Traction bars

[Zman1969]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pxtx</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

These are off a 50's Vette. Probably the shortest set made at 25&quot; long. They are the later style, cause the wider spring pad and lack of a tail. They are also equal in length. What do those other ones measure without the tail? I can only guess that the unequal set-up was an early thing, before slapper bars were properly sorted. </div></div>


Paul is the orange color correct for the later bars? I thought all lakewoods were yellow?

[whitetop]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Zman1969</div><div class="ubbcode-body">


Paul is the orange color correct for the later bars? I thought all lakewoods were yellow? </div></div>

They were all yellow..you can sorta see the yellow paint under the orange. The lakewood traction action decals were sometimes put on at the factory and sometimes not. I had 5-6 boxes of NOS ones over the years and about 1/2 of the decals were installed...the rest were loose decals inside the box

I suspect the original owner of these bars painted them orange to match something on his car.

[PxTx]

I don't recall seeing any signs of yellow on these bars. The color is more red in person. If I placed them next to an old lakewood bell housing, it would seem to be the same color to me.

Either they came red or someone blasted the yellow off, painted them red and installed the decals on them before they were ever installed. I'll try to post some better pics tonight.

Looking back, there seems to be some yellow on the back of the one pic. Let me dig them out and confirm.

[Zman1969]

I ask because my bars are ready to be sand blasted and coated

[Day2_69Z]

Another way Lakewoods came was with Painted on Tampos.
Similar to the Traction Action decals you see here on restored bars.
These were :
TRACTION
...ACTION !!!
mostly seen on the Competition long bars with J Bolts and front / rear spring clamps in both the
2 1/2&quot; Square (early sets) &amp; rectangular tubing.
The Lakewood Decal fore &amp; aft the Tempo Script was random as was the Trade Mark Yellow or Red color paint on the bars.
Those Red bars above are TAMPO'd in PAINT.. w/ Original Decal. .
I'm Going to express this:::::
I HAVE SEEN MANY. RED &amp; YELLOW BARS in Original Paint &amp; TAMPO.
Seems the early Competition bars circa '67-68-69 -70 came Tampo painted and the later ones with decals on or in the box.....This too was random..
If you had a Real Race car you had long square or rectangle bars with J bolts for preload chassis adjustment &amp; deceleration clamps.
Most Hot street n strip cars had similar setups..... and most street cars used the short bars which were mostly rectangle.
The Square Bars were heavy therefore, revised/retooled as time went on ....and the advent of &quot;Ladder bars with floater leaf springs&quot; along with Narrowed rears had Lakewood marketing suitable, sellable bars for the masses....with Stock type set-ups.

Just some input to help clear up what Era Bar is best suitable for your application.....
Keep in mind Lakewood was the Premiere Traction Device Manufactor in the Late 60's - Mid 70's ....
Mr Gasket marketed &quot;other brands&quot; under there name...(they never had there own R&amp;D or Device)
Motion used a competitive , compareable device as &quot;price &amp; profit&quot; allowed.....Most speed shops carried various brands for Useage and Cost structure. Not everybody could afford LAKEWOOD Money back then ...therefore many Vendors offered up copies, knock offs and functional yet, cheesey Substitutes for the &quot;Look&quot; of with &quot;Low&quot; Cost !
Most of these were JUNK Ricky Racer type none of us would use today on our VINTAGE DAY 2 Cars.

[Day2_69Z]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pxtx</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't recall seeing any signs of yellow on these bars. The color is more red in person. If I placed them next to an old lakewood bell housing, it would seem to be the same color to me.

Either they came red or someone blasted the yellow off, painted them red and installed the decals on them before they were ever installed. I'll try to post some better pics tonight.

Looking back, there seems to be some yellow on the back of the one pic. Let me dig them out and confirm. </div></div>
Look Red with Tamp Paint to me... also Notice the Original Lakewood Decal with no &quot;R&quot; on it ....;-). Real baby! Restore those in Red with new Decals in TRACTION
...ACTION!
Nice , Rare bars....

[Zman1969]

OK looking at PXTX bars on page 22 his and mine above are different my bars have 2 holes for the J-bolts and PXTX has just on one side?
and BillD's 2 sets are different lengths of early style so thats 4 different types of square tube bars that I see here - weird

[Day2_69Z]

Dupli Color makes a near perfect match for Lakewood Yellow.

Dupli-Color Engine Enamel
with Ceramic.
DE 1642 DAYTONA YELLOW
its just enough &quot;pale yellow&quot; that matched my original paint Yellow bars
You can &quot;Bake them in Mama's oven&quot; when she's not home for that Genuine Baked Enamel factory finish. chemicals &amp; tire rubber won't effect them.

[PxTx]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Zman1969</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK looking at PXTX bars on page 22 his and mine above are different my bars have 2 holes for the J-bolts and PXTX has just on one side?
and BillD's 2 sets are different lengths of early style so thats 4 different types of square tube bars that I see here - weird </div></div>

The red bars were on an early Vette and I think there were some clearance issues. The outer pad was trimmed for clearance. They were like yours Rich. More pics tonight.

[BillD]

My unequal length bars do not use the horse shoe style bracket, they use this:

When I get home from work I will post a photo of the mounting bracket on the bottom of the bar. Also, looking at ChevyandPontiacs pictures of his bars it looks like his similar style bars are also different length. One last note, somewhere at home I have a 1969? Lakewood Catalog which shows the bars with the straight bracket shown in the photo here. If I can find the catalog I will post it