! Miss you guys!!

[@cdnpont]

You make my day.

[@tbiker99]

My 51 Ford has a factory front sway bar. It's only about 1/2" thick and I'm sure it doesn't help much anymore. This video makes me want to replace it and and add a rear sway bar. Thanks for the great video.

[@ElliesGarage]

Yes! Go for it! I bet that '51 looks SO COOL!!!

[@danielgallegos8869]

From no tire squeal to tire chirps.... Hell yeah get it Ellie!!!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@ElliesGarage]

Ha! Thank you!!

[@09stx4x4]

Love how much your confidence grew between the first and last race. Congrats on getting better every lap!

[@ElliesGarage]

Thank you!

[@2LateIWon]

Looks like you had a blast I want to try autocross one day

[@ElliesGarage]

You'd love it!! Go for it!

[@JohnnyJagl]

Well Done! Amazing Runs, keep It up, you can do It!

[@ElliesGarage]

Thank you so much!!

[@jimcabezola3051]

Among your peers at school...YOU are... THE DRIVER! I am awed by how much you were able to learn about car suspension and its affect on driving! Holley should use YOUR video to demonstrate the efficacy of their sway bar kit! I am truly blown away by your results. Superb!

[@ElliesGarage]

That's so nice of you! Thanks!!!

[@gmans7859]

OMG. So much fun and So satisfying. Your Mom (and Dad) can rest assured your driving skills are now just that much more improved! Thanks you guys. You have inspired me to get out there with my son and get involved with our cars.

[@ElliesGarage]

Thank you and that's so cool to think one of our videos would inspire you to get in the garage with your son! So cool!!

[@MrBigal123123]

so cool Ellie. Carl is looking super sharp on the track. how did you take care of the alignment issue? next thing for Carl is the missing under engine brace to further stiffen the engine bay and a monte carlo bar then the shelby drop and off to alignment and then to the track again. keep it up Ellie. love watching the time spent with dad

[@agooser26]

Good suggestions ;) I kind of would like to know what a Monte Carlo bar alone would do. The export brace really helps stiffen up the body roll for sure. So many of the modern upgrades have them built in together.

[@MrBigal123123]

@@agooser26 monte carlo bar wont do much unless u do agressive driving and even then not much difference. you already have the fire wall brace that attaches to the towers.easly mustang had under engin brace to keep everything a little stiffer and my 64 falcon doesnt have one lol. i also want to do a panhard bar. from what i hear that makes the biggest difference in keeping the rear end stiff

[@ElliesGarage]

Thank you and we've heard about that Shelby drop quite a few times. Seems like something worth doing. Thanks!!!

[@agooser26]

@@MrBigal123123 I dont know how much difference a monte carlo bar alone would do but when you upgrade to an export brace and Montecarlo bar it is a huge advantage over the stock little flimsy firewall to tower braces.

[@agooser26]

@@ElliesGarage when I like the drop, it is a harder than average upgrade, but makes a difference.

[@jerrychacon8814]

Wider tires would help, as well as disc brakes. There are some companys that make upgrade suspension parts for a falcon, globalwest,cpp, pol..

[@ElliesGarage]

Oh no! My cool whitewalls!! 😩😂 But, yes, we actually have a disc conversion kit and we'll be doing that in the near future.

[@agooser26]

Elli, if you got into it enough, maybe you could get a set of "track wheels" with different more aggressive tires too.

[@johnstelluto9101]

Way to go, Ellie! I didn't believe it at first, but I was "swayed" by your performance!🤣🤣

[@ElliesGarage]

😂😂😂😂

[@johnstelluto9101]

@@ElliesGarage Just playing around, you have a top notch channel and a beautiful Falcon. I had a '68 Falcon that I restored and enjoyed way back in time and am reminded of that watching your build. Keep up the good work!

[@justinsanders2705]

Look at Carl go! 💪That looks like such a blast. I'm proud of you and Dad for taking Carl out and having fun with him that's what it's all about.

[@ElliesGarage]

Right?! We had the best time. Thank you!!

[@MichaelWilliams-kq1lv]

Way to go Ellie! I know the butterflies were turning flips in your stomach before each run. Now may I suggest you try bracket racing. It's drag racing where consistently is more important than speed. Slow Karl will be perfect.

[@ElliesGarage]

That sounds so cool! Thank you and thanks for the advice!!

[@blakeneysanders4264]

Adding a rear swaybar will even improve the handling more. Glad ya'll had a great time.

[@ElliesGarage]

That's a great point!! When we do the rear suspension, we'll be sure to do that as well. Thank you!!!

[@marshallgibson8872]

Having the sway bar will prevent the chrome from scraping off the bottom of the bumpers when Carl's afterburners kick in lol

[@ElliesGarage]

😂😂 Yes! We should add those next!!

[@johnclinton1297]

Ugh....now I'm gonna have to put a sway bar kit in my 64 Falcon 4 door.... Way to go Eli...lol Carl's looking awesome !

