Well, I've added a new car to the collection. It's a definite project, but seems to be a rare combination.
1969 Chevelle Malibu 2 door hardtop
Code 71 71 LeMans Blue exterior, no vinyl top. Would silver be correct below the body moldings ? Looks like it used to be silver down there.
code 756 black bucket seat interior w/console 4 speed.
12 bolt rear (have not decoded yet).
All the dual exhaust hangers are there. Pipes are gone.
PDB, PS, NO A/C.
Is it possible for this car to be original with the rear lower boxed control arms ? It has the cross braces in the rear also. Are these part of the F-41 suspension option for that year ?
What does the F-41 suspension option consist of for the 69 Chevelles ? I've always thought that it was performance springs and shocks(front/rear)???
Engine is long gone, but this car appears to be an original L48 (300hp/350) car. It has the 3/8" fuel line.
Only rust is around the lower part of the back window. Not bad at all. Rest of the car is solid.

Is the LeMans Blue a rare color for this year ?
Does anyone have a good picture they could post of a 69 Chevelle with this color ?

Nate


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Current collection:
1. 1969 Chevelle S/W SS396 TH400 12 bolt 3:31 Posi PS PDB AC Dual action PW gate Blue/Blk int
2. 1969 Chevelle Malibu 2 dr hdtp All #'s match L48 350/300 TH350 12 bolt 2:56 PS PDB AC Tilt Parchment/butternut (193,000 mi. never apart !) 98% orig car
3. 1969 Chevelle Malibu Convert Light green/Blk int 350 TH350 10 bolt PS PDB AC Buckets/console Pwr top 87,000 orig mi.
4. 1969 El Camino SS396 Cortez/Blk buckets PS PDB PW No-AC TH400 12 bolt 3:31
5. 1969 Nova SS 350/300 M20 3:31 Posi Red/Red Buckets No console PS PDB No-AC 88,000 orig mi.
6. 1970 Camaro RS Z/22 #'s match 350/TH350 PS PDB AC Shadow gray/blk int Orig AM/FM

My 69 Malibu was painted argent silver below the lower body moldings

The Boxed lower control arms were optional in 69 and I *think* the frame supports were part of the package

I see quite a few Lemans blue 69's
http://chevelles.com/showroom/deans69.jpg
http://macc.chevelles.net/aces/nashville/2000/69mine2.jpg
http://macc.chevelles.net/aces/nashville/2000/69brian.jpg
http://macc.chevelles.net/images//69L89.jpg (http://macc.chevelles.net/images//69L89.jpg)


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Dean Call
Team Gold member #3
A.C.E.S. # 00235
Mid America Chevelle Club (http://macc.chevelles.net) #001
chevelles.net (http://chevelles.net)
My 69 SS (http://chevelles.com/showroom/deans69.jpg)

Don't look back. Something may be gaining on you



[This message has been edited by Dean (edited 01-27-2002).]

Nate, it sounds like a neat car you've got there. I don't think Lemans Blue was particularly rare, but it is particularly nice. Yes it should have silver below the moldings (all Malibus had it except for the 4 door post (69) style). The L48 was a decent all round engine. It used the standard cam shared with the 307 plus all versions of the 350 up to 300 gross h.p. It used 4-bolt mains with a cast crank (not necessarily bad at all). As presented your car would also use a genuine Muncie M20 4 speed and a 12-bolt rear with 3.31:1 gearing. As for the F41, traditionally it was exclusive to the big block (Turbo-Jet) cars through '70 although I recall seeing part #s for various F41 suspension components on 1969 small-block cars. F41 basically added stiffer shocks and a rear stabilizer to the already standard front stabilizer. For 1971 it was standard on all Chevelle SS as it had been in '70, except now a small block Chevelle SS was offered (just in time to combat heavy surcharges). Non SS Chevelles offered F41 in '70 - '72 on big block cars (Turbo Jet 400) only, although it was (is) easy to add to any. If you have Rally Wheels on that car they are 14X6 if stock (also 14X6 was automatically used if you ordered Wide-Oval tires).
P.S. the F40 suspension was the more common H.D. suspension that came with higher spring rates in addition to H.D. shocks. No rear anti-sway bar with it. Check for spring tags with your springs. You can cross check them with the chart that should be in the reprinted 1969 Assembly Manual. That could tell whether it is an F40 or F41 car (besides the rear stabilizer bar).

