Striker

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys,

I read somewhere on here that the early WS6 cars (98-99) came with some 1LE equipped springs and perhaps some other suspension components.

If any, what other 1LE components were included with the WS6 cars in these years? Also, is there a way to know what if your own 98-99 car came with them either by looking at the springs or by reading the RPO? sticker in the door?

I know someone with a 2000 and I never bothered looking at the difference between these two in terms or ride height, etc.

Appreciate it.

Z28/2002

iTrader: (27)

It would be on the RPO sticker

Brangeta

'98-'99 cars will have 1LE on the RPO code sticker if you have a 1LE. '00-'02 cars will have 1LE shocks/springs on the 2nd content sticker if SLP installed them.

Striker

iTrader: (1)

So not *all* 98-99 cars came with the 1LE parts?

Brangeta

No, almost none. Probably less than 100 1LE Formulas/TAs every year.

Striker

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the info.

So if the RPO sticker read 1LE anywhere on it, than i'm one of the few?

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

4th Gen Pontiac Firebird (Formula) 1LE production:
1993: 3
1994: 0
1995: 4
1996: 10
1997: 28
1998: 15
1999: 20
2000: 0 (no longer avail)
2001 (Firehawk) :60
2002: 0

So yeah, if you have a 1LE Firebird, you are definately one of the few.

I had read somewhere that the '98-'99 WS6 transmission mount was also a 1LE part.

Striker

iTrader: (1)

Yeah there's no 1LE anywhere on there. I've always been interested in odd ball info. Your claim that the trans mount was a 1LE component interests me as well.

I wonder if there are other differences on the 98-99 cars that featured 1LE parts?

Brangeta

I only know Camaro info... but...

1LE components changed throughout the years on the real 1LE cars ('93-'99). The early years don't use Koni shocks, they use different De Carbon ones I think. I don't remember the specifics. I think Koni started being used around '95.

A/C became standard in '96, so I know you can't get a 1LE without A/C after '96.

Striker

iTrader: (1)

So there are two versions of the De Carbon shocks-1LE DeCarbon's and Non De Carb's....

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

This thread has a link to a '99 1LE on ebay right now. In addition to the mandatory WS6 option, it's window decal describes the "Autocross Package" as having larger sway bars front & rear, stiffer springs and control arm bushings, and Koni double-adjustable shocks.

Considering the marketing department probably authored the description on the window sticker, one has to ask "Larger & stiffer than WHAT"?? Standard T/A suspension, or WS6 suspension?

For sure, the Koni DA shocks and control arm bushings were unique to '98-'99 1LEs.

Mark A. Rogalski

iTrader: (1)

Hi All.

Here are the 1LE parts that came standard on the WS6 for 1998.

WS6 Convertible - front and rear springs are 1LE. Since those part #'s were the same for the WS6 coupe, then we know all 1998 WS6 vehicles came with 1LE springs front and rear. I did a lot with the suspension of my 98 after I bought it new and why I know all this. The tags/stickers matched 1LE part numbers.

The front sway bar is also 1LE. The end links for the sway bars are 1LE (pink band) for the front and rear. The endlinks are the exact same part front and rear.

What is not 1LE? The rear sway bar is not 1LE. The rubber bushings in the upper and lower control arms, the upper rubber mount for the front struts, the rubber spring seat for the rear springs, and the rubber bushings in the rear lower control arms are not 1LE. I can't remember if the rubber insulators (bushings) for the front and rear sway bars are 1LE.

For 98 GM wanted a better handling car without the harsh ride. So they used the 1LE springs, a smaller rear sway bar, and kept all the standards durometer bushings from the Firebird. Keep in mind most 1LE components are just rubber/plastic changes. For instance, the 1LE upper and lower control arms are the exact same steel part as any other - they just have higher durometer (stiffer rubber) bushings inserted.

From what I understand and remember no 1999 WS6's had any 1LE components as standard parts.

The myth about 1LE.:
A good friend from college - his Father was a hands on exec for Pontiac Motorsports where they created nasty performance concepts and all the performance stuff that made it into production. He would often take some of these test vehicles home and had to block the driveway and garage with other cars to secure them from thieves. This was stuff like twin turbo V-8 TA's, mid engine T/A's, V-8 Fiero's, AWD stuff, all sorts of crazy things Pontiac was messing with. When the V-6 turbo got flagged as a Buick engine and used in the Grand National, Pontiac was stuffing that into everythign they had to see what would happen. They even cranked out a production car with that engine.

Anyway, I learnd about 1LE stuff along time ago. I get a chuckle when I see people think 1LE stuff is special. These components were not strategically designed in the 70's and 80's to be some magical combination of performance. They were nothing more than simple requests to their suppliers/vendors to provide parts that could increase handling and performance and also survive the elements. Most were existing elastomers formulations (rubber/plastic) the vendor was already making.

So these suppliers just molded existing formulations into the parts needed, or different sway bar diameters. It was confirmed to me there was no mystical Wizard behind a curtain or fancy computer modeling. These were not perfectly formulated components designed for a certain model. It was nothing more than having access to a bunch of parts they could switch in and out until they got the ride or achieve the performance measurements (goals) they needed or wanted for the intended purpose. They would test, swap some stuff out, test again, swap again, measure the results, and do it all over again. As explained to me, the most sophistication they had (suspension) was from their shock suppliers who were always testing loads, valving, viscocity, etc. and bringing some new innovations to the table, which always ended up on the higher end cars.

Take the 1LE end links for example. They are nothing more that a slighter harder plastic over the standard Firebird elastomer. It's just a few small plastic bowls, but not so hard that it would crack when turning a corner when it's minus 10 degrees outside. I mention this becuase it was up to the supplier to make sure the part would last. So as much as you think it was about performance, the warranty considerations were a key factor as well.

My point is this. There was little sophistication in the development of the parts that became 1LE. It was mostly up to the suppliers who knew little about what the part would be used for, or in conjunction with. It's completely different now as compared to the way they did things 30 years ago. Use the CTS-V as an example where even the tire manufacturer was involved in the suspension design - building a tire specifically to react exactly as needed with the rest of the suspension, a tire specifically for that car. The brake supplier, tire manufacturer, and shock supplier worked together with suspension suppliers to insure maximum peformance results during computer modeling. This was unheard of 20 years ago.

We all know many of the parts used on late 80's or late 90's Trans Am's were already 20-40 years old (or more) in design. If you took those same cars and put them through just the suspension development and testing cycles they use now - you most definitely would come up with components different than 1LE parts.

Hope that helps.

MR