I don't know why I sent out the wrong file last Friday, this is the
one I intended to send:
Concerning lotus/triumph shocks:
Open mouth; insert foot. :-( (I hate it when I do that)
Greg Meboe has already informed me that the Spitfire/GT-6 does indeed
use coilovers. I was unaware of this - I thought they used a
"normal" system. I do suspect, however, that the lengths of
shocks/springs, and the spring rates are different (also after
checking the pictures in a TRF catalog for the Spit, there appears to
be mounting differences). One main reason for believing this is that
Koni never made front shocks for my Elan although they made strut
inserts for the rear (they do make shocks for the front and rear of
the Europa, I believe - maybe Europas and Spits share the same units).
I currently have a pair of adjustable spring perch/ adjustable rate
Spax shocks on the front, but they are too short (the car rides high
in the front now), and I have not yet bought shorter springs, and I am
not sure that I want to change the spring rate of the front end in any
case. In addition, the front shocks are adjusted to full soft, and I
feel that they are still too stiff (although only 500 miles on them).
I'm thinking of going back to a new set of stock shocks.
This all brings up a question -- how do *you* remove/install the
springs on coilovers? I made a rig of my own, but I kept waiting for
the spring to fly out... Can't use normal spring compressers because
the Elan has a metal "can" over the top part of the coils to protect
the shock rod which just happens to cover half the coils... Anybody
got a slick method or special tools?...
Tim Mullen mullent@ymv5.ymp.gov Chantilly, VA
72 Elan Sprint "For the few who know the difference"
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