When driving my fully restored '62 Valiant Signet, I have noticed that turning left or right at highway speeds makes the car dip sharply in the direction I am turning (such as a passing maneuver). I've changed the wheels to 6"x 14 Cragar SS's, with 215x60R BFG's, and this has greatly improved the handling. BUT, the car is otherwise stock, and it still plows into the turns, oversteering, so I wonder if I need to go to a larger diameter torsion bar, or what? Anyone have any ideas about this? Thanks.

Front tires break loose first = "plow" = understeer. (also called "pushing")
Rear tires break loose first = "tail happy" = oversteer (also called "loose")

If your A-Body suspension is stock then stiffer springs, shocks and anti-sway bars are what you need to get the car to really handle well.
Oversteer / understeer can be adjusted with spring rate (stiffness) and with the sway bar size.
DD

Sounds like it may be a toe out issue. Does the steering return when you let the wheel go coming out of a turn? Might need more caster as well.
I'd get a good alignment before anything else to see where you are at.

Regards, Andrew.

New steering parts, new alignment, but steering wheel does not return to center, mostly because it is power steering. Second rebuilt steering box being put in now, so I'll see how that helps it. But the plowing of the front end is the main problem. I'll add a .99 torsion bar from Summit or somewhere and see how that helps. Thanks.

yee! don't put the cart before the horse.
The reason your car pushes in the turns may be a variety of things. However, i would start with adding a sway bar and better shocks. The addition of good shocks with good compression settings usually cures that nasty nose dive. Also, if you have a good alignment your steering should come back to center without much (if any) coaxing.
You mentioned that the steering components were new-- what about the bushings? I suspect that you changed all that too but figured i'd ask anyway.
If you decide to take the leap to the 990's i'd list a set of KYBs or some performance aftermarket shocks to control them as a mandatory upgrade. The big bars just laugh at puny shocks.
Also, a push can be brought on by a really big front swaybar and with no rear bar or unmatched rear springs.
Just some things to consider...

-JYH

I have installed .89 torsion bars and KYB's on all four corners. This has helped tremendously with the diving front end. I have sway bars for both front and rear, so my new question is: should I go ahead and install the sway bars, or should I leave the car alone as is? It handles much better now, but not up to sports car standards (my other car is a Viper). It'll never be a viper, but do you think installing the sway bars will make a big improvement? They are the proper sizes recommended by Addco, etc. Thanks.

_________________
Restored '62 Signet, 229 4bl, Offy intake, auto, Dual Dutra exhausts, shaved head and block, high stall converter, 1.6 roller rockers, etc.

Start with the addition of the front bar. And then see how it feels.
Don't forget to zero the bar before the test drive.

As for the rear bar... well, the debate has raged on for years deep into the ranks of the mopar handling geeks, effectively splitting the population. The opposing sides are equally split at no bar and yes bar. Most of the kids who tout the bar out back say go big or go home. Those that are ixnay on the rear unit cite oversteer out the wazoo and a very technical "twitchy at high speed" explaination.

I fall somewhere inbetween. I run a very small adjustable rear bar.
BUT, here's the catch... my spring rates are much softer than alot of my contemporaries... and my set-up has been dialed in to the Nth degree.

Remember that a rear bar is a tuning aid, not a band-aid for a poorly set up car.

Whether or not you want to run a rear bar, size of the bar and even the location and attaching method depends entirely on first, the intended application of the car and second, what the set up of the car is (ie spring rates, roll centers, roll couple and distribution weights).

Doing homework before bolting on parts pays off big. Think, ask questions, analyze, read and then proceed.

Good luck homeslice!

-JYH