1969 Nova L78 Rear Leaf Springs

68-69-70Nova SSL78 · #1 06-21-2010, 01:04 AM

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** · #2 06-21-2010, 01:33 AM

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

**JRSully** · #3 06-21-2010, 09:16 PM

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 · #4 06-21-2010, 09:45 PM

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** · #5 06-22-2010, 12:06 AM

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** · #6 06-22-2010, 08:08 PM

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** · #7 06-22-2010, 08:50 PM

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

**YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY** · #8 06-23-2010, 01:48 AM

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 · #9 06-23-2010, 04:15 AM

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** · #10 06-23-2010, 03:02 PM

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.