Should I drop the front end down a little?

[Healey_Z]

Ok, got it thanks, looks easy enough to play with and check the look a different way.

ModifiedBJ7 - I really like the rally type look on the car, with the cages over the lights and the fog lights. I will look for my receipt on the lights (they were inexpensive, but work well). I looked/shopped a while to find the right size at a good price. I fabricated the stands they sit on to use the existing holes in the car. The lights have a quick disconnect and can come off and the bumper back on very easily. PM if you are interested, or if there is general interest I can start another post.

Rick you nailed it. The Z motor/5 speed is 200 pounds lighter than the original, which was done 25 years ago (728 lb vs 523 lb).

Interesting story on that. I dug through the folder of receipts and found the two previous owners. The original owner is 88 years old and I found her postal address. I sent her a note and some pictures of the car. The owner after was the one that had the motor/trans replaced. I got their email address and asked her what was her reasoning etc, and she said it was her mechanic's idea in So. Cal. He gave her a price to rebuild the motor/trans versus replace it with the Z motor. They chose to replace it.

 

[Wings]

The excessive (4x4) wheel well aesthetics. i cut a coil out in the front and roll out an inch and 1/2 on the leaf springs to be rid of a look that was hard for me to live with
or i could have change tyre profile
stretched out the bilsteins a bit
ride did not improve. but handling did

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

and if so what is the best way?

I originally had a coil cut off of my front coil springs and then I added a 1" aluminum spacer for the rears. Doing the rears this way meant having new U bolts made but they were only about $6.00 each in doing it that way. The rears were EASILY reversible,but the fronts were not because I cut out a coil.
I recommend adding simple all-threads/spacers for the front because they work and are cheap and are EASILY reversible.

I know why you're thinking of lowering your car because I did too at one time and I did it and I was very happy with the results.

 

[Cottontop]

The Z motor/5 speed is 200 pounds lighter than the original, which was done 25 years ago (728 lb vs 523 lb).

I don't think that your 200# lighter number is correct. I don't think that your front end is up high enough for 200# less weight, unless the upper arms are on the bump stops.

The 289/302 SBF V8 in MY Healey weighs about 80#-100# LESS than the Healey 6 engine that came out. The transmissions are about the same. When reassembling my Healey with the V8, the front end was up about 1 1/2 inches higher than stock.

I lowered the front end about 1 1/4" using 2 x 5/8" nuts as spacers between the arms and the spring plates.

For ME and probably for you, the decider for whether or not to lower the front end and how much was, for you should be, where the headlights are pointing (and maybe how much upper arm travel you have left).

MY lights were literally up in the trees. It was better to drop the front end than to realign the headlights.

Tim

 

[Healey_Z]

I don't think that your 200# lighter number is correct.

I used the following for weights:

The Complete Official Austin Healey (service manual) 100-six and 3000

Complete weights table HybridZ; L28 complete with stock manifolds, SU's, and A/C compressor + 5 spd 523lbs

https://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/32264-complete-engine-weights-table/

 

[terp83]

Since the adjustment is inexpensive and apparently easy to make (and reverse), you can always go back to the previous setting.

In your first post, the side view looked pretty neutral and level to me. Lowering the front will slightly change the side view as well.

Dave makes a good point that lowering the front will affect your driving position ever so slightly. I would suggest that before making the adjustment, that you put a piece of a plywood sheet (or two) under each rear tire, then sit in the driver's seat and decide if you like the change.

Now a couple of questions: Did you purchase or fabricate the mounting brackets for the driving lamps? Also, do these brackets mount to the bumper bracket bolt shafts?

Thanks for sharing these photos of your Healey.

Jerry