When you orderd this from the factory what exactly did it consist of for 69? boxed arms and a sway bar?

TTT

i think also a bigger front bar, but not sure.

69's did not have a rear swaybar and you could not order it either and the front swaybar was the same as the malibu
you got the triagulating braces on the rear control arms and the fast ratio steering box
I think there were different shocks and springs front and rear (not sure if the front springs were different with the big block cars but the malibu with the f 41 did have different front springs than the malibu without the f 41)

No rear sway bar?????? Mike

fast ratio steering box????? really? what turn lock to lock

Our '69 SS396 came with the F40 suspension and the standard old Armstrong steering with about 4 turns lock to lock. F41 was also an option. I believe the springs were rated a little stiffer and perhaps the shocks were valved firmer as well. Check a parts catalogue. Lots of info there. I don't recall Chevelles getting any quick or variable ratio steering in '69. Our '72 Lemans Sport has the variable ration power steering. It's a lot nicer to drive than the standard box.

My understaning is that there were 3 suspension set ups; standard, F40, and F41.

Standard was just that. Skinny front bar, spongy springs, weak-kneed shocks. F40 got you stiffer springs and shocks and, perhaps on some cars, additional frame braces or (in the case of the full size cars before they went to 4 link across the board) a 4 link suspension. F40 was standard taxi cab fair.

F41 has always been the handling set up. First seen on the '66 full size cars it included a larger front bar (borrowed from the full size wagons), stiffer spings, re-valved (stiffer) shocks (perhaps those used in the F40 set up) and the rear bar.

The F41 set up evolved over the years to include stiffer bushings and quicker steering boxes but I'm not sure when those items began to appear; probably not until the mid/late 70's. Nevertheless, as applied to GM's rear drive platform(s) the foundation was always the same; stiffer springs and shocks, thicker front bar, addition of the rear bar.

Dan

69 was the first year for the F41 susp. with the rear sway bar.It included the rear bar and a larger front bar,along with HD springs and shocks.

Thanks guys, was gonna go pull mine off graemlins/clonk.gif Mike

In 1969 there were 722 chevelles equipped with the F41 suspension.

69 did not come with a rear sway bar
sorry guys this one I do know for sure
and they did come with the 2 and a half lock to lock steering (fast ratio) box
and for all listings I have ever seen the front swaybar was the same as the malibus
as for copo chevelles this may not hold true
but it was in 70 when you started seeing rear swaybars and different swaybars in front

My car was an F41 car. It has the 2 1/2 box, the boxed lower arms, the triangulating braces. Unsure of the bars b/c they were mia.

Originally posted by Tom's 68 conv:
69's did not have a rear swaybar and you could not order it either and the front swaybar was the same as the malibu
you got the triagulating braces on the rear control arms and the fast ratio steering box
I think there were different shocks and springs front and rear (not sure if the front springs were different with the big block cars but the malibu with the f 41 did have different front springs than the malibu without the f 41) Tom,
Read this post.This is not the first time I read this here.
http://www.chevelles.com/forum/ultimatebb.php/topic/7/6729.html#000000
Do a search and you'll see.

my 70SS build sheet says it was a f41 car and it has the rear bar with boxed arms and the 4 turns p/s box also rear braces.

71 350 ss
I read the thread
my dad ordered his 69 ss and it had all the goodies
he still has that car (someday it will be mine)
it was an f-41 375 horse 4spd (just about every cool option you could get)
no rear swaybar
he said it was not part of the package and could NOT get it
and he never put one on because of that reason
it does have boxed arms though
and the front swaybar is the same as the malibu
I am not an expert at every part on these cars but I do know with the many original unmolested ones that I have seen this holds true throughout
wether or not if it came with one or not I still put one on my 69 along with a big bar up front
it is not original but I don't care it is mine and I will build it the way I want it

