Odd looking rear leaf spring

[tscott9330]

Ok so the body is off the 78 and i am wire brushing the hell out of it. So as I grind I notice that my rear leaf spring ( forgive me, I dont know what to call it besides that) is a single piece. It kinda looks like it was made of some sort of composite material. So I go to my assembly manual and it shows that I should have a real leaf spring (i.e. a few pieces of curved spring steal). So my question is this. Is the assembly manual wrong or do I have some sort of suspension upgrade on my car?

I'm on my way out to the garge to get dirty, so I'll try and come back with a picture to help.

Tom

[bossvette]

you have an aftermarket spring, definatly an upgrade. If you don't want it I'll swap ya

[Yoda]

Boss is right on a '78 it would be an aftermarket part. It is called a "mono-spring" and Corvette started using them in the Automatic Transmission 1981 cars without the FE option. Then they became standard equipment in 1982, but I'm not sure with out looking it up if they were used with the FE option in '82 or not.

Since then they've been standard Most aftermarket Corvette parts houses sell them as well as the 7 & 9 leaf steel springs.

[tscott9330]

ok, that is what I thought. I am a little curious as to why my 78 has an aftermarket spring since it was supposedly sitting in a back yard for ten years before I bought it. When did they start selling them as ans aftermarket upgrade? And Is it something I should keep or are they pieces of crap?

Tom

[Yoda]

The mono spring has been an aftermarket product since around 1985 or so. As for an opinion, I really don't have one. The C4's I've owned came standard with them, I've never installed on a Shark, I've always installed the steel springs, so I don't know and won't speculate

I've heard more rave reviews, than bad ones, if that helps

Bud

[tscott9330]

Ok, I'll buy that.

By the way i love the new post system, very easy to use.