I used air bags (preloaded the passenger side) along with aftermarket factory style LCA mounted sway bar (Hotchkis LCA) and was hitting 1.65-1.70 60' times consistently when running a 469" motor in the 11.50-11.60 @116-117 mph range on 275-60/15 MT drag radial with nothing more than stock suspension. Even the front springs were stock rate with a KB shock all around. Dropped in the 540" motor and 60' time just fell apart. Started the suspension makeover, lowering the car, frame mounted ARB, lower rate front springs, adjustable shocks. It was a makeover still in process when I decided to sell the car. A lot has to do with what tire you're going to run. Drag radial doesn't give you the flexibility in suspension settings like a tubed bias ply where the sidewall will flex and still keep the tread in contact with the road. Drag radial instantly unloads and you're done.
That's why I said that my comments do NOT apply to 11,12, and 13 second cars. But I believe you were on the right track when you ditched the airbag and replaced it with ARB.
In a certain way, it's kinda the same with rear no-hop bars for the upper arms vs. lift bars or relocation brackets for the lower arms. The No-hop bars for the uppers are good for 13,12, and sometimes even some 11 second A-body cars. But once you start making the power to get these cars into the 10 second and 9 second ranges, No-hop bars don't work anymore since they shorten the instant center too much. Having the IC too short for your power level not only increases the hit on the rear tires more than you need, but decreases the duration of that hit and sends the tires bouncing back up too hard and too quick back up into the wheel wells after the initial hit. It works good for some of the slower A-bodies with 400-500 HP. But once you get into the 600+HP range with these cars, the lift bars or relocation brackets for manipulating the angles of the lower arms will work better.
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