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My brother-in-law just picked up a 1980 L82 with 47K original miles and looks completely untampered with. It's an august build date, so its near the end of production . The car has a fiberglass rear leaf spring. Is there any evidence out there that very late 1980s had OEM fiberglass leaf springs installed at factory? Knowing the 81's were getting the glass spring, could this be a possibility, and if yes, would it show up as a different code on the tank sticker ? His tank sticker is in place, he has not removed it yet.Any thoughts? TIA, Craig
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Re: 1980 Corvette OEM spring question
I have to say no. Remember not all 1981 Corvettes had the Fiberglass-Reinforced Monoleaf Rear Spring. ALL FE7 Gymkhana Suspension 1981 Corvettes had the steel spring style. So I don't believe GM-St Louis had run out of steel springs and substituded a plastic spring. Could be sometime in the 27 years since your Corvette left St Louis some caring owner swapped for a plastic spring. Save the Wave.>George -
Re: 1980 Corvette OEM spring question
Craig-----
I believe that the GM #14021603 rear spring used on all non-FE-7 1980 Corvettes was a fiberglass spring. If the car has FE-7, then it used spring GM #14021603 which is a steel leaf spring.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1980 Corvette OEM spring question
Craig, I had an 80 brand new with the gym. suspension and let me tell you it was one horrible ride. Bang. Bang. My back used to kill with that thing. So I treated the car like it was a Nextel cup job and hardly had any air in the tirs. I think I ran about 15 lbs. Yes the tires didn't last but I didn't care. Anyhow the fix back then was to put the later spring in. So I would leave well enough alone and enjoy the ride. JohnComment
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Re: 1980 Corvette OEM spring question
Just a reminder that 1977 Corvettes thur 2007 Corvettes that the window stickers ARE Available.
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Correction
Craig-----
I did some further checking and I find that, apparently, the 14021603 spring was steel and NOT fiberglass.
As far as if the presently installed fiberglass spring could have been factory-installed in late 1980, I don't know. I'd say it's possible, though. I would check the installed spring for evidence of a part number. If you find the number 9764141, then I'd say it's POSSIBLE that it was factory-installed. If you find any other number or if you find it's prominently branded a TRW spring, then it was not factory installed.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1980 Corvette OEM spring question
For the 82 up Corvettes this service is also available from the Corvette Museum. About 5 years ago I got window sticker, etc. from them for my 84. JDComment
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Re: 1980 Corvette OEM spring question
For the 82 up Corvettes this service is also available from the Corvette Museum. About 5 years ago I got window sticker, etc. from them for my 84. JDComment
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