[tsmith455]

I was in the process of replacing the leaf spring bushings on my 1969 Trans Am and looked into replacing the entire spring. What's currently on the car is a 3 leaf spring. The springs appear to be original, and still has the spring straps intact. This car did have traction bars on it when I purchased the car. I noticed all of the replacement springs are 4 leaf. Were 3 leaf springs ever installed on these cars? Has anyone ever seen this on other 1969 TA's or Firebirds?

Thank you,

Tom

[frankyboy455]

according to what I've read, (could be wrong though), T/As had 4 leaf springs, just like Z28 Camaros. Other Camaros (SS) had 5 leaf springs. I'm sure you'll get a straight answer soon, as there are quite a few guys here with "untouched" 69 T/As. Frank.

[Uncle Judge]

Originally Posted by tsmith455

I was in the process of replacing the leaf spring bushings on my 1969 Trans Am and looked into replacing the entire spring. What's currently on the car is a 3 leaf spring. The springs appear to be original, and still has the spring straps intact. This car did have traction bars on it when I purchased the car. I noticed all of the replacement springs are 4 leaf. Were 3 leaf springs ever installed on these cars? Has anyone ever seen this on other 1969 TA's or Firebirds?

Thank you,

Tom

Tom, you do have the correct and original springs on your 69 T/A. Do not let anyone convince you otherwise. Every original 69 that I have owned has had this 3 leaf spring. Years ago I even sent an original to Eaton Detroit Spring for them to reproduce. They were clueless! After numerous conversations with them I finally convinced them that a 4 or 5 leaf spring, like the Camaro uses, was NOT the spring used on a 1969 T/A. They supposedly made blueprints of my original spring and told me that they would make them available. After a couple of months I finally got my spring back. I ended up buying the plastic spring spacers and bands from Eaton and just rebuilding my originals.
Years later, I contacted Eaton to purchase a set of the 3 leaf 69 T/A springs, modeled after my original. Upon calling, I got the same line that I had gotten years prior. "Pontiac never used a 3 leaf spring in 1969!" They were so ignorant that I just decided to make my own set by modifying a pair of 79 T/A springs. I keep forgetting to look when I see an original 69 400 Firebird, but, I often wondered if they if they used these 3 leaf springs exclusively on the 69 T/A ???

[A Schab]

I also tried to get 3 leafs from eaton and they said that there was no such thing.I know that the ones on my car are oe.I called Scott Tiemanm and he looked at the T/A convertible that he was restoring and it had 3 leafs on it,that was the first time he had seen them.The only other place that I have seen them was on a 69 HO 350 manual car,but I have only seen that combo one time.The 400 cars that I've parted have all had what I call a 4 1/2 leaf spring,the bottom leaf starts at the rear of the shock plate and goes forward.The Camaro's 4 and 5 leafs are not the same as any Firebird.

[tsmith455]

Uncle Judge...This is interesting information and certainly makes me feel a lot better! I have been struggling to figure out why someone would remove a leaf from a multi-leaf system which doesn't appear to have been molested and has the multi-leaf upper pad and doesn't have the upper pad which indicated a mono leaf spring, and has the straps and spacers intact. I have spoken to several spring manufacturers and all of them only indicate mono, 4 or 5 multi-leaf springs....referencing primarily the Camaro, and saying the Firebird would be the same, not listing the TA until 1970. I believe you are correct and am absolutely convinced the '1969 TA was a 3 leaf system for what ever reason, as this car is very original and fairly complete with few modifications. Your picture is identical to what I have. I'm wondering if any "400" Firebirds had 3 leaves also?

Thank you,

Tom

[tsmith455]

Great info guys....and very much appreciated!

Thank you,

Tom

[Big Moe]

Tom
I will add that my TA also has original 3 leafs on the rear but, my Silver car(prototype) had 4 leafs on the rear. They looked original to me as all the bushings,pads and mounts worn out. Don't know if they got change later on but this car got special treatment from PMD engineering for press testing etc.

[69 T/A]

The '69 I have also has 3 leaves, I did want to change them but now I won't, thanks so much for the information! BTW my 400 car has 4 leaves but I suspect they were changed at some point.

[4dblnkldude]

I just had to check my 400 car, which I am 99.5% they are they originals. It has 3 leaves with the 4th beginning at the shock plate and going forward. Is this a four leaf? This very interesting, the more you look at the camaro and firebird there is very few parts that are interchangeable.

[tsmith455]

Yes, your spring would be considered a 4 spring multi-leaf.

Tom

[A Schab]

If you have not seen them,3 leaf springs have a small 4th piece that acts as a spacer to give the correct stack hieght.

[GoatandBirdCollector]

Here's a pic of the 4 leaf set up referenced below.It's on my 69 tribute convertible.
My 69 T/A coupe is no help as the rear was swapped out long ago for a 5 spring set up.
I was trying to take a picture of the Pypes exhaust set up.

[Firebob]

G&B,
That pic seems to show four leafs going forward and rearward of the shock plate. Some of the others mentioned a leaf that went from the rear of the shock plate forward.
Curious.

[north]

I just looked up the MPC (november 69) at rear leaf part numbers and found the following:
Base 6 coupe. 546482
Base 6 vert. 9797304
8 or sprint coupe. 9793460
8 or sprint vert. 9793461
Any with HD spring 546485

Interesting that no specific rear springs for 400 or TA seem to exist. This jives with the sales brochures that show only two different spring rates; 83 for base six, 90 for every thing else.

[north]

Btw, 69 firebirds sat quite low in back from the factory, I'm sure most have long since had the original springs yanked or boosted.

[ponchopower69]

My car is Sprint well was...but the stock leafs are also 3 leaf. I know these are the stock springs too. I also read somewhere (can't remember right now) that Firebirds did have a different springs so they would ride nicer then the Camaros.