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Lowering a spitfire 1500


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What are you trying to achieve? Track car? Fast road? Comfort important?

Whatever you choose, go for quality. Best available shocks are Koni, then at the front I have used 480lb springs from Moss, but have needed to use some 16mm spacers to get clearance over speed bumps. All that means I needed to raise the steering rack to keep bump-steer to a minimum. (not as simple as it seems at first, but the cars 

At the rear you use a lowering block between diff and spring. Spring sits higher, so the car sits lower.

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I will grab a pic later. 

One problem that has come about in recent years is that the cheap black shocks have the spring pan welded too high on the shock body. That raises the front end by a good inch or so. 

Just food for thought.... until a get to the garage. And my car is far from std. I cannot tell you how much the rear is lowered, but can give you a "top of wheelarch" height (mine has a subaru diff, and a "unique" rear spring)

Cheers

clive

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My scruffy old thing sits like this:
image.png.73a53b224103a3a705cd4ed0cdcd5861.png

(Actually back has settled about another 8mm since that photo)

That's a new Owen Spring at the back end, which made it sit way too high, so a 1/2" (IIRC) lowring block.

Front is standard NOS shocks with shortened stiffer springs and a small spacer to bring the ride back up about 10mm (it was too low without)

It handles reasonably and doesn't shake my teeth out on bumps but it's not as finessed as Clive's setup.

Front ground clearance around 120mm.... I wouldn't want to go much lower, it's already hard enough getting the jack under the front splitter.

image.png.95bd4eadc57312d0084b3359dfa405a9.png

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On 13/11/2020 at 13:34, yorkshire_spam said:

My scruffy old thing sits like this:
image.png.73a53b224103a3a705cd4ed0cdcd5861.png

(Actually back has settled about another 8mm since that photo)

That's a new Owen Spring at the back end, which made it sit way too high, so a 1/2" (IIRC) lowring block.

Front is standard NOS shocks with shortened stiffer springs and a small spacer to bring the ride back up about 10mm (it was too low without)

It handles reasonably and doesn't shake my teeth out on bumps but it's not as finessed as Clive's setup.

Front ground clearance around 120mm.... I wouldn't want to go much lower, it's already hard enough getting the jack under the front splitter.

image.png.95bd4eadc57312d0084b3359dfa405a9.png

Hi mate, i like this ride height that you have achieved. Can you remember where you got your springs from for the front?

Also is it ok to replace the spring with shorter stiffened springs and leave the orginal shocks or is it recommended to replace shocks aswell. 

One last thing, if a spacer is required then where about is it fitted? Do you have a picture of your actual spring setup

Thanks in advance

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Front springs are these: https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/road-spring-set-front-fast-road-uprated-330lbs-lowered-silicon-chrome-pair-tt4301pr.html

DSC_0730.JPG.7cd48656a49115b0742187b187aeea8b.JPG

My shocks were standard and in good condition, so I just cleaned, painted and reused them:
DSC_0731.thumb.JPG.b209082eb1dfc332271f947d11f486b7.JPG

Spacer was from Canley's I think, fits like this:

DSC_0790.thumb.JPG.c554e1ba3cbb3a1a6b47ab956c482d6b.JPG

Cheers, Sam

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