[StriperSS]

When you begin to modify your car for better handling, the system only becomes as good as the weakest link, and the weakest link keeps changing as you continue to modify. When you correct one thing, another needs attention. Change the sway bar, you need better tires, change the tires, you find the control arm bushings are sloppy. Change them, and maybe the arms themselves need strengthening. Get that done, and now you put poly bushings in the end links. Now you're happy, the car corners so much better, and you start playing more, taking off ramps faster, and you're congratulating yourself on how much you saved with the Ford bar. Of course, you like to show a couple of your friends how good it corners too.
What you don't realise, is that the considerable extra weight of the wagon is putting a side load force on that poor triangle brace that is just there to brace the rear crossmember to the frame. What will be the consequences? Will it kink the frame? Crack the rear crossmember? The cost to repair that, would be considerable. It would mean dropping the rearend out, the exhaust, and anything else to weld it back up.
What you call an antiquated system, actually works well, and if you think the points the control arms bolt to are weak, what is your thought on that poor little brace you want to bolt to?
There is just no substitute for doing things right the first time. I understand that we all want to save money, and get maximum benefit for minimum investment, but lets think these things through. We're talking about cars here that will be hauling wives and children on the street. Two places we should not be cutting corners is in brakes and suspension. A failure here could cost limb or life. If you engine or trans fails, you coast to the side of the road. Brakes or suspension failure could put you off the road.

 

[StriperSS]

I think you missed my point. That sway bar setup may be adequate for a Crown Vic sedan going to that frame brace, but we're talking about a lot of extra weight, a lot farther from the axle here.
I have a lot of experience with different sway bar setups on cars, as I was champion in my class, autocrossing in the 79 - 80 season with a 67 Malibu. There were no aftermarket parts for that car back then, so there was lots of experimentation and parts swapping to get me to that point. I broke more suspension parts trying different things than most of you here.
I worked on other peoples cars too. I put an Addco bar on my wifes car because she wanted to autocross too, and it was just like the Crown Vic setup. She actually tore it out of the frame during one event, and we had to weld up gussets to reinstall it. This was a car much lighter than our wagons by about 2,000lbs.
Our cars, with properly boxed lower control arms and a factory style bar will not break things.
When you put a side load force on a bracket that is designed to brace in only one direction, it will stress that bracket until there is some give.
Did I mention how much extra weight there is on our wagons?
I can believe in something till I'm blue in the face, but if it's unsound, my belief will not overcome it.
You are correct when you say that it's cheap to do, bolts in, and results in a performance improvement, however, I believe there will be a cost down the road.