On a 69 nova multi leaf were they black from the factory or gray like the camaros? Thanks John

Mono's were Black (a phosphorous oxide I think). The over the counter TransAm six leaf springs (for a 1968 Camaro) I bought were the same way, but very scratched up and covered with GM labels for routing, part identification, etc. That is the extent of my knowledge.

Big Dave

I believe they were actually unpainted, but coated with a black sticky diluted undercoat substance, making them appear black. Ron Norman, right there in McHenry sells the best repos on the market.
Dave is probably correct also about the light phosphate coating.

I think it was a phosphorous coating of some kind but it rubbed off easily and definitely got scratched up in handling and instalation.

what defined what rear leaf spring a car got equipped with? mono versus multi? new to novas - have owned many chevelles but now my 1st 68-72 nova

Mono springs have one leaf. That's it.

Multi leafs have a spring with an front and rear eye like a mono-leaf spring but with four to five, or possibly six steel spring leaves all clamped together with a central rivet holding it together and used as a locating pin.

Because the Chevy II was Chevrolet’s econo box it came with a low horse motor originally. As they added V-8’s they had to put more spring rate into the rear springs to counter act engine torque. By adding leaves you can customize the spring rate to the application; something you can not do generally with a mono leaf spring.

Big Dave