[@chrishorst6993]

It’s all about having fun. Which you had. You will improve. You should watch Auto Restomod and their video about a modification to the upper control arm to lower it a little to improve handling. Even a slow car can be a blast. Love your videos

[@auteurfiddler8706]

Everything I ever read said never grease rubber bushings. Did the sway bar kit say otherwise? It is said to cause the sway bar to rotate in the bushing and wear against it.

[@michaelau5159]

Rubber grease is commonly used on rubber bushings and many old vehicles had greasable shackle pins to grease the leaf spring bushings with High Temp Bearing grease.. I think you'll find Ellie's kit has polyurethane bushings which require, depending on the exact compound, a silicone based lubricant.

[@auteurfiddler8706]

@@michaelau5159 Well, "Tech" , the Pilsbury Doug Boy of Chrysler service, said the idea is to "PREVENT" the metal from rotating at all. Not to make it easier to rotate. Even lubed, bushings wear if they rotate in rubber. I just got another similar part and it says "If you need to use a lubricant, use ONLY Water." And that was poly. But, hey, Let' see what happens. It might take 10 years at 5 thousand miles a year to wear out either way.

[@michaelau5159]

@@auteurfiddler8706 When manufacturers of these parts supply lubricant and in the installation guide tell whoever is fitting the part to use the supplied lubricant then it is a good idea to use the lubricant. I have never seen suspension bushings supplied without a satchel of lube. I'd like to see a link to the "Tech" advice you are referring to.

[@agooser26]

Following this question, would like to know the technical dos/don't do on this question.

[@auteurfiddler8706]

@@agooser26 I wonder: 1. Are the bushings rubber or poly? (Usually Poly ones are brightly colored to allow guys to show how cool their suspension looks.) 2. Did that silicone come with the bushings? Did it say to use the lube?

[@auteurfiddler8706]

Actually I agree that Autocross or Gymkana IS an excellent idea for a person that is just learning to drive. I only did one. And it was at college when I was your age. I'd already had my license two years but it was a great experience. It helped build confidence. And, I think I was the second slowest car. The only car that was bigger than mine was the only one that was slower. The track course was so small the smaller the car, the better it did , even if it was just a put put economy car. But , also, I was very cautious, too, and that didn't help my times.

[@michaelau5159]

That was so much fun, watching the video was exhilarating. Sway bars aren't sized on the size of an engine but rather the weight, and distribution of the weight, of the car. I know Holley provided the bar but I'd be looking at modern bar designs for mid 60s Mustang performance driving as the Mustang was derived from the Falcon and is very similar in weight and power. I'd also be fitting a rear bar that complements the front bar something around the size of 5/8 or 3/4 (probably 5/8) would suit a 1" front quite well. After watching the video there is an obvious rake to Carl. Rake is the stance of the car front to rear. The front of Carl sits higher than the rear and this will slow Carl down as the air is being pushed under the car rather than going over it. Mid 60s Falcons can never be accused of being aerodynamic but you want the air going over to help push the front down rather than going under which helps to lift the front up and that decreases tyre contact on the road surface.

[@ElliesGarage]

Thanks so much!! That makes sense about how the sway bars are sized. I guess that's kind of what I meant, but sometimes I just say the first thing that's on my mind. 😂 You're definitely right about Carl's rake backwards. Our leaf springs in the back are pretty worn out. When people sit back there we ride pretty low. So, we're going to be replace the rear leaf springs and we'll take another look at the right heights then. Thank you as always for all of your wisdom and advice!!

[@2nd66tube2]

Watched a few of your videos today ,good stuff . Even this old dog learned a few things . Autox is a great way to learn a lot about your car ,it teaches good emergency maneuver skillzz which is especially whilst driving a vintage car. You made huge improvements in time on each run . I've been Autoxing a few years now in my 66 Mustang (feel free to check my page) except this year I haven't been to one because of helping my elderly parents on the weekend and bad weather , Had a good run at WGI on opening weekend though. Anyway I've been looking up Falcon stuff because I just brought home a 61 Tudor. And FWIW my 1st car was a different 66 Mustang that I got when I was 16 I'm 55 now ,it becomes a part of you .Your doing grat things

[@williamgreen1489]

Ellie, so proud of you! You went from being very nervous to having a blast and that's what it's about. Since you guys built Carl, you've got to do things that you never would have done before. Maybe your next project is an autocross or drift cat 🙂

[@ElliesGarage]

Thanks so much! And YES!!! I want my next car to be a racing Ranchero with the biggest engine I can afford to put in it!!!

[@OldManFrank]

*I had to replace my original rear-end on my 1976 Camaro Rally Sport due to an accident. We swapped in a rear-end from a 1978 Z28 with a sway bar.*

[@j.danaclark2166]

Where I live we cut the sway bars off altogether. The roads are so bad the links break so fast they are hard to keep on.

