Suspension Mods

[HealeyRick]

I'm starting to think over changes the Nasty Boy will need to the suspension. The small block Ford weighs about 125 lbs less than the Healey six, which will raise the front end of the car. What would be the best way to restore the ride height without adversely affecting handling. I could always drop the spring pans with spacers, or alternatively go with shorter springs, which usually have a higher rate. Any suggestions?

 

[twas_brillig]

Apologies to all, but good taste just lost out to a weakness for bad puns: try a heavier oil....

More seriously: 125 pounds means 60 or so pounds per front spring, plus (I assume) that the centre of gravity of the Ford engine will be a bit further back which will also have an impact. But will it be significant? I can't find anything regards stock AH spring rates in my info collection to allow an estimate of height change - you might want to measure how she sits stock and then see what the increase in height with the engine change before making decisions. AH Spares in the UK will sell you a lowering kit plus bump stop spacer blocks for about 50 pounds plus shipping; they've been pretty good about answering my few questions over the years, so hopefully would be able to advise regards how much difference their kits makes.

Doug

 

[twas_brillig]

Just read your rebuild web-page, and looks like it's a wee bit late for a stock height measurement - trust that the shoulder and the work is going well. We own a BJ7 (currently stored about a 3 hour drive north of here; decent snow storm last week here also); do you have power assist on your brakes, or do you just eat your Wheaties?

Doug

 

[HealeyRick]

Doug,

I suppose I could start out with one of the lowering kits, but I was hoping I could avoid the trial and error method of tuning. I guessit's part of the fun of modifying your car, but it can get expensive real fast. Sorry to hear about your snowfall, c'mon it's spring already!

 

[Cottontop]

Hi Rick,

Installing a SBF caused my front end to rise almost exactly an inch (note in the front wheel arch).

I used longer (GR-8) bolts and (I think) 5/8" square nuts as spacers to drop the spring pans about 1 1/8". I also home made brackets and installed gas-charged tube-shocks all around.

The upside is that the lighter front end reduced what I perceived as the Healey's tendency to "plow" through a corner.

The downside is that my ground clearance (below the under-the-frame exhaust pipe) was reduced to only 3".

I LOVE the stance the way it is/was, but as part of this series of mods, I installed new Jule rear springs which raised the rear about an inch, so when I installed the R&P, I removed the front pan spacers.

Since "Max" is still up on jack stands, I really don't know how it stands now, but it's always subject to adjustment.

Lemmie know if you want any more info, especially diagrams of the tube shock brackets.

Tim

 

[HealeyRick]

Thanks for checking in Tim. Always good to hear from the guy that's been there, done that. Sounds like dropping the spring pans may be the way to go. Easy enough and will save me from playing around with spring rates for awhile. If I go telescopic, I'll probably go with the Putzke's kit, but I want to get the motor/trans dialed in before messing around with that too much. Fried clams on me next time you're in town!

 

[twas_brillig]

The AH Spares lowering kit looks pretty much like bolts and spacers for the pans; you might want to have a look at their bump stop kit though.

And the chap that was going to put the exhaust system back on our BJ7 (me to wife and SIL as I attempt to drive it up a set of ramps onto a trailer for hauling to winter storage last fall: "please keep an eye out for anything dragging". Shortly thereafter from the SIL "looks like you're going to drive over something". The 'something' was the shiny new stainless steel exhaust system that had already pulled off various broken mounts and was now partially lying in front of the wheels) plus install power assist for the brakes and adjust fitment for the bonnet and trunk lid is doing well enough to have bought a shop, with the move occurring during May, so sounds like we're a bit further down the calendar than hoped.

But we've also got winter weather warnings for our part of Alberta, with howling winds, snow, rain etc. blowing in about midnight. Some guys have been riding their bikes since the beginning of March; our regular car is still on snow tyres, and the Buell is still under cover.

Enough whining!

Doug

 

[Cottontop]

Fried clams on me next time you're in town!

Thanks Rick... I'm not really much of a clam guy, but I'll put away more Cape Cod flounder than anybody else in Woodmans.

Tim

 

[Wings]

I went to a aluminum head and black plate.., so i reduced my weight, not quite a 120 pounds but considerable
I also installed Putzke's kit on the BJ8 which also rides also on 195/65/15 summer tires
with factory stock setup the healey rode like a Cadillac (really unhealey like, cushy) but it looked similar to a 4x4 truck in the F&R wheel wells
I tried different rated springs (100/6 i believe) in the front, to soft
ended up just cutting 1 coil out of the front springs
and rolling the leaf springs out 1 1/2 inches($200)
stretched the bilsteins out a bit more and the ride did get stiffer but no plowing has been experienced