That's an excellent lesson, and one that - sort of - prompted my question. In
the Ferrari world (sorry), it's said that a driven car will last much longer
than a parked car, I suspect the same is true ("It's twue, it's twue!" - heh
heh) of Triumphs. And my car is in much the same situation as Doug's was. It
has been driven only sporadically for the past 5 or 6 years. It now is back
among the living, but still needs attention here and there. I've largely
ignored the suspension ("if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"), save for
re-arching the leaf spring when I first bought the car in 1985, changing the
front shocks to Spax back in the early '90's, and replacing the RF lower A arm
(sometime in the late '80's) which broke a sway bar link bracket. And at 26
years old, I'm somewhat concerned that it may be in need of some rebuilding.
Even though the engine needs more attention (new cam, I'm a thinkin'), I still
keep these other things in the back, and sometimes front, of my mind.
Thanks for all the inputs.
--
George P.
NASS #290
'78 Spit 1500
Ruther Glen, VA
-------------- Original message from doug@dougbraun.com: --------------
> A word of warning: Not too long after I got my car, I decided to rebuild the
> front suspension.
> The 20-year-old original bushings were ratty looking, but not falling apart.
>
> A year after that, the car effectively went into storage for five years.
> Shortly after
> getting it back, I looked and the front suspension and I saw that the
>almost-new
> bushings were completely shot, in much worse shape than the original ones
>were
> when
> I replaced them.
>
> The moral of the story is: new parts are generally not as well-made as the
> originals, and
> crummy new parts often work worse than old, dirty, rusty, but well-made
>original
> parts.
>
> Doug Braun
> '72 Spit
>
> At 02:50 PM 3/16/2005 +0000, you wrote:
> >With all this talk of bushings - original rubber/urethane/metal/etc. - it
>got
> me to wondering. My car has a "firm" enough ride with the 26 year old rubber
> bushings - not sure I'd want to go to urethane (even if it does make the
> handling razor sharp). The car handles well enough for the street driving I
>do,
> and I autocross so seldom these days, I wouldn't worry about it. But I can't
> help but wonder - If I go to all the trouble (when my garage is finally
> finished!) to replace bushings, are there rubber bushings that will be a bit
> firmer (and more durable) than the original rubber, but not as firm as the
> urethane??
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