69 GS - Tank Straps and Front Stabilizer Bar

Hey everyone - finishing up the underside detail of my dad's 69 GS 400 convertible while we wait for the engine which leaves me with the following questions...

Tank straps - black from the factory or steel? I see them sold in both finishes and want to match factory original. If black, what finish?

Front stabilizer bar - The bar is in the car measures 15/16" in diameter where the bushing sits in the shaft brackets at the frame. I do not know if this is the original bar for the car, but I am having a heck of a time finding the proper bushing. Any tips on where to source them? I have gone through 5 sets of bushings from Moog and other vendors, unable to find a match.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

Not black on the straps. Can NAPA cross over the sway bar bushings, as they sound like the originals?

 

The straps shall be zinc plated.
I had 15/16" stabilizer bar too. I used MOOG K5241 from rockauto.

 

What Does the end of the sway bar look like? At one end there is a notch. The style or notch dictates the size of bar. There were several. A Skylark usually had the 15/16” bar and there is conflicting information on whether a GS came with a 31/32” or one inch? I have only seen 31/32” so not sure what’s up with that. Make sure you are 100% on the one you have.

 

Check out this chart. It shows you how to ID bar you have. It shows only two sizes of bushings. My guess you need the bigger. Only real low end cars would have used that tiny one.

 

According to assembly manual ID notch must be assembled on passenger side. These are 31/32 bars. This is a 31/32” I verified with caliper

 

Excellent info Dave. Is that sheet from an Assembly Manual?

 

Dave , priceless thanks for sharing. I have never seen this before.

 

You nailed it! That end of the bar matches exactly what I have in the car. Makes it the 31/32 bar.

Knowing this... does anyone have a p/n for the bushing?

 

I remember I measured my sway bar to 15/16" but is is 31/32" according to notch.
MOOG K5241 worked but is listed for 15/16". K5253 is listed for 1"

I think you can use K5241 for both 15/16 and 31/32. Factory used 388294 for both and is listed 0.87 ID.

 

Get the Moog for the 1 inch

 

Yes but it is from a 71 Olds assembly manual. The Buick assembly does not have this chart. I guess they figured Buick workers were smarter? Any way it is relevant to Buick as GM used the same bars for A bodies so part and numbers are all the same. The bar didn’t know what brand car it went in. I have taken that same bar off GS’s and 442’s.

 

I was thinking get the 15/16". It is rubber after all. Likely doesn't matter.

 

Some almost appear to be hard plastic. I would suggest NAPA. Their listings are pretty good.

 

Grabbed an old bar I had for my 69 measured .970 and has orange/ peach paint on the identification end

 

Dave, too bad that orange gets covered up when installed.

 

Just an inspection mark to let the assembly line workers (Quality Control) know it was torqued.
Duane

 

I ordered Moog K5241 and the diameter of the opening is about 5/8” which is way smaller than the bar. I guess it’s possible it’s packaged wrong?

Just wanted to confirm that is p/n you used on yours? If so, I will source one from a local parts store.

 

I still say try Napa

 

I am 99% sure that I used K5241. I used the smaller of the two offered by MOOG. It was tight but no problem to install.