F40 vs F41 vs 'Radial Tuned "

[Green Dragon]

moved this here as to not be off-topic forever on the '76 SS' thread.

Tony posted:
I've seen a magazine article listed on ebay a couple times about the F40 & F41 suspension package and if I see it again I'll probably get it. I believe it came out of a mid 80's Nova Times magazine, so that may have a little info on it too if you can find it. So far, nothing I've read about it has been very specific.

- that sounds of interest, if you find out the year / month of Nova Times let me know, as I have a huge pile of backissues I got from Wayne back at the 89 or 90 nats, iirc.

(Tony) On my 76SS it has the F40 option which is the sport suspension but no rear sway bar. I upgraded it to 6 leaf myself, but can't say I've ever seen one that came factory that way."

- ok, that I knew ( no rear bar on F40 ), my bro's 74SS has F40 without a rear bar, as does my 77 Rally. I also have a 72 that I'm certain is an F40 car,but not documented,etc.

My phoneix hatchback has only 29,300 miles on it after this weekends trip that added 250 to the total , so I know for sure the suspension is original .
has 6 leaf springs and original spiral shocks. NO rear bar. has the larger 15/16" front sway bar same as my Medalist - sounds like an F40 to me (with possibly an extra leaf for the hatchback, to haul stuff ?)

I know the RPO for the "radial tuned" was different, per novaresource.com ( FE8 and lists 880 built in 75 ) - hoever, both my 'RTS' cars were pontiacs, so no production numbers - one was a 75 WITH rear bar, my Phoenix is a 78, no rear bar - both have the same 'radial tuned suspension / RTS ' dash plaque.

No info as to what the difference was, so not sure, the 75 Nova sales brochure mentions it, iirc, but no details.

I'll have to measure the front swaybar on the Phoenix and see if it's the 1" F41 sized bar or the 15/16" Concours/'heavy duty' bar....

~ AL

[jade76]

Hi Al,

Now that you mentioned the 1" front sway bar, that would probably have been the standard front sway bar with the F40 pkg. My 76SS did have the 1" front bar, but I was thinking that was because it came factory with a 350. All the 305's and 250's I've seen had standard 15/16" front sway bar.

I recently seen someone selling some rear shocks off a supposed cop car and are supposedly the original F41 shocks. They look similar to the air shocks that were on my SS when I got it. I'll have to see if they're still there, it was just a couple days ago.

I'm pretty sure the air shocks I had were aftermarket though, and I replaced them with Heavy Duty Monroe Sensa-Trac w/Coil-Over in it from Advanced Auto. I'm not too sure about the original setup and spring rates, but the 1" front sway bar and the 6 leaf rear with the Monroe Coil-Over Shocks provide a smooth yet stiff ride, and not much body roll. I did have 15/16" front bar on it prior with 5 leaf on rear and same Monroe Shocks and the ride and feel is so much different. I prefer a stiffer suspension myself, so the 6 leaf and heavier shocks and sway bar did the trick.

I still have to upgrade my front coils. I originally put the 15/16" sway bar and 6 cylinder coils in the front since I was going to put a 6 in her but have since decided to keep the 350 so I'm sure that'll change the feel a little too.

[Green Dragon]

Finally got time to get out and play witht he beast some more.

the front sway bar on the 78 is the 1" dia bar.

so it's definately an F40 / F41 .

Possibly that at least Pontiac used the " Radial Tuned Suspension " name for both the F40 and F41 ? ( ie: both 'sport suspension' options ? )

Would make sense, same as how other branches called 'posi-traction; different names,etc.
although still does not explain the difference, if any - or why the 'radial tuned' is listed as option ' FE8 ' on Scotts Novaresource site.

when I have a few extra bucks, I'm going to send for my info package from Pontiac, they will send you records of the sale,original dealer invoice and copy of the original window sticker for 30 bucks... too bad Chevrolet doesn't have the recordkeeping to do that.
An original Invoice ( note - no build sheets found in the car, and we had the gastank out,entire interior except the doorpanels (soon to lube the insides,etc,so wait n see, that's where the only sheet on my 77 Rally was located).... anyways, before I got off on a tangent, lol - an invoice or buildsheet would show what RPO code they used for the 'Radial Tuned ", and whether it was a different RPO, or if Pontiac just called the F40 'radial tuned'.

wait n see.

~ AL

ps: I still have the rear bar off my 75 Ventura with 'RTS' ( but the subframe was sold to a street rooder way back, so that bar, and 2.4:1 steering box,is gone).
Might have to install on this 78, if that's all it needs to be an actual 'F41' is add the rear bar to an F40 car.
Info posted as found out, lol....