I think you've nailed it, Capt. Those are also my recollections, from the
"bad old days" of the 70s & 80s, when Brit cars were, truly, cast-offs and
orphans.
Of course, I always kept a squirt can of shock oil on the shelf, and checked
shock fluid levels every time I did a chassis lube (I used to have a lot
more time on my hands, back then ;)).
I've also "reconditioned" many a cast-off lever shock by simply mounting the
thing in a bench vise, and bleeding the air out of it, while adding new
fluid. There were an awful lot of perfectly good lever shocks discarded, at
"state inspection" time, simply because there was some fluid seepage. With
the tube shocks, for which the inspection code dealing w/shocks was written,
if a shock showed any evidence of leakage, it was discarded. One man's junk
is another man's gold!
Bud Osbourne
-----Original Message-----
From Robert E. Shlafer [mailto:pilotrob at webtv.net]
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 1:58 PM
To: Bud Osbourne; spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: Panhard Set-up
OH!! It wasn't you, Bud? OK. Well, the guy (whoever he is) will hopefully
see my "correcting" post.
I think the only reason tube shock kits proliferated at one point in time
was the
(replacement) cost of new levers (vs more
reasonable cost of tubes) and the fact that
quality lever rebuilts just weren't available
in pre-Peter C. days, reasonable cost of same notwithstanding.
I mean anything I could get "back when"
in this respect began leaking excessively
within six months and began requiring
ever heavier oil (which ruined the ride)
shortly thereafter. Real PITA.
And of course, the original design levers
required topping up now and then as well,
whereas you install tubes and forget about
'em 'til replacement time.
But since the advent of basically maintenance-free Worldwide rebuilts,
with choice of valving, and which are now available in "adjustable", all for
reasonable
bucks, I wouldn't give converting to tubes a thought.
(Not brown-nosing or flattering you, Pete.
You just solved all the lever's design problems and provide at reasonable
$$$,
and that's the truth of it).
Cap'n Bob
Basic Frog
Cap'n. Bob '60 :{)
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