Suspension vs. regular MC

[Guest]

What are the differences in the chassis components between the SS and the regular MC's? how many of these parts available for those of us who hope to have a Ss-type car?

 

Will

[David Mau]

Will,

The main chassis component differences between a standard and an SS454-optioned first generation Monte Carlo is that the SS454 adds the following:

 

1) 1 1/8" diameter front anti-sway bar, which is thicker than the 15/16" standard anti-sway bar diameter.

2) Boxed rear control arms.

3) Rear anti-sway bar.

4) Heavy duty front shock absorbers.

5) Heavy duty front and rear springs.

6) "Superlift" self-leveling rear suspension, which utilized rear air shocks, a level sensing mechanism above the rear axle, and an air compressor mounted under the hood on top of the driver's side fender well.

7) Air shock protector plates mounted in front of the rear air-shocks to protect the air shock bladders from debris.

 

That's about it, as far as I know. If you want to give a non-SS car an SS-type suspension, I think that you should be able to come close with what is available from various parts sources today. Anti-sway bars and boxed rear control arms are available from vendors that specialize in Chevelle/El Camino/Monte Carlo parts and muscle car suspensions, and so are heavy duty springs and shocks. Air shocks can easily be installed in the rear, but as far as those air shock protector plates, Superlift compressors and the leveling mechanisms go - you'll most likely have to check swap meets, e-bay or the "parts" sections of message boards like we have on this site in order to take it that far.

 

Also, please remember that boxed rear control arms MUST be installed in the car before adding a rear anti-sway bar!

 

For some more information on this, including photographs - please check out the "Monte Carlo Archives" section of this site, click on the "Technical Info" section, and from there click on the "Is it a real SS?"

 

Good luck with your "SS-type car", Will!

 

Also - if there is anyone that would like to add to what I've stated, please feel free to do so. We can all learn here .

 

Thanks,

Dave

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by David Mau (edited 10-11-2002).]

[Guest]

Looks like you covered it quite well Dave!

 

------------------

Dave Kase

"Desmo888"

'70 SS454

always collecting info on the Monte Carlo SS454, questions always welcome.

[iceman]

Although there is no functional difference, the front lower control arms are different on SS and possibly all BB cars. The bushings are round on BB cars and oval on SB cars.

 

------------------

If you get out of your car without needing to change your pants, you weren't driving fast enough.

[ejw71]

In agreement with iceman. It's my belief, no absolute proof, that all BB 1st Gens came with a round (not oval as on SB) lower rear a-arm bushing. I say this as all BB I've checked out have a roumd bushing and all SB I've checked have an oval bushing. Yes, I agree, my sample size is very small. This would be an interesting poll to conduct. Question for Dave & Dave: Is the rear sway bar on SSs 15/16"? Was the only option not available on non-SSs was the 454? Thanks, Ed

 

 

 

------------------

'71 Black 406/700R4

'71 Sandalwood SS454

'71 project 2" chop/Green/346LS1/4L60E

 

[This message has been edited by ejw71 (edited 10-14-2002).]

[KLASSIK1]

CORRECT all big block cars had round bushings, the functional differance is a stiffer bushing to support the extra weight and tighten handling

 

Leo

[David Mau]

Ed,

I crawled underneath my car last night and measured the rear anti-sway bar. I came up with a 7/8" diameter measurement. My front anti-sway bar measured at 1 1/8" diameter. I also looked through the '70 Monte Carlo brochure, the "SS Musclecar Red Book", the book "Chevrolet SS" and some old road tests, but I didn't find a factory-listed measurement of the anti-sway bars anywhere. Hmmmmmmm, maybe I should have looked at the chassis service manual?

 

As far as I know, the 454 engine itself was the only option that wasn't available on a non-SS car. I'm not certain if the heavy-duty (SS-type suspension) was available as a separate option, however. I do believe that the Superlift ride leveling system was available as an individual option on non-SS Montes. But in '70 and '71 if it came from the factory with a 454, it was an SS454-optioned car. And if it was an SS, it had the 454. I know that cruise control and rear fender skirts were NOT available on the SS454s, though. I hope this helps.

 

Does anyone else know for a fact whether or not the heavy duty suspension and the Superlift ride leveling system were available as separate options outside of the SS454 package?

 

Thanks,

Dave

[ejw71]

Leo & David, Thanks for the info. A member (first name is also David) owns his fathers '71 SS454 on which the dealer installed cruise control. Therefore, I'm going to install it on my '71 SS454. I measured a rear sway bar, 15/16", and a front sway bar, 1", on a said to be '70 SS454. I remeasured the front bar several times, maybe measured it wrong or maybe 1" came on 'some' '70 Ss454s. On second thought, it probably was 15/16" as lower rear a-arm bushing was oval. Yep, a dead give away. Thanks again, Ed

 

[This message has been edited by ejw71 (edited 10-15-2002).]

 

[This message has been edited by ejw71 (edited 10-15-2002).]

[Guest]

Tip

 

easy way to measure sway bars is with an open end wrench. Another way but may not be as accurate is to use an adjustable (Cresent) wrench.

 

On the subject of oval bushings, I have read somewhere that on Chevelles its been documented that both types have been found on the same cars, e.g. oval on 1 side and round on the other, Monte and Chevelle share the same suspension components. I had a 1970 SS454 and it had the round bushings, same with a 1970 SS360 El Camino. An older Year One catalog has some info on this topic. Also looking in the parts catalog is list one part number for all A bodys, not other part number for 369, 454 etc.

 

------------------

Mike

2002 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 Ram Air LS1

2001 GMC SLT EXT Cab Z71

[ejw71]

Elcamino, Thanks for the tip. I had used a cresent wrench, not an open end wrench. That may well be why my measurment was 1" vs 15/16". Thanks again, Ed

[Guest]

Quote (Also, please remember that boxed rear control arms MUST be installed in the car before adding a rear anti-sway bar!) why is that, and what happens if my car came with a rear sway bar but no boxed control arms. Just a question.

[Guest]

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by s10nick:
Quote (Also, please remember that boxed rear control arms MUST be installed in the car before adding a rear anti-sway bar!) why is that, and what happens if my car came with a rear sway bar but no boxed control arms. Just a question.
</font>

The control arms would colapse or be squeezed together. You could go without boxed if there were spacers inside them.

[David Mau]

That's exactly right, George. The sides of standard rear control arms would be squeezed together due to the force exerted on them during cornering by the rear anti-sway bar. When the control arms are of the "boxed" configuration, as opposed to the standard upside-down appearing "u-shape", they are rigid from side to side, maintain their integrity and allow the rear anti-sway bar to be effective.

 

Also, as George mentioned, spacers are available to install inside standard "unboxed" rear control arms to allow them to keep their rigidity and to work with a rear anti-sway bar if you don't want to replace them with boxed control arms. It's not factory, but that sort of modification should allow an owner-added rear anti-sway bar to work.

 

Dave