76 FURY
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Aspen500
Well-Known Member
The '76 Fury is a B-body along with Charger and Cordoba. They have longitudinal t-bars that are sort of isolated. The rear anchor is a rubber bushing mounted crossmember, behind the old style t-bar anchor. the bars go through the holes that used to house the anchor points. Also, the "K-frame" is rubber isolated, similar to the F/M/J body.
Depending on where the car is from, about the only real issue is rust. More importantly, hidden rust. Those cars tend to rust the rear spring shackle mounts and next thing you know, you hear a loud BANG,and the spring shackle tears through the trunk floor. It's also possible for the front hanger bracket to rust enough that it comes through under the rear seat area. As you can sort of tell from the pic below, the body might look fine yet with little to no rust. What I mean is, check the underside carefully. Otherwise, if they were taken care of, there aren't really any issues that I'm aware of.
Had a '78 Cordoba from 1987-1996 (bad pic from around 1995) and until rust beyond any reasonable repair (at the time) took over, it was one of the best cars I've ever owned. Quiet, comfortable, handled very well, got decent mpg's (for a 360 4brl), never had a bit of trouble with the cruise, A/C or anything else for that matter. I still miss that one! Went to the scrapyard with the FRONT spring hanger showing under the rear seat but the interior was still 99% mint yet and very little body rust, even with 300,000 miles. If I had it now, the repairs would have been done but at the time, it just was not possible.
Depending on where the car is from, about the only real issue is rust. More importantly, hidden rust. Those cars tend to rust the rear spring shackle mounts and next thing you know, you hear a loud BANG,and the spring shackle tears through the trunk floor. It's also possible for the front hanger bracket to rust enough that it comes through under the rear seat area. As you can sort of tell from the pic below, the body might look fine yet with little to no rust. What I mean is, check the underside carefully. Otherwise, if they were taken care of, there aren't really any issues that I'm aware of.
Oldiron440
Well-Known Member
I bought several cop cars 75 and 76 that were a great part cars, all were 400 4v, wish I hadn't scraped them all. Paid 150 to 200 for them in 1990.
Are there replacement poly,aluminum(like the F body)... for the K member? Is that additional support for the torsion bar necessary? Can it be removed and allowed to be like the pre 1976 suspensions? Do they also have the ISO for the rear suspension(rubber insulators)?
80mirada
Well-Known Member
The urethane and aluminum K-member bushings are available. Firm Feel has bushings for the torsion bar crossmember. Converting to the 71-72 front suspension would require a lot of work
Oldiron440
Well-Known Member
Seems I read somewhere that the K member bushing for the f andb bodys are the same as are the isoclamp rears.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
No, it's very similar to an F/M/J k-frame, minus the transverse bars. The t-bars are anchored the way they are for NVH isolation. It's a bolt in cross member with rubber mounts, just behind the trans crossmember. The bars actually go through the holes where the old style bars anchored, so they are longer.
To put an old style k and suspension in would be a fairly big project. It's far from a bolt in. Besides, it isn't necessary. If you put the poly (or solid) k-frame insulators in, it'll be pretty much the same as the old solid mount k-frames. Having the t-bars mounted on a rubber isolated cross member makes no difference in handling. There is poly t-bar x-member bushings available also from most of the usual suppliers.
Speaking of k-frames, just like F/M/J, they also have a tendency to rust out around the rear mounts. It's sort of a pocket and crap (like salt) gets trapped and does it's thing. No big deal to fix, especially if the bushings are being replaced.
To put an old style k and suspension in would be a fairly big project. It's far from a bolt in. Besides, it isn't necessary. If you put the poly (or solid) k-frame insulators in, it'll be pretty much the same as the old solid mount k-frames. Having the t-bars mounted on a rubber isolated cross member makes no difference in handling. There is poly t-bar x-member bushings available also from most of the usual suppliers.
Speaking of k-frames, just like F/M/J, they also have a tendency to rust out around the rear mounts. It's sort of a pocket and crap (like salt) gets trapped and does it's thing. No big deal to fix, especially if the bushings are being replaced.
The ’72 (and older) B-body K-frames look like:
There was a /6 version and a version for all V-8’s. A few differences over the years – mostly with the pitman arm and sway bar location.
The ’73 to ’81 B and R-body K-frames look like:
Mostly unchanged over the years – but where are three versions, /6, small and big block. The rubber mounts for K-frame are different from FMJ’s are – but the solid replacements (iron, aluminum or urethane) are the same as FMJ. With that said, the solid mount locations are different than FMJ (fronts for FMJ are rear mounts for B/R and vice-versa).
Note: if someone wanted to modify a FMJ K-frame for big block install - the above picture is a good example of what modifications are needed. The mount locations (Left to Right) is the same - but front to rear locations as well as height locations are different (for both sides).
The ’73-81 B-body K-frame are not easy to change out (an all weekend long job)
There is another crossmember, mid car ('73-81) that is also rubber isolated for the torsion bars make contact. I don’t fully understand why to make the torsion bar crossmember rubber isolated (on the fixed end of bar).
The part marked Crossmember Rear Anchor (shaded) is mounted behind the Transmission Mounting Crossmember. When assembled - there is two separate crossmembers, one just in front of the other. The torsion bars go through holes made in the crossmember (not named in the picture) - and you can see the holes there.
The ’66-78 C-body K-frame is huge (and heavy). It is like a full car frame but cut in half (front half) then boxed in and reinforced – so it weighs twice/three times more. Solid (pickup) cab mounts can work for them – but not sure would actually help any/much. The only time to consider removal of a C-body K-frame is for a complete/through restoration – for K-frame removal is not for the faint of heart.
BudW
There was a /6 version and a version for all V-8’s. A few differences over the years – mostly with the pitman arm and sway bar location.
The ’73 to ’81 B and R-body K-frames look like:
Mostly unchanged over the years – but where are three versions, /6, small and big block. The rubber mounts for K-frame are different from FMJ’s are – but the solid replacements (iron, aluminum or urethane) are the same as FMJ. With that said, the solid mount locations are different than FMJ (fronts for FMJ are rear mounts for B/R and vice-versa).
Note: if someone wanted to modify a FMJ K-frame for big block install - the above picture is a good example of what modifications are needed. The mount locations (Left to Right) is the same - but front to rear locations as well as height locations are different (for both sides).
The ’73-81 B-body K-frame are not easy to change out (an all weekend long job)
There is another crossmember, mid car ('73-81) that is also rubber isolated for the torsion bars make contact. I don’t fully understand why to make the torsion bar crossmember rubber isolated (on the fixed end of bar).
The part marked Crossmember Rear Anchor (shaded) is mounted behind the Transmission Mounting Crossmember. When assembled - there is two separate crossmembers, one just in front of the other. The torsion bars go through holes made in the crossmember (not named in the picture) - and you can see the holes there.
The ’66-78 C-body K-frame is huge (and heavy). It is like a full car frame but cut in half (front half) then boxed in and reinforced – so it weighs twice/three times more. Solid (pickup) cab mounts can work for them – but not sure would actually help any/much. The only time to consider removal of a C-body K-frame is for a complete/through restoration – for K-frame removal is not for the faint of heart.
BudW