Looking at you signature I would say you seem to like old Chevies! Me too!

What would the RPO code be for the boxed rear lower control arms with sway bar for 1969 ? I thought this was not available until 1970 ?
Nate

Maybe someone else can chime in here but I believe the F41 was the code for front and rear HD suspension and F40 was the code for the front only

In 69, the SS cars all had F40 as a
standard option and *I think* the F41 was optional which included the rear sway bar

I also *think* that the rear frame braces were standard on certain cars including all SS cars but not exclusive to the SS
(maybe all SS's and all high hp 4 speed cars ?)

Can anyone correct my theory ?

One thing often forgotten that was included with the F41 package (on 70-72 at least) was a reinforced rear upper left control arm. Drivers side only upper rear arm came with a plate spot welded over one side of the arm mounting hole where the arm mounts to the rear housing. Upper arms egg out these holes pretty bad if the car gets run hard, and this would help stop that from happening. I normally get them on any 70-72 car that has the reinforcing braces factory. I do not know if this was also part of the 69 F41 package. I also normally find the F41 frame supports, reinforced upper left rear control arm, and 12 bolt rear on 350 4BBL or better 70-72 montes, so the parts are not exclusive to the SS. I can take a pic of the arms if anyone hasnt seen this before.

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Dave
70 chevelle ss396 conv
66 chevelle ss396 hdp/conv
72 chevelle
55/57/61 chevies
TC member #493
Never forget Earnhardt!

[This message has been edited by drptop70ss (edited 01-27-2002).]

[This message has been edited by drptop70ss (edited 01-27-2002).]

1969 Production totals for the F40 option are 28,749.
F41 is 722
There were approx. 86,000 SS cars built in 1969. So.....not all Super Sports had the F40 option.
I'm thinking I have one of 722 cars ordered with the rare F41 suspension !
Anyone else have a 69 with this option on their buildsheet ?

Nate


[This message has been edited by SS3964N8 (edited 01-27-2002).]

[This message has been edited by SS3964N8 (edited 01-27-2002).]

drptop70ss
somewhere I have one of those arms. I had not seen one before and couldn't figure out why somebody had spot welded this piece of metal to it.
now I know.
Thanks
Nate

[This message has been edited by SS3964N8 (edited 01-27-2002).]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SS3964N8:

There were approx. 86,000 SS cars built in 1969. So.....not all Super Sports had the F40 option.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

This stuff is good to know
(if I could just remember it now)

I have always been told before that all 69 SS cars had the F40 HD front suspension

Maybe they were confusing it with front disk breaks ?




[This message has been edited by Dean (edited 01-27-2002).]

I did a lot of research on this topic for my '68-'72 production totals print. Here is what I concluded:

F40 was a standard part of the '69 SS package. Every '69 SS (except El Camino) had either F40 or F41. but the '69 Chevrolet Chevelle option totals report shows 28,749 F40 cars and 86,307 Z25 (SS) cars. It may look like there are more SS cars than F40 cars. But in reality, since F40 was part of the Z25 package, the 28,749 total does not include SS cars. In other words, there were 28,749 non-SS cars in '69 that had F40.

There were 722 F41 cars built in '69 (the first year for F41). Interestingly, the Chevrolet records indicate that the F41 package was available on any Chevelle (2 or 4 door), wagon, or El Camino, SS or not.

For '70-'72, F41 was part of the SS package (except on El Camino). The '70-'72 Chevrolet reports indicate that F41 was available on any V8 2-door or 4-door Chevelle (but not on wagons or El Caminos).

