I have a 70 SS Convertible. I have removed the rear end to be rebuilt. The rear end appears to be from a 68 Chevelle SS based upon the codes (3.08 Posi 12 bolt).

When I removed the rear coil springs, I found that the springs were bolted to the differential saddle (which is completely flat) by a bolt and homemade heavy steel plate acting like a big washer.

According to my 70 Factory assembly manual, there appears to be a cone shaped disk that is a part of the saddle to hold the bottom of the coil spring in place without any bolt or retainer used.

1) Is this correct? Does the weight of the car just hold the bottom of the spring in place?
2) As I am ordering new springs, should I order for a 70 and try to fabricate this cones shaped disk and weld it to the flat saddle? Or should I order for a 68 and try to get the proper retainer washer and bolt?

3) If I go the 68 route, where can I get this retainer washer and bolt? I have not seen it any of the parts catalogs, Ground-up, OPG, Muscle Car, Auslies. Year1 etc.

As always your help is greatly appreciated.

--Andy--


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1970 Chevelle SS Convertible
1937 Master Business Coupe
1996 S-10 Blazer

Yup, I'm Chevy Prejudiced!!!!

My 68 12 bolt springs are not bolted in. The setup I have sounds like what your manual describes.

The 70 12 bolts did have the cone shaped register that keeps the spring centered--- provided you have the proper "pig tail" type springs. As you described, they are held in place by the weight of the body. I believe (and there are many here that can confirm) that 64-66 had a different spring perch without the register and used an open coil at the ends. Yours may be earlier than 68. Good luck...MK

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hometown.aol.com/mkrauser/gmracing/gmracing.htm (http://hometown.aol.com/mkrauser/gmracing/gmracing.htm)


70 Chevelle Fathom Blue
70 Malibu Convertible Midnight Regatta Blue

Chicago - Suburbs

yeah that spring mount style is 64-66 unless someone modified the rear..

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70 chevelle ss396 conv
66 chevelle ss396 hdp/conv
55 chevy prostreet

Andy
The "flat bolted" type of spring mount you described was used in '64 - '66 Chevelles.

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Fred Aldrich
Web Site: www.GeoCities.com/~69_chevelle (http://www.GeoCities.com/~69_chevelle)

Do you guys see any problems with me using a 70 spring and welding a positioning circle of round stock on the flat saddle?

Although the car has not run with this rear end and spring combinbation, the rear end was bolted in just fine and everything seemed to fit ok.

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1970 Chevelle SS Convertible
1937 Master Business Coupe
1996 S-10 Blazer

Yup, I'm Chevy Prejudiced!!!!

sure you can add the metal to the rear instead of using the current setup, your choice..current setup will also work fine, I put a 66 rear in a 68 and kept the bolted together setup, no problems.

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70 chevelle ss396 conv
66 chevelle ss396 hdp/conv
55 chevy prostreet