Hopefully that's not what happened.
Leaf Spring Question
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Duncan South Carolina
Leaf Spring Question
New project car...79 vette that I just want for a casual driver. Why is there only one leaf spring in this rear end? My AIM and Chilton manuals suggest there should be multiple stacked leafs. Didn't notice this at time of original purchase, but after a short drive I find the suspension to be very "hard"...almost as if it bottoms out.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
I getting beyond my technical competence. How do you get a 1980-82 aluminum batwing crossmember and differential into a 1979....
This is a monoleaf composite spring we put on a 1979 several years ago. Not a good pic but the pre-1980 carrier is visible.
This is a monoleaf composite spring we put on a 1979 several years ago. Not a good pic but the pre-1980 carrier is visible.
Last edited by Paul L; Feb 3, 2013 at 05:21 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 344
Likes: 4
From: Island Lake IL
New project car...79 vette that I just want for a casual driver. Why is there only one leaf spring in this rear end? My AIM and Chilton manuals suggest there should be multiple stacked leafs. Didn't notice this at time of original purchase, but after a short drive I find the suspension to be very "hard"...almost as if it bottoms out.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
Or mechanically inclined people might say that that differential swap is possible!!
Last edited by Paul L; Feb 3, 2013 at 05:58 PM.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Duncan South Carolina
Ok, so you guys have me concerned...so here is the VIN #1Z8789S431197 and here is the Engine # VO716ZAH
I "assume" the last three letters of the engine # indicate the type of engine....couldn't find those numbers anywhere in the 79 thru 82 descriptions.
So who has the correct I.D. for this vehicle. Almost seems to me that it is a combination of several vehicles....body/engine/frame
The leaf spring is definitely not steel so must be composite material.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,710
Likes: 3,161
From: Shamong, NJ
79 VIN and engine code. It's a major job to hang a 80-82 rear, from a 79 frame. I wonder if the car was hit and had a 80-82 frame put under it, or maybe a rusted frame? A lot of Corvettes have had frame swaps over the years.
What does your transmission crossmember look like?
The 79 crossmember has 2 holes in it, for the exhaust pipe(s) to go through. The 80-82 frame's trans crossmember, doesn't have any holes in it. Instead there is just a dimple in the right (passenger) side of the crossmember, for a single exhaust pipe to pass under. Knowing this, would help identify if the whole frame has been changed, or just the rear end.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Florida
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Duncan South Carolina
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Duncan South Carolina
79 VIN and engine code. It's a major job to hang a 80-82 rear, from a 79 frame. I wonder if the car was hit and had a 80-82 frame put under it, or maybe a rusted frame? A lot of Corvettes have had frame swaps over the years.
"ZAH" is a 79 Corvette base L-48 350, with an automatic transmission.
What does your transmission crossmember look like?
The 79 crossmember has 2 holes in it, for the exhaust pipe(s) to go through. The 80-82 frame's trans crossmember, doesn't have any holes in it. Instead there is just a dimple in the right (passenger) side of the crossmember, for a single exhaust pipe to pass under. Knowing this, would help identify if the whole frame has been changed, or just the rear end.
Here's what the exhaust routing looks like. There are two holes in the crossmember as you suggested....only one pipe thru the right side hole then splits into to dual pipes after catalytic converter.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 147
From: S Nevada
Pretty simple really. The engine code and vin are 79. The frame is 79 era, there is a vin stamped on the top frame rail, but with the body on you cannot see it. So I'd say someone just swapped in the newer rear end. The p.o. probably had a differential issue and had access to a newer rear end. Swapped it in. Newer design is better right?