VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 38 Master Business Coupe Front Leaf Springs

I have 2 GM parts books..both books show that 36(FC), 37/38(GB, HB) front leaf spring assemblies are the same....P/N 593688..BUT when I look up the individual leaf spring part numbers there is only ONE 1936 leaf spring that is common to the 37/38 leaf part numbers....is this a misprint that has been carried along in error? Should have 8 leaves and one top leaf that extends from the back to just past the middle (partial leaf to prevent unwinding during braking)...anyone have a book with different info....one book goes thru 39, the other thru 49..thx. Billu38

The problem that you run into using parts books is that later parts are often substituted for those originally installed. In your case the entire later spring assembly is a replacement but has different leaves. So the individual spring leaves from the later spring are not a replacement for spring leaves in the earlier model.

Hope that explanation is clear enough to understand. It is a common problem. Even the parts books from the same year as the car may not be 100% correct. Typos and running changes during the model year can both be the cause. That is why several of us caution not to rely on a single reference. The year of manufacture parts book(s) is(are) the best to use but don't be surprised if you find a different part number in a later edition. Or even the same part number and a slightly different part. Several of each of those instances have been documented.

Thanks Chipper, I understand and that's why I rely on input from those in the VCCA Club/Forum! I've got a multitude of discrepancies in these books vs. what I know is correct and from my car...just like to check the stuff out to be sure...as an example...spring lengths (eye to eye, the "U" bolts that hold the springs to the axle...no book is correct on the size/no. of threads etc. and on and on) thx. Billu38