'73 torsion bars - which end is which?

["Jim Stacey" <jstacey@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings,

I pulled the torsion bars out of the '73 I'm restoring this weekend and
noticed something that puzzles me.

I know there is a left and a right bar, but which end of the bars goes to
the front (control arm) and which one goes to the back (frame)?  It think
I've proved to myself that by reversing the bar end-for-end it would end up
twisting the opposite way, which would defeat the purpose of specific
left/right bars.

I checked the '73 FSM, but can't find any reference to putting a particular
end of the bar in a particular location. It also says that R or L is marked
on ONE end of the bars, but in my case, they are marked on BOTH ends.

My bars are stamped as follows:

Right bar - one end says "UPD513L" the other end says "513L 1.02"
Left bar - one end says "UPD512R" the other end says "512R 1.02"

I noticed on the OIC site a reference to torsion bars (not sure what year
was being discussed) with the end marked left or right going in to the
control arm, but since both ends are marked L or R in this case, that
doesn't help.

BTW, I can't rely on how they were installed before I removed them, because
I had them out myself about 20 years ago before I put the car away for
storage, and may have got them back in wrong.  Just for interest however,
one was installed with the "UPD" end in the control arm and the other had
the "UPD" end in the frame. (I suspect I had them in wrong!)

I am wondering if I am missing something obvious by not knowing what "UPD"
stands for?

Does anyone know which end goes into the control arm, and if so, what is the
source of this information?

Thanks,


Jim Stacey
'73 4drht in 1000 pieces
near Toronto