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Re: Spit Swing Springs

To: Andrew Mace <amace@unix2.nysed.gov>, Triumphs List <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Spit Swing Springs
From: "Vincenti, Ross" <VINCENR@transamerica.com>
Date: Fri, 02 Aug 96 12:49:00 PDT
Encoding: 74 TEXT
Hey, good discussion on the swing spring "thingee."  So, now on to the 
really important question - as you know, Andy, I am moving forward on the 
frame off restoration of my Mk I, and I am interested in whether or not I 
should seriously consider making the swap to a swing spring (keeping the 
short axles in place).  When finished I only plan to use it on weekends for 
an occaisonal jaunt down to San Diego or up to Santa Barbara or San 
Francisco - you know, casual, fun, relaxed crusing - no autocrossing, no 
racing (although if twisty set of curves appear on a back country road you 
never know).

What are your thoughts on whether I should bother to make the swap?  My Mk I 
will not be 100 point concours when done (the motor is a GD series, it has 
Mk II headers, elect. fuel pump in trunk, etc.), OTOH, everything else is 
being restored to near perfection and I expect she will be beautiful.  My 
inclination is to leave the original spring in (especially since I have 
already bead blasted and repainted the spring).  Thanks for your opinion 
(and anyone else, too!)

Ross D. Vincenti
64 Spitfire 4 (undergoing surgery)
 ----------
From: Andrew Mace
To: Vincenti, Ross
Cc: Triumphs List
Subject: Re: Spit Swing Springs
Date: Friday, August 02, 1996 3:09PM

On Fri, 2 Aug 1996, Vincenti, Ross wrote:

> Okay, okay.  Now I'm confused.  Andy Mace advises that the rear leaf swing 

> spring on the later Spits is the same length as the earlier non-swing
spring
> Spits, however the axles are longer (no dispute about that last part).

Well, almost. What I said was that the swing-spring was the same,
whether used with the "shorter" or "longer" axles. But...

> So am I to understand that I CAN bolt in a later swing spring with
> absolutely NO other modifications to my Mk I Spit?

Basically, yes, you can. As I noted yesterday in my answer to Larry, you
really need only to block off the two now-redundant center stud holes on
top of the diff. Again, though, you really need to use the fatter front
sway bar that came on the swing-spring cars in order to help compensate
for the now softer, lower-roll-center rear suspension. If by NO
modification you mean no particular cutting, drilling or welding -- or
something completely reversible, you are correct. It's all bolt-in stuff.

> If it is the same length, then why longer axles?

The longer axles simply give a 2" wider track in the rear, for whatever
that usually gains you (or Pontiac, who has recently revived their
"Wide-Track" Pontiac advertising from the 50s/60s).


IN summary (thank goodness, he's almost through): the swing-spring
conversion is fairly quick, not too expensive, usually worthwhile and
COMPLETELY reversible -- especially if, somewhere down the road, someone
gives you one of those camber compensator thingies (also a completely
reversible modification!).

 --Andy

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  * Andrew Mace                         e-mail: amace@unix2.nysed.gov *
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