71 BB Front Sway Bar??

[Sheldon S.]

have a 71BB car that I just finished intalling the original sway bar and have now noticed one end is bent so need to replace it. I have measured it with calipers and get a consistant .922. A couple of measurements were slightly lower and higher. Crossing that over comes to 59/64th of an inch. The regular BB sway bar is 7/8 and the F41 sway bar is 15/16th. Mine is closer to the F41 but not quite. What do you make of this. I am sure the bar has never been off.
Thanks.
Sheldon

[Duke W.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

Looks closer to 15/16s (0.9375) than 7/8s. Be sure you measure the bar at points where it's not bent. The forming process distorts the diameter.

Corrosion may have taken off a few thou over the years.

Duke

[Jack H.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

Note that the F41 HD suspension option was last offered on the early Shark cars in 1969. For the '70-72 period this option was not on the customer order list...

[Sheldon S.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

so if the bar was the F41 bar and they had stopped installing them in 69 might this have been that as this car went down the assembly line and they were out of the standard 7/8 ones and they put the F41 one on, or??
So what should I replace it with, the correct 7/8 one or the F41?
Thanks
Sheldon

[Jack H.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

Hum, I think we're talking past each other here... All I said was the F41 option was NOT offered as a customer configuration option after 1969. I didn't say that no cars were built with some of the F41 suspension components...

It was YOU who stated the standard sway bar was 7/8" while the F41 sway bar was 15/16" diameter...

The current '70-72 Judging Guide reads this way on the subject of front sway bars:

"The front stabilizer shaft (sway bar) was 3/4-inch diameter for the 350, 15/16-inch for the 454 with standard suspension and all with F41"

I suspect the tag line 'all with F41' is a carry over from the prior '68-69 Judging Guide's text. Did you read the JG book before posting this thread?

[Terry M.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

Hum, I think we're talking past each other here... All I said was the F41 option was NOT offered as a customer configuration option after 1969. I didn't say that no cars were built with some of the F41 suspension components...

It was YOU who stated the standard sway bar was 7/8" while the F41 sway bar was 15/16" diameter...

The current '70-72 Judging Guide reads this way on the subject of front sway bars:

"The front stabilizer shaft (sway bar) was 3/4-inch diameter for the 350, 15/16-inch for the 454 with standard suspension and all with F41"

I suspect the tag line 'all with F41' is a carry over from the prior '68-69 Judging Guide's text. Did you read the JG book before posting this thread?

Actually there were 1970-1972 Corvettes built with F41 -- ALL (every one of them ) ZR1 and ZR2 included F41 as a manditory option. So the "....all with F41" is appropriate in that context.

[Jack H.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

Hum, there's good and bad here...

First, we're talking about an 'exception' to the rule. There were something like a TOTAL of 65 ZR1/ZR2 cars built/shipped in the '70-72 era. So, the subject is one of VERY small sample size.

Second, according to the Black Book (for what that's worth) in '70 where only ZR1's were sold, there's a parenthesis to the effect "(ZR1's have appeared with and without the rear stabilizers)". So, did the window sticker actually call out "F41" or were the various HD suspension components 'buried' in the description of the base car? I know I've never seen an original ZR1/ZR2 window sticker...

Third, the JG goes component by component in descriptive text. To the novice judge it 'appears' like F41 was a legitimate factory option for all Corvettes in '70-72. That's not the case and I know it's really a matter of the individual judges' personal knowledge.

But, I've twice caught some very experienced chassis judges (Chapter level meets where you can't depend on solid EXPERT judges to be available) whose familiarity concentrated on mid-year and early Shark cars, passing '70-72 SB cars equipped with HD suspension components (big front sway bar and presence of rear stabilizer) because they PRESUMED the F41 option continued into '70-72 PLUS the specific text of the JG 'appeared' to support the general availability of F41 as in prior years.

Perhaps this 'nit' issue could be cleaned up/improved on in the next release of the '70-72 JG book to make it CLEARER that the HD suspension components were a relatively RARE exception to the rule rather than a commonly available customer order option...

[Terry M.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

Hum, there's good and bad here...

First, we're talking about an 'exception' to the rule. There were something like a TOTAL of 65 ZR1/ZR2 cars built/shipped in the '70-72 era. So, the subject is one of VERY small sample size.

Second, according to the Black Book (for what that's worth) in '70 where only ZR1's were sold, there's a parenthesis to the effect "(ZR1's have appeared with and without the rear stabilizers)". So, did the window sticker actually call out "F41" or were the various HD suspension components 'buried' in the description of the base car? I know I've never seen an original ZR1/ZR2 window sticker...

Third, the JG goes component by component in descriptive text. To the novice judge it 'appears' like F41 was a legitimate factory option for all Corvettes in '70-72. That's not the case and I know it's really a matter of the individual judges' personal knowledge.

But, I've twice caught some very experienced chassis judges (Chapter level meets where you can't depend on solid EXPERT judges to be available) whose familiarity concentrated on mid-year and early Shark cars, passing '70-72 SB cars equipped with HD suspension components (big front sway bar and presence of rear stabilizer) because they PRESUMED the F41 option continued into '70-72 PLUS the specific text of the JG 'appeared' to support the general availability of F41 as in prior years.

Perhaps this 'nit' issue could be cleaned up/improved on in the next release of the '70-72 JG book to make it CLEARER that the HD suspension components were a relatively RARE exception to the rule rather than a commonly available customer order option...

Jack, I can't tell you how the F41 appeared on original window stickers, if it did. However, I will stay away from rear sway bars on small blocks -- In spite of what Mike Antonick says. Every ZR1 I have seen with one had a race and owner history that made their originality questionable. I will give you the total number was relatively low.

[Grant W.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

so if the bar was the F41 bar and they had stopped installing them in 69 might this have been that as this car went down the assembly line and they were out of the standard 7/8 ones and they put the F41 one on, or??
So what should I replace it with, the correct 7/8 one or the F41?
Thanks
Sheldon

Hi Sheldon
I just checked my original(under restoration) 71 454 auto and the front sway bars are 15/16 It is an original BC car. Only time it has been touched is when we started stripped it for restoration........that was 18 years ago.

We have our first BCNCRS Chapter meet Sept 18 2010 So you are only a boat ride away Victoria?? Come on by and take a look. If you want to participate in judging send in your registration.
Take care.
Grant

[Mark D.]

Re: 71 BB Front Sway Bar??

Did you read the JG book before posting this thread?

What if he didn't?