Hi all,
I got this message from Jim Blackwood. Sounds like an interesting
opportunity for someone in the Michigan area if they are interested in this
sort of conversion. Other contributions in this area include:
As some of you know I've done a coil-over conversion using Aldan shocks on
my front end, but it hasn't seen the road yet. It is, however, holding the
car off the ground just fine in my new garage ;) . I have some drawings for
the various parts but nothing that would be usable for someone to hand to a
fabricator for replication.
Bob Hokanson in Idaho has a prototype replacement front end that deals with
all the various front suspension ills. Maybe he can chime in with current
status and plans for duplication?
Tom Hall has been reinforcing and modifying front ends for Tiger owners for
a long time.
John Logan and TE/AE have published his fulcrum pin reinforcement plans,
which can provide a significant increase in the overall safety of the front
end.
I'm sure there are many other ideas floating around in this arena.
Theo
_____
From: Jim Blackwood [mailto:Jim@BlackwoodLabs.com]
Sent: August 9, 2006 9:30 AM
To: Theo Smit
Subject: [Fwd: [Fwd: New front suspension? Help needed]]
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [Fwd: New front suspension? Help needed]
Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 14:43:46 -0400
From: Jim Blackwood <mailto:Jim@BlackwoodLabs.com>
<Jim@BlackwoodLabs.com>
Reply-To: Jim@BlackwoodLabs.com
To: Theo Smit <mailto:tsmit@shaw.ca> <tsmit@shaw.ca>
Theo,
could you see that this message gets posted on the tiger list? I'm not sure
I still have posting priveliges.
Thanks,
Jim
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: New front suspension? Help needed
Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 10:24:09 -0400
From: Jim Blackwood <mailto:Jim@BlackwoodLabs.com>
<Jim@BlackwoodLabs.com>
Reply-To: Jim@BlackwoodLabs.com
To: tigers@autox.team.net
Guys, I've been watching your list for quite awhile, even posted a few
times a couple years ago and bought one of the boards for inside my
tachometer, and I couldn't help noticing the troubles with the front
suspension. I think I might have something for you but one or more of
your group are going to have to help out in order to pull it off.
Personally I'll get nothing out of this except knowing I've helped make
a classic sports car a little safer and more enjoyable, but that's
enough for me.
Ted Lathrop, who I've known personally for many years operates a
business called "Fast Cars" up in Michigan. As some of you know, he's
developed a very exceptional front suspension assembly as a total
replacement for the MGB, aimed directly at the V8 converter crowd and
specifically designed for use with the 5.0L Ford engine. We have
discussed the possibility of adapting this suspension to the Sunbeam
Tiger and Alpine. Now I have driven a car with his suspension under it
and I can tell you that it is all you could want. It handles and rides
like a dream. A good one that is, just the same as a modern car would.
If you take a close look at it you find that it is an exquisite piece
and has all the right pieces in all the right places. The engineering
work on it is second to none and the construction is first rate. It is,
bar none, the finest front suspension available for the MGB, and there
is quite a bit of well thought out competition. The price is not cheap
at something like $3750 I believe, (don't quote me on that please) but
this kind of quality never is, and your cars are valuable enough to
justify it.
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