Gymkhana Suspension???

[mvftw]

I went to lok at a '78 S/A today. Looked Great!!! He didn't know if it had the Gymkhana Suspension. I heard that it will have a bigger sway bar, but what size? I measured his and in rough terms the front was about 30cm in diameter. I measured it with a piece of paper. I cut it so it just cover the bar. If I lay the paper straight out it is about 95cm. Does that sound right?

 

[Dave L.]

FE7-Gymkhana suspension

mvftw-The big question is,does the car have a rear sway bar?All FE7 cars had one.If it does,measure it and post it here.It is most likely 7/16"if it has one.

Dave

 

[ironcity]

30 & 95 cm I'm hoping for mm on this one or I think that is a B I G sway bar.

 

[GerryLP]

Swaybar diameters

mvftw,

95 mm circumference roughly translates into 28.66 mm diameter (using Circumference = 2 times Pi times radius [and then multiplying results by 2])and solving for radius; This means that the car has a 1-1/8 inch diameter swaybar in the front. This swaybar is standard for an FE7 suspension.

Burglar is right! The rear swaybar, if it has one, should be around 7/16". (or 11.1125 mm) :s If it is 9/16 inch, then its probably a 1973/74 FE7 swaybar. Aftermarket swaybars tend to be larger. :crazy

My 81 FE7 has 7/16 inch in the rear and the 8 leaf spring (Chevrolet Technical Dept. told me that the short leaf at the very top is not counted as a part of the spring funtion-wise).

 

[mvftw]

I realized that it is in mm after I posted. But anyway I sounds like it has Gymkhana. What other ways can I tell?

 

[Dave L.]

Does it have the rear sway bar or not?How many leaves in the rear spring?

Dave

 

[mvftw]

Burglar,
I has a rear sway bar. But I didn't count the leafs.
I think I'm going to buy it on Sunday. It'a a S/A, L82, 4sp, Leather.

 

[Dave L.]

4 speed.I like that.Sounds nice.Keep us updated.

Dave

 

[mvftw]

Dave,
I was looking for 4spd. It's got 90K mostly original. Funny thing...it has no sunvisors. The story goes, the last owner had them signed by Zora and kept them.
Which place is good for parts...Ecklers? Corvette Central???...

 

[JohnZ]

If it's a nice car otherwise, I wouldn't let whether it has FE7 or not influence the purchase decision; contrary to popular opinion, 90% of the handling equation is tires, and shocks and stabilizer bars are tuning aids for the other 10%.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Mine has the gymkhana suspension...

...and I like how it performs just fine.
Take into account I've never driven anything else, so I don't know what the advantages are over a non-gymkhana suspension.
L48, auto.
Heidi

 

[Dave L.]

mvftw-I have dealt with both of those companies without any problems.I would say I spent most of my money with Mid-America,but they do not have as much in their catalog as the others.Make a list of what you need and see who has the better price.I think Ecklers will beat any others advertised price by 1%.I think you have found one great car there! I have failed to welcome you to the CAC.Keep us updated on the progress of your restoration.My favorite corvettes are the 78-82 models.

Dave

 

[GerryLP]

Vendors

mvftw,

I have had a good experience with Corvette Central and Rik's Corvettes. In the mid 80's Ecklers used to have the most parts and provided the most services (carb rebuild, radio repair, and the like) and they were in the middle range when it came to prices.

Today, in my opinion, Ecklers has some hard to find parts, but they have moved-up in the high-price range. I was told that Ecklers was sold back in the 90's, and that some of the management that was related to Ecklers started Corvette Central. In fact, I believe that Corvette Central is the vendor most closely offers the service that Ecklers used to offer. Can anyone verify that? ;help Corvette Central Technical Help is tops also. (I do not own Corvette Central stocks or work for them...:L)

Rik's has bailed me out with urgently-needed parts right when I needed them. So my Koodos go out to them as well. :Twist

If I did not mentioned some other non-specialized corvette parts vendors is because my experience with most of those leave alot to be desired. ad

 

[JohnZ]

Corvette Central is a family-owned business, and has no management (or any other employees) from Eckler's.

 

[vmrod]

No sway bar????

Did some corvettes come without sway bars? Mine never had one, but I just thought that some previous owner removed it.

 

[Dave L.]

vmrod-You are refering to the rear?Many of the 78-82 cars don't have them.I am not that familiar with earlier C3's.

Dave

 

[vmrod]

Yeah Dave,
the rear sway bar. When you say they don't have them, does that mean from the factory?

 

[Dave L.]

Yes.Many did not come with one.FE7 option cars only.You can buy them aftermarket.Read John Z.'s earlier post on this subject.In 1981 for instance,less than half the cars had the FE7 option.

Dave
.

 

[vmrod]

That's interesting. ...and all this time, I thought some dude tore off the rear sway bar and never replaced it.

Well, I bought all the brackets and such for a sway bar, but not the actual sway bar. I'll probably get it in January or so.

-Vic