[@REVNUMANEWBERN]

So wait till you get one for the rear

[@davehaggland9604]

Maybe a new addiction (one I have). Don’t worry about how fast anyone else is, just focus on improving yourself and your car. Pretty soon others will be trying to do what you are. Be careful though as handling mods can be a very slippery slope 😁

[@matthewfenton8775]

Hey Ellie!!! How’s the sniper holding up? I’ve seen many horror stories online but also great stories!

[@ElliesGarage]

Hi!! We have driven the Sniper for over a year and over 10,000 miles and it has been flawless. We'll have a review and dyno tuning episode coming out in January--can't wait!!

[@matthewfenton8775]

@@ElliesGarage awesome! I can’t wait!

[@auteurfiddler8706]

I read that you are upgrading to front disk brakes. I am guessing you want to retain the narrow stock 4 lug wheels so you got an aftermarket kit that uses those. The narrow wheels will hold back your handling as much as lacking a sway bar did. Having a wheel that is too narrow for the tire keeps it from bracing up the sidewall in turns. I know you spent a lot of money getting them powder coated and getting the white wall tires. I'd get 5 lug wheels about 6 or 6 1/2 inches wide. You can still use the factory hub caps and the two good tires you have left. If it is too late and you already have the conversion kit, consider having the wheels widened to about 7 inches. You see, in the 1960's, tires came in "84 series" and "78 series". That means they are tall for the width of the tire and wheel. Today they are usually "75 series" at best. To get a tire tall enough to match the original, you need a tire about an inch and a half wider. And, consequently, a wheel about an inch and a half wider. Also, a front sway bar is good, but front and rear together are the thing to shoot for.

[@ElliesGarage]

Yes, we'll be switching to discs up front, but definitely sticking with the tires. BUT, I'm making plans for our next build to be FAST...so I'll definitely be taking your advice for that build!! Thank you!!

[@rondogwil]

It's official Ellie, you've got racing (of one kind or another) in you blood. Sorry Mom, (LOL) , Ellie. go for it. Get out there and give it your all. Most importantly, have fun. Be safe!

[@ElliesGarage]

😂😂 Right?! I love it!! But I promise to be safe (and fast)!!

[@auteurfiddler8706]

Ellie, what brand was the sway bar? Were the black bushings the bar twisted in rubber or polyurethane? Did the lube come with the kit? Did it say to use lube?

[@ElliesGarage]

It's a Scott Drake sway bar--link in the description. The front bushings were rubber and the end link bushings were poly. The kit didn't say anything about lube and didn't come with it. We had seen a few videos where they recommended silicone grease on the front bushings to minimize squeaking so we decided to go for it and see.

[@dougjustdoug6391]

Hi Ellie, I could tell by the look on your face that you meant business! Events like this are fun because you are essentially competing with yourself. Glad you had fun.

[@ElliesGarage]

Yeah, I can get a little competitive. 😂 I had SO much fun, though!!

[@agooser26]

You said that it didn't have a sway bar at all originally? Is that correct? I know the mustangs all had sway bars and they are supose to be the same under the skin. The original was small though like 3/4 inch. I see you went to the one inch. Why didn't you get a rear sway bar as well? You should do this again and try what is referred to as the "Shelby Drop" repositioning the upper A arm down an inch and back an eighth of an inch. Of course this is more like a weekend change not just while at the track. I would like to see the difference in the 3/4 inch rear sway bar added too. I wonder tif that one could be added from morning session to evening session? One other popular change would be the Koni or KYB shocks. Was this before or after you installed the new fuel injection system? Do you have your videos numbered? I seem to watch them out of order.

[@ElliesGarage]

I don't think sway bars were stock on 4 door Falcon sedans, but I could be wrong. Maybe they were stock on Sprints? I'll need to look that up. Either way, Carl definitely didn't have one when we got him. Great point about the rear sway bar. Honestly, we didn't even know rear sway bars were a thing until after we looked into what a front sway bar was. We're looking into adding in a rear one when we do the rear suspension this fall/winter. Thanks again for the great advice and tips!!

[@agooser26]

@@ElliesGarage oh I look forward to seeing the rear suspension. I have heard good things about the rear leafs that are progressive made of carbon fiber. They are pricy and I don't know how long term that they will hold up but they seem to have lots of supporters.

[@kevinbrown1368]

I can't believe your Falcon didn''t have a sway bar at all!!!!! aaaAAAHHHH! Next up front disk brakes?

[@ElliesGarage]

Right?! Yes! We already have the kit and just need to gather a few more parts, but that's coming soon!

[@Tony_in_AZ]

Oh yeah, big difference with a sway bar.. My 1962 Ford Falcon had a factory sway bar. The Autocross driving will help you towards that drifting driving as you get older. 😉

[@billcobb9408]

its time for a v8

[@Scott-Notredcrew]

😎😎

[@jeffsr8300]

Little things can go a really long way with an old car, consider a tire upgrade just for stuff like this then a shock upgrade. Great job