67 F41 front springs

[Dennis Rosenthal]

What are the correct front springs for a F41 427 ac car? My car has the following, 15/16 front bar, 7 leaf rear spring, but when I removed the front springs they were tagged with EF & pt # 3888251 which is for a 427 ac car Im assuming without F41. The front shocks are orig F41's while the rear has non F41 gas charged NAPA replacements. While the suspension disassembled Id like to put it back correctly either leaving it alone if it is in fact correct, or returning it to standard suspension if that is correct. All help is appreciated

[Joe L.]

Re: 67 F41 front springs

Dennis----

As far as I know, F-41 suspension was only available with the L-71, L-88, and L-89 optioned cars. Since your car has A/C, I assume you have an L-36. GM part number 3888251 is correct, as you know, for L-36 cars with A/C. Incidentally, this spring is no longer available from GM having been discontinued several years ago. The original F-41 spring, GM #3832518, is still available. However, I don't believe that this spring would ever have been correct for your car.

As far as your front shocks go, I've seen cars with standard suspension equipped with HD suspension shocks. In fact, I just observed a very low mile, very early build 1968 with base engine and Turbohydramatic which had been stored for the past 20+ years. It had its original shocks and they were the HD part numbers and HD configuration. If your front shocks have dates consistent with your car's original build date, I would consider it more likely that it was a standard suspension car which, somehow, was originally equipped with the HD shocks. Also, if it was anything like the 68 that I mentioned, if it originally had HD front shocks, it also had HD rear shocks. Original type HD shocks are still available from GM, although their external configuration is not exactly the same as original. These are GM #3196957, front and 4940459, rear. Standard suspension shocks are also available and are configured very close to the originals. These are GM # 4975486, front and 22011967, rear. Paint these shocks with Quanta's shock paint and, except for "dates" and "numbers", they will appear VERY close to original.

As far as your stabilizer bar goes, your 7/8" bar is consistent with standard suspension, big block. This bar is no longer available from GM.

Regarding your rear spring, all I can surmise is that it was replaced sometime in your car's history. Several years ago, GM discontinued the last available standard suspension, 9 leaf SERVICE spring, GM #362153, and replaced it FOR SERVICE with the 7 leaf, HD spring, GM # 354130. This spring continues to be available today to service all 63-77 Corvette applications. If someone in the cars past history had gone to a GM dealer to get a new spring, they would have been sold the 7 leaf spring. Of course, it's also possible that it came with the car as a "deviation from typical factory production". Check the spring carefully. If it shows any evidence of the original gray, thick spring paint, it's probably original. Service springs usually didn't come so painted.