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Spitfire Front Lowering an 80 1500 Spitfire?

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CaptDon01

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I seen the web site for lowering the front of the 1500 Spitfires using a set of Mark-III springs. Well, I bought a set of Mark-III springs,(purple spring rate), from Victoria British, (only 5 miles from my house), and installed them on a set of new Monroe shocks that came in the parts box when I bought my Spitfire. The job wasn't too bad, probably took a few hours total. I test drove the car and the front end was VERY stiff, but it was lower. Upon close inspection, the stiff ride is due to the shocks being compressed all the way down so they are basically setting on the rubber bumpers on the shocks. Has anyone had a problem performing this modification? The catalogs list the same front shocks on all Spitfires from 62-80. Maybe the problem is simply the Monroes, and I'll need to remove them and install another brand? Any suggestions would be appreciated! The car does look AWESOME!!!

Thanks,

Don
 

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very nice!i fitted race rated 900lb springs,included a small spacer inbetween spring top cup and chassis mount,no problems.(btw spax adjustables)could you post picture of shock, and how it sits to clarify?also what lb rating are the purples from vb?also what is the fitted lenght please?
 
I don't really see how the springs could be the problem here. Yes, all Spitfires did use the same shock (as did GT6, Herald and Sports 6/Vitesse). That even includes my old ex-SCCA Spitfire 4 racer; it has Konis, but they are the same physical size, etc., as any other brand of shocks for Spitfires. That car has front springs that are not only really stiff, but they are so short that they will unseat themselves from the special upper "collar" when the front is jacked up. (Needless to say, one does NOT need a spring compressor to change shocks on the race car!)

So again, I doubt springs are the problem, but I'm not sure I understand how the shocks could be at fault, either!?
 
When I let the car down and the springs compressed, (like you would expect them to do), the shocks are compressed all the way down so they are basically supporting the front of the car, not the springs.

Don
 
I figured out what the problem was.....bad NEW springs from Victoria British,(spring rate was incorrect, they wouldn't support the weight of the car!). I removed the springs and re-installed my old springs with the new shocks. All back to normal, and I'm going to return the springs to Victoria British. I'll try again later this winter when I rebuild the front suspension, (powder coat A-arms and all the other parts, new bushings, ball-joints, trunions, tie-rod ends, etc). I'll order another set of Mark-III front springs from TRF this time. I've had better luck with their items, and I like to support someone who is also supporting the British car hobby.

Don
 
Pretty poor when you put in 'uprated' springs that cant support the weight of the car. Good catch.

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