Why?

[spyderhunter]

I've been reading many posts about the problems h-bodies have with handling issues and the many (fixes) that never really fix the problems. What exactly is it that makes these cars Not handle the way we know they should (or want)? Other small cars handle well and have short wheelbases and are narrow also. Why does this problem seem so hard to fix right? I have a 02 BMW 325xi wagon that handles really well ..... and it's a WAGON! No offense to the wagon owners...I had a monza wagon once.

[avewhtboy]

The problems come from poor design of the front suspension from the factory. The caster camber ackerman and bump steer are all
not set up to get "optimum" steering geometry. The rear suspension is set up pretty well if you have the later torque arm suspension.

That's the short answer, how you go about correcting these things is where there is room for interpetation.

[marco_1978_spyder]

Most H body owners know the culprit....

it's that dang nut behind the wheel most of the time

[spencerforhire]

Personally, I think the H-body cars handle pretty well; at least compared to other mid 70's cars. Have any of you ever driven a Gremlin? or a Maverick? Or any Mustang previous to a Fox Body? All inferior to any H-body, as long as it had sway bars(like a Vega GT or Monza Spyder). The geniuses at GM hung a V8 engine waaaay too far out forward of the centerline of the front wheels and therefore made sure they would never handle like a true sports car.
I drove 1st gen Camaros for 6 or 7 years before I bought my first Vega; at the time I thought it was quite a step up.
There's been lots of discussion on here about how to solve the perceived "poor" handling with talk of "Ackerman" and "bump steer" and "scrub radius" and lots of other suspension tuning buzz works. As I see it, the best way to improve handling on one of our beloved H-bodies is to chuck out that cast iron small block lump and stick something light and powerful under the hood. Anything from an Ecotec 4 to a V8 LS from a Camaro or Corvette(or Trailblazer as well).

[marco_1978_spyder]

+1

I've been reading many posts about the problems h-bodies have with handling issues and the many (fixes) that never really fix the problems. What exactly is it that makes these cars Not handle the way we know they should (or want)? Other small cars handle well and have short wheelbases and are narrow also. Why does this problem seem so hard to fix right? I have a 02 BMW 325xi wagon that handles really well ..... and it's a WAGON! No offense to the wagon owners...I had a monza wagon once.

isn't it sort of hard to say definitively 'how these cars handled' ? I've run basically old junk around a local scca course and scored up with the front gunner's in my class. But what does that even mean, other than a fun day I had.

The cars were engineered from the factory to handle the corners, potholes and steep driveways on grandma's way to the grocery store, not the scca circuit. The sport models were just a bit more taught. Just enough to please the buyer and still not upset grandma over rough road's. The rest was up to the owner and the springs and swaybar kit's sold by ieco and dobi back in the heyday. And then the tire issue. 13's are an issue. I had a very well worn 79 spyder that had an ieco kit, and 215 60 14's all around and handled exactly the way I wanted and no oil pan-to-pavement issues.

And remember, a porsche is a porsche, of coursche, of coursche.

[Kenova]

My first H-body was a '77 Astre, purchased used in October '77.
I also owned a '75 Camaro at the same time.
I found the handling of the two very comparable, although a little different probably because of the difference in weight.
They did however suffer from the same problem, undersized tires.
The only time my 4 cyl. Vega is really fun is when I'm throwing it through corners on the highway.
It still needs more tire.

Ken

[bugdewde]

As mentioned, it's 70s technology.... geared towards grandma and grocery gettin'. Of course, the GTs and Sport versions got anti-sway bars.... but they're still 70s tech. Actually, late 60s tech (when they were developed).

Good enough for grandma.... check it out.
I actually enjoy driving my stock Vega (GT) in these hills and curves around the lake:
https://youtu.be/nRmaoh5MDyE
same road, different viewpoint: https://youtu.be/BzxccBNuPwo

Different road, camera under the car focused on the lower control arm/balljoint.
https://youtu.be/DASzjKBueAc
if you look at the anti-swaybar bushings in the upper left corner, you can see that poly bushings in there would help a lot.

Just for giggles, check out same road but in a 1960 VW Bug..... you wanna talk about bad handling? Love that H-body. (eventhough my '60 Bug has more power than any stock H-body).
https://youtu.be/JqJsFmZI8ho

[EVL VEGA]

Because i have a heavy v-8 in a little car and have no front sway bar? At least it goes straight really well.