Front Control A Arm Question
 

Any difference in sizes/dimension between the pre 71 vs 72 and later A arms? I am aware of the sway bar drop down mounting differences. I need the open tabs for the drop links and don't think there's any other differences but wanted to confirm before purchasing.

Thanks

Well, the '69 and earlier arms are quite different than the '70-89 arms. Not interchangeable unless you change the strut. Your "pre 71" is thus confusing. You can download Porsche's parts catalogs to compare part numbers and parts drawings to check for details. All I recall is a change somewhere in there to the pin holding the ball joint to the strut base. They all used the through the body sway bar mounting until '74, but '69 and earlier used a bolt on sway bar A arm mount, while the later through '73 had the tab welded on.

Buy the U tab kit from Elephant, cut the later style off your 86 and weld on the new U bracket. Why change the entire A arm? That's way more work, even if you remove it from the car.

Current control arm is bent and going in the garbage(already has U tab by the way). Need a new one. Instead of buying a new arm, cut off the mount and weld on a new u tab figured I’d buy a 70-73 arm.

Easier

You already have an aftermarket sway bar mounted through the body? With spherical bearings on each end of the drop link? What manufacturer? If the U tab is a bit wide for what you have, easy to shim with washers, or fancier stuff if you have a lathe. You could ask the manufacturer if his rod ends will fit the stock tab on these early arms.

But you have a U tab coming. Can't you just find the best price/most convenient arm from 70-89, and go from there. Cutting off what's there if it won't work isn't going to be difficult, and welding the U tab on is no big deal. I think you'd find the ones through '73 the easiest, but compared with all the other work involved, no big deal whichever you purchase.

Thanks Walt. Yes through body sway bar and my current set up even has spherical bearings/spacers on the drop link ends. I ordered a 70-73 arm which should be a direct replacement.
I’ll see you at the VIR race hopefully.

Not me this year, but there will be other blue shirts to jaw with.