Originally posted by Tom's 68 conv:
no rear swaybar
he said it was not part of the package and could NOT get it
and he never put one on because of that reason
This is what your basing your statement on?? graemlins/clonk.gif Mike

mike his car is in exactly the same shape as when he bought it (except now it has 12000 miles on it)
he does not want to change anything
he was very close friends to a salesman at the chevy dealer and was able to order all kinds of strange things on the numerous chevelles and camaros he had purchased throughout the years
one of the things he had purchased was a 66 300 with a 396 and 4spd
there is a rare one and it would be nice if he never sold it
he was no dummy at getting the trick things that he wanted
so if this is something they said he could not get then I am inclined to beleive this
how about your car Mike does it have a rear swaybar and was it original on that car and is it on the build sheet
as I was saying about the 66 with the 396 there were things that could be done and maybe there could be a select few out there but it was not a factory installation
and possibly copo may have allowed this at some point
nothing is impossible but yes I based my statement on the fact that because his car could not be ordered with one that he never installed one because his car is still in exactly the same condition as when purchased it muncie shifter and all
oh and by the way Mike that is a very nice car you have

Mine has it, but if it helps handling it will stay on. I built mine fairly stock but upgraded things to make it more reliable and driveable.
I don't even know if it's a true SS because it was in the process of a full body off resto when I bought and no build sheet.
Thanks for the compliment, your Dad's car sounds really nice also.
I'll hafta dig out my body manuals ta see if they show it anywhere? Mike
Check my sig.,from my 1969 factory assembly manual. I think a lot of different plants and different people at the plants did things differently, I've seen cars without paint codes so... what else are they forgetting??? I beleive nothing is written in stone!!!
We have a family reunion in Apollo P.A., near Greensburg are ya anywhere close???

I'm in eastern PA
Iknow what you mean about the handling issues
and like I said mine has one and I'm not gonna take it off either
I'm not a fanatic with the numbers matching thing
I do like them to look pretty close to correct
my dad is a fanatic plus he also has the cash on hand to be that way (must be nice)
this conversation prompted me to call him for the first time in ages and that is a good thing
but I'm not looking forward to the day that his car will become mine
hope it is a long way off if you know what I mean

I'm not into the numbers either!!! :D Mike

hey mike
did you ever look at the chassis service manual
it actually shows that the ss for 69 was a 13837 body
even GM did not always know what they were doing
and so we come to the reality of all this
if you want it you can put it on
if you are not going to show these things as absolutly correct you might as well make them the way you want them they are yours and you are the one driving them why not make them fit your style and who really cares what everyone else thinks
they can build there car the way they want there car
just keep chevellin these cars are just cool

My thoughts exactly graemlins/thumbsup.gif Mike

Just want to add this and I'll shut up.
The rear anti-sway bar (F41 suspension) was included in the SS package on all Chevelles (except El Camino) starting in '70. It was not available on any year SS El Camino. The F40 heavy duty suspension (which did not include the rear bar) was standard on the '69 SS, and F41 was optional on the '69 SS. F41 was not available in '68.
I copied and pasted this from the How to identify a SS from the TC front page.
http://www.chevelles.com/shop/ss_ident.html
Tom,
I think its really great that your Dad still has his SS to enjoy.I only wish I still had my 69 Chevelle SS.Fathom blue, L78 4 speed with F41 susp.Oh well at least I still have an old reg and a couple of pics.

Our '69 SS had the F40 listed as an option.

71 do you remember if you had the rear swaybar
I asked pop if I could pull the seat and take a picture of the build sheet
he said after my arms heal when he breaks them for even thinking I was gonna touch his baby
something about when I was around 20 and took it for a ride (without permission and clipped a curb) bent a wheel and blew a tire (luckily no other damage or I probably wouldn't even be here to tell you)
any way he says he thinks late in the build year that they may have installed them but he also says he has never seen one originally
he also says that people would order them from olds and bolt them on since the boxed lowers were already there it was simple

Tom,
Around 1971 my older bro picks up a 67 Olds 442
4 sp, a/c p/s p/b.The day he brings the car home we take it out for a ride.After we park he starts showing me all the features of the car,including what he called the heavy duty suspension,fat front sway bar and rear sway bar.I loved that car.
Flash forward to 77 and I find my 69 SS.Bought it from a private owner not a car lot.It had everything I was looking for 396 4 sp 12 bolt posi and it had the same type HD suspension as the 442.I,m sure it was the factory sway bar.Only paid 900 for the car,at the time this was about 500 to 1000 below what most chevelles were going for.It looked factory to me,had just as much grease and crud as the rest of the undercarriage, had factory bolts, shims and all.