Reply to "Lowered Suspension"

Doug,

If your coil over was attached to the car vertically, a 1/2" spacer would drop the car exactly 1/2". But because they are sat at an angle it will drop it quite a bit more.

My car still has the original 30 year old oil filled Telecar shocks. The reason I have not changed them yet is because the car rides so well. I dont know if the European GTS cars got different spring rates to the American cars, but mine is nice and firm. I lowered the car a few years ago by cutting the spring seats off the shocks. I then fabricated new seats and welded them on further down. I turned the shock upside down so the oil would run to the other end (away from the heat) and welded a small spot at a time, and let it cool before proceeding. It sounds crude, but it worked perfectly!

I intend to replace my springs and shocks soon with modern units solely to save weight. I am interested in the Aluminium bodied Koni's that Dennis Quala sells. Has anybody else tried these?

Another way to lower you car and increase the spring rates at the same time is to cut a coil off with a grinder, then heat a spot half way around from the end coil until it's red hot, then press it on the ground to make the end flat again. I did this on my Lotus Esprit with great success. It is a bit of a guessing game as to exactly how low it will go. But you can always put your spacers back in if you go too far..

Think of the coil spring a coiled up torsion bar, if you shorten it, it will become stiffer.

Johnny