I know somebody was making aftermarket front sway bars. Also I believe the the 56 wagon if I'm not mistaken has the bigger diameter sway bar.
Fuzzy Knight here on the Hamb posted this a few years ago; "On my 53 I used a big Ford station wagon one in the front, had to make brackets, and used a 80s T bird one in the back" I sent him a private message and asked him for more information and this is what he had to say; Mark it was soooooooooooo easy. I took the brackets that mounted the bar to the rear axel from the donar car. The bar itself had rubber eyes with a sleeve that went sideways not up and down. After mounting it in the car I looked for a spot to mount the uplinks and lo and behold there was a factory hole in the frame right above the end of the bar. I tapped the hole With 5/16 fine thread, I think, and went and got me a 2 5/16 male Heim joints and 2 Female Heim joints. And just as lucky would have it they were the proper length when screwed together. Put a bolt through the top and bottom with a lock nut on the bottom bolt that goes through the sway bar and I was done!!! Should also work on the '55 and '56 Fords. You can also buy them new from a few different suppliers.
Some have adapted later model T-Bird sway bars,get your butt out to your local Pick-A-Part armed with a tape measure and "Git 'Er Done"!
You want to be careful about axle-mounted rear sway bars. I installed a Addco rear bar years ago on a Montego with a 9" rear and the bar would bend the axle housing under hard cornering, killing the axle bearings. Had the housing straightened twice by Art Morrison, took quite a while to figure this one out... It's best to mount the bar to the frame, then drop the links to the axle, as close to spring/suspension points as you can.
I have been wanting sway bars but I'm not sure how this would work with my car laying frame on air ride.
Check out a 56 Ford wagon sway bar- forgot the exact dimensions but was bigger then the stock one on my 56 Victoria
I thought the wagons had larger sway bars then the sedans,the 50s Olds had front and rear sway bars so I am going to grab a rear sway bar from one and see if I can make it work on my 55 convertible.
FWIW Addco makes 'em front & rear. It may involve kits they make for '55-'57 T Birds. Give 'em a call. Putting poly bushings (frame mounts and end links) is about like going to larger sway bars. No rubber to compress before the bars come into action. I use poly on shock studs too. Addco says you get 70% of your control from the rear. A rear bar makes a dramatic improvement in handling. All cop cars have sway bars on both ends.
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