Re: IML: Torsion Bar Front Suspension

["Bill Watson" <wwatson5@xxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, etc. could run rings around virtually any North
American car in the early 1960's.   But when comparing North American luxury
cars, the Imperial had the edge in the hadnling department.

I humbly suggest you dig up the road tests from Mechanix Illustrated, Car &
Driver, Motor Trend, Motor Life, Car Life, etc. from 1957 through to the
fuselage era.   The testers all raved about the handling of the Imperial,
although the superiority over Cadillac and Lincoln declined over the years
as Chrysler softened the ride.  As as the ride was softened, the marks
Imperial received for a nice, smooth ride increased.   The 1957-66 Imperials
always won high points for handling, although came in 2nd or 3rd in the
boulevard ride department.

As for European cars not having torsion bars, where do you think the idea
came from?  The 1949 line of Morris and Wolseley cars all had torsion bars
up front (with adjusters at the rear of the bars), leaf springs in  the rear
with Lockheed brakes (dual wheel cylinders up front on all but the Minor) on
all four wheels.  Plus they had rack and pinion steering and unibody
construction.   They, too, received marks for handling, especially the
Oxford when compared to its main competitor, the Austin Devon, with front
coil springs, cam and peg steering and hydraulic-mechanical brakes
(hydraulic front and mechanical rear).   The Wolseley models had single ohc
engines.

Other makes from the late 1940's into the 1960's that used front torsion
bars on various models included Armstrong-Siddeley, Citroen, DKW, Fiat,
Jaguar, Jowett. Lanchester, Lea-Francis, Pegaso, Porsche, Renault, Riley
(their hemi head fours were tested by Chrysler while engineering the 331
hemi V8), Rover, Simca, and the Volkswagen beetle.   The Horizon/Omni twins
were engineered in France , bodies designed in Britain, with torsion bar
suspension.  When Chrysler modified the Horizon for American production, the
bars were dropped and replaced by MacPherson struts.  Some Mercedes-Benz
cars of the 1950's used torsion bars in addition to coils as assist in heavy
use, by the way.

As well, torsion bars were used in the rear by Alfa Romeo, Bristol, BMW,
Citroen, Frazer-Nash. Jowett, Lagonda, Panhard, Pegaso, Porsche, Saab,
Simca, Tatra, and the Volkswagen beetle.

And, back in the U.S.A., the 1955-56 Clipper and Packard could be had with a
4-wheel torsion bar system with load-leveller.

With the arrival of FWD, both torsion bars and coil springs were generally
replaced by MacPherson struts up front.

Bill
Vancouver, BC




-----Original Message-----
From: baker-michaels@xxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, 20 Jul 2006 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: IML: Why choose ...wait one second...


I don't agree with you, but that is what makes the world go around. If the
torsion bar suspension was so superior why didn't any European cars use it
to make their cars handle better. It is known around the world that pretty
much any Luxury brand made outside of the United States (until recently)
will out handle almost any Chrysler Corp car with the torsion bar
suspension. We don't buy these American Luxury cars of the 50's, 60's and
70's to throw through a slalom. We buy them comfort and cruising down the
highway. As I said and will repeat, What you feel is superior someone else
might not. What works for one person doesn't work for the other. Buy what
you like and leave everyone else to buy and appreciate what they like. Bob
----- Original Message ----- 
From: randalpark@xxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:19 AM


Subject: Re: IML: Why choose ...wait one second...


How a cars drives and handles may be personal taste, but the torsion bar
front suspension on our Imperials was/is superior to the front coils on the
other two cars, hands down. That is a fact, and there is nothing else to say
about it.

There was nothing in the post putting down anyone's car, unless you think a
spinach salad or a maple bar have something on each other. My point was that
there is basically no comparison between an '80s Imperial and a '60s
Lincoln, other than the fact that they are both automobiles. I have driven
Lincoln's for years, but still believe that the Imperials from 1957 onward
handle better than anything comparable built in America.

Paul W.




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