Firebird and Camaro different?

[Mike Holleman]

Are the suspension and steering components different on a 69 V8 Firebird and Camaro? I had assumed they were the same as are Abody GMs of the same years. Anybody out there that can set me straight on this.
Mike Holleman

[Randy67]

The camaro & firebird share the same components, but they only share a few things with the a-body. The spindle is the same, everything else is pretty much different, control arms, steering linkage, calipers (hose position different), etc... as far as I can remember right now.

[David Pozzi]

67 and 68 firebirds are the same as Camaro, but 69 Firebirds have different Steering linkage, the pitman arm is curved, has a different center link, - as far as I have heard.

Some firebirds have a smaller upper hole for brake mounting.

The subframe and A arms are the same, spindles the same except for the hole size.

[Mike Holleman]

My cousin just bought a 69 Firebird and we are getting ready to redo his bushings, ball joints and tierods. The NAPA people had told him it was all different from the Camaro. I had thought they were the same. I have a 69 RS SS Camaro in my shop right now and just went thru all of the suspension on it. Thanks for pointing out the differences.
Mike Holleman

[EFI69Cam]

My cousin just bought a 69 Firebird and we are getting ready to redo his bushings, ball joints and tierods. The NAPA people had told him it was all different from the Camaro. I had thought they were the same. I have a 69 RS SS Camaro in my shop right now and just went thru all of the suspension on it. Thanks for pointing out the differences.
Mike Holleman


On the 69 bird, the centerlink is a wear part. Thus the pitman arm and idler are different. The centerlink is also shaped to clear the Pontiac pan.
Also the tie rods are .1" thicker, and will interchange if you swap all of them.
I had a 69 bird, and remember being shocked when the NAPA guys told me parts cost so much more.
The centerlink can be rebuilt, there is a company that advertises in Hemmings that does it.

[Mike Holleman]

Thanks for that info. We think the centerlink is fairly new, but there is play in the tierods. I just hope that the parts that were replaced were not retrofitted to non correct pieces. Thanks again.