Hi Bob,
Thank you for answering the question... I guessed at something like what
you describe... I would be very grateful to have a couple of pics!! I've
got access to a friend's machine shop so could make the blocks once I see
what one looks like...
Cheers!!
Jim
On Wed, May 18, 2011 at 5:31 PM, Bob Spruck <mgmaven at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Jim:
>
> Now that Frank is gone, I plan to campaign for the presidency of the We
> Tight Club. I don't like to pay someone to do something I can do (or learn
> to do) myself or fabricate myself. Seems like you received no serious
> answers to your wanting to lower your rear end.
>
> When I built my '67 vintage racer 20 years ago, I used hand-me-down SCCA
> coils in front. They were shorter than stock but tested out to be 585
> foot/pounds which is what I wanted. I needed to lower the rear so the car
> was level for handling and center of gravity purposes. My solution should
> work for anybody. I found some metal of various thicknesses that was the
> same width as the springs and cut it into four inch long pieces. With 150
> lbs in the driver's seat (three cement bags) to replicate my weight, two 1/8
> th inch and two 3/16 th inch thick spacers on the right side brought the
> car to level, i.e. equal heights left to right when measured at the bottom
> of the rocker panels. Two additional 1/8 th inch spacers on each side then
> brought the rear down to the same height as the front, measured at the front
> and rear, left and right of the bottom of the rocker panels. The spacers
> mount between the flat boss on the axle housing and the top of the leaf. I
> bought two U-bolts that were long enough to accommodate the new dimensions,
> and cut off the excess threaded ends after I reinstalled the stock plates
> and rubber insulators.
>
> Of course, since the '67 has square wheel arches, I also added a Panhard
> bar, pushed out the outer fender as far as I could with a bottle jack,
> rolled the inner lip, and am using offset leaf springs - all to allow the
> 5.5" wheels and A70 tires. This arrangement has been in place for the 20
> years I have been racing the car and I have experienced no problems with
> inside or outside rubbing. Lowering the rear also gave me better rear
> visibility because the sheet metal that accommodates the convertible top on
> this year model adds almost 2 inches in line with the rear view mirror.
>
> Spend some time studying the way the springs are mounted on the axle and
> where to add the spacers, and the job becomes clear and straight forward.
> Fabrication is also simple and straight forward, other than acquiring enough
> metal of the correct width and thickness. I'd be glad to send you digital
> photos if it would help.
>
> Safety Fast,
> Bob Spruck
>
>
>
>
>
> At 04:26 PM 5/17/2011, Jim Johnson wrote:
>
> Speaking of lowering Spridgets.... I'm wanting to lower the butt end of
> my
> MKIII Midget. Anyone have any suggestions on an easy way to do this without
> using the Mo$$ kit?
>
> Cheers!!
> Jim
>
> On Tue, May 17, 2011 at 2:59 PM, David Lieb <72spridget at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > Is there an expected life span for standard springs for a road going
> > Sprite?
> >
> > Just as eventually every Jaguar E-Type becomes a lightweight Jag,
> > Every Spridget eventually becomes a lowered Spridget...
> > David L
> _______________________________________________
>
>
--
Cheers!!
Jim Johnson
Don't miss the BIG PARTY!! Midget 50th Anniversary!
Elkhart Lake, WI July 18-22, 2011
Info & Registration here:
http://www.sprite-midgetclub.org
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