1969 Nova L78 Rear Leaf Springs

[68-69-70Nova SSL78]

I'm restoring a 1969 L78 Nova turbo 400. My question is did the turbo 400 L78's come with 4 or 5 rear leaf springs? Mine has 4 now but want to make sure. I believe Camaro's would have the same setup. Does anyone know why 4 or 5 leaf springs were offered? Was one or the other considered more heavy duty? Any info would really help. Thanks

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

We've seen both, not sure that there is any logic to one vs the other.

[JRSully]

I don't know if any 69 L78 Nova's had the the 4 leaf, I know the 70 had it both ways (could be wrong though). The 4 leaf set up actually has thicker leaves than the 5

[396L78canuck]

My November 69 built 70 Nova 396 has the original 4 leaf rear srpings.The car came with the F41 suspension without a rear sway bar.Bob

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

That would be correct, the F41 with the rsb update didn't happen till approx. Jan of '70. It is possible that the hard switch to the 5 leaf springs happened in Jan of '70 as well, but we are not completely sure of that yet.

[JRSully]

My May 70 L78 Nova w/ F41 and rsb came with the 4 leaf set up. I heard that spring selection was determined by options ordered/added on the vehicle at time of ordering, who knows for sure on that though

[1969l78]

My 69 L78 survivor car has the 5 leaf. Its a march of 69 car.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

The option list did dictate spring selection, but I think it was more for the front coil springs as opposed to the rear leafs. I think there was really only two spring packs, and the HD version could be either the 4 or 5 leaf version depending on what was brought to the line.

[Mr.Nickey Nova]

My Jan. built 70 survivor L34 still retains it's original 4 leaf setup which i always thought was the heavy duty type due to the thicker springs.So,is the F40 a HD suspension and the F41 a performance suspension with the 5 leafs?? I have heard all kinds of different stories on this subject.

[JRSully]

FWIW,I know my May 70 L78 still had the original blue HH spring tags on the front coils, has the 13/16th Front sway bar and the 11/16 rear bar with 4 leaf set up. It was all undisturbed when I got the car.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

The F41 option was bars and shocks, not springs. So, it is not uncommon to find a Sully car vs. a Yenko Deuce - both with F41, but with different spring packs (one with 4 leafs and others with 5). The 4 leaf packs are not so much 'heavy duty' due to their thickness, they are thick so as to fill the spring pocket - it's the same pocket for both the 4 and 5 leaf packs.

[69SSZL1]

Good info here: http://www.chevynova.org/index.html

[Nova Research Project]

Short version for the record:

69 L78 HD F40 had BK coded 5 leaf springs 100 pound rate(Listed as RPO on the spring calculators)
69 L78 Special Purpose F41 (springs and shocks only) had BG coded 4 leaf springs 125 pound rating (listed as HD on my spring calculators on my site)

In 70 they renamed the Heavy Duty F40 to Special Suspension and the F41 was called Sport Suspension and added the rear swaybar late in production, however they were the same springs as 69.

But yes springs were computer selected base on weight and options. That is why the LT1 used the BK 5 leaf as its F41 Sport Suspension vs the stiffer BG 4 leaf. The lighter block yielded over all less weight and required a lighter rated spring.

Both the 69 and 70 spring calculators are on the projects section of chevnova.org.

Greg

[JRSully]

Greg, thanks for the clarification. Your stuff, with family and trailer w/Nova, are coming to the Nats. Gonna be one packed Tahoe, see you then. SULLY

[Nova Research Project]

Hey Sully, I tried to PM you and your box is full.

I had planned to go by way of your place but this works too. I will need to the the rent when I see ya!

Thanks again!
Greg

[JRSully]

Greg, cleaned out PM box, either wha works, just let me know. SULLY