There is no way to know for sure how many non-SS cars in '70-'72 had F41, but the total was fairly small. Most of those were probably police cars or taxis.


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Dan Carr
dcarr@chevelles.com
Team Chevelle Gold Member #11, ACES #701
Author of the GMC Sprint, El Camino, and '68-'72 SS Authentication pages.
See my GM A-body fleet at:
<A HREF="http://www.DesignsComputed.com/cars/cars.HTM
" TARGET=_blank>http://www.DesignsComputed.com/cars/cars.HTM
</A>

Good info Dan !

Just crawled out from under the rearend. It's a CW code which translates to a 3:31 non-posi. The crossbraces look to be original as the whole underside of the car is covered by undercoating that the dealer put on. Makes it easy to see what has been there all along and what might have been added/changed.
Thanks for all the good info guys. I do appreciate it.
Dan, could you give me a rundown on the RPO's that are part of the Z25 for 69 ? I did not know that the F40 was standard issue for the 69SS. I'm still not clear as to what the F40 and F41 options consisted of. Would I be correct in assuming that 1969 was the first year for the F41 option ? I always thought it was 70, but maybe that is just because of the very low number of 69's outfitted with this option.(722) ???

Nate

[This message has been edited by SS3964N8 (edited 01-27-2002).]

Dan, did you see my other question on the last post ?

Also, does anyone have a 69 Chevelle that is Lemans Blue, that could post a picture for me ?

Nate

Our '69 SS396 has the F40 as an option, according to GM of Canada. I think you will find there was a standard, F40, and F41 package available in '69. Our COPO car was standard suspension.

Here's mine:

http://www.freephoto-i.net/users/bobs409/chevl_3.jpg

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Bob (Pa.)

1963 Impala 283
1966 Chevelle SS 409
1969 Malibu 307
1972 Malibu 307
1969 C10 stepside 350
1971 Cheyenne 20 3/4 ton
Somebody stop me... :)

Looking for Chevelle or Impala parts? Click here:
Chevelle parts for sale (http://www.angelfire.com/trek/mr409/items4sale.html)

I have a copy of a 1969 Chevelle SS396 window sticker, built at Leeds (Kansas City, Missouri). It shows the F40 Special "Front and Rear Suspension" as an $5.30 option and not part of the SS package.

A option package description I have indicates the F40 suspension option was just springs.

Here's what it says in my literture

Suspension, Special Front and Rear: Includes special front and 2700lb capacity rear springs...................F40

Listed as HD suspension in assembly manual.

[This message has been edited by elcamino (edited 02-09-2002).]

My 69 Malibu had a 12-bolt and frame braces when I got it, but no boxed arms. It was originally a 350/255hp with TH350. Mine also is silver below the moldings.

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Mike Newby

69 Chevelle 355/TH200-4R
97 Grand Prix GTP
64 Chevy C10 Pickup
79 Suzuki GS550

Thanks for the added info guys.
Excellent !

Pretty exciting if I have 1 of 722 !!

Nate

My '69 bill of sale says "Special Suspension (F40)" on it..........



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JR
TC #1098
My 69 Convertible (http://www.erols.com/ruther/69conv)

My 2001 Z28 (http://www.erols.com/ruther/z28_5.jpg)

SS3964N8:

I sold a '69 L-78/auto/4.10 Chevelle a couple of years ago that had the F-41 listed on both of it's build sheets. It was a 95% original car, 30,000+ miles, buckets/console, map light. Cortez silver w/blue vinyl top and interior...absolutely GORGEOUS color combo. Wish I had never sold that one, but I needed to "upgrade" http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif.


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Rob Clary
'69 Yenko Chevelle
Interested in COPOs, Yenkos or other dealer built muscle cars then go here: www.yenko.net (http://www.yenko.net)

[This message has been edited by Chevy454 (edited 02-13-2002).]

Mr 69
was just reading your new post of the lemans blue 69 chevelle, i just bought a 69 396ss 4-speed original color under the red paint job is a lemans blue ..is this not to common of a color...