It’s possible the continuous weight stripped something out in the adjuster, or sheared the rear mounts. It’s also possible that it twisted the bars, but those usually aren’t the weak points.
If both torsion bars relaxed, I'd look at the frame member that holds them up the back end gives them something to twist against. It may have failed, letting them go. I don't know how much rust is under there, but the car is 50 years old and those torsion bars could have let go on a sunny summer day without the extra load of all that snow. Just my theory, and that's where I'd start looking.
I’ve had old GM/Ford cars and trucks sitting out in MN winters for years… the snow load has never been an issue for them whatsoever. There absolutely had to be underlying issues to cause this to happen.
90 % of all mopars in massachusetts ended there life when the right torsion bar anchor tore including my 73 scamp in the 80s back then nobody fixed them
It’s possible the continuous weight stripped something out in the adjuster, or sheared the rear mounts. It’s also possible that it twisted the bars, but those usually aren’t the weak points.
If both torsion bars relaxed, I'd look at the frame member that holds them up the back end gives them something to twist against. It may have failed, letting them go. I don't know how much rust is under there, but the car is 50 years old and those torsion bars could have let go on a sunny summer day without the extra load of all that snow. Just my theory, and that's where I'd start looking.
I’ve had old GM/Ford cars and trucks sitting out in MN winters for years… the snow load has never been an issue for them whatsoever. There absolutely had to be underlying issues to cause this to happen.
Did the torsion bars break
The snow may have triggered this, but that’s not the root cause. I see deep rust everywhere. Do they salt the roads where you live?
Absolutely- they salt the roads so heavy here that brand new pickup trucks will have the bodies completely rust out in 6-10 years.
Worst case... the whole front suspension is shot. Best scenario... it's only One thing broke not all of it...
That’s being optimistic.
Are you around Rushmore mn by chance? I swear I've seen a collection like yours on the corner of 310th and and jones.
How much you got?
90 % of all mopars in massachusetts ended there life when the right torsion bar anchor tore including my 73 scamp in the 80s back then nobody fixed them