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Dec 20, 2010 13:42:53 GMT
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I can't (yet) locate anyone who lists front springs for Series Minxes. Speedy say they've never had them. So first off I wondered if anyone had an idea, praps a general spring supplier for classics, if not a Rootes shop. Or failing that I was going to choose a pair off something modern. Going by approx similar weights and as close as I can get diameter-wise. Sound reasonable..? cheers. Some random suspension shots...    |
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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purplevanman
Posted a lot
Way too orangey for crows
Posts: 3,829
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Dec 20, 2010 20:03:39 GMT
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Pic of the spring in situ may help? Is it a straight spring or is it pig tailed, straight I guess with its age  What's the diameter of the strut? (if it has one?) can you change the spring plates and go for 2.25 springs? loads on the bay |
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,516
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Dec 20, 2010 20:36:41 GMT
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All you need is a few dimensions and you can get some made to whatever rate and length you like. I have an early Haynes manual for the Sunbeam/Singer models to '65 with outer diameter, static and laden lengths. You could measure the wire diameter in situ and make educated guesses on the load they are under using the overall kerb weight and use this to calculate the factory spring rate to give a starting point too.
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
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Dec 20, 2010 22:03:08 GMT
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If you struggle to find springs, you could try modifying your struts to take these to convert them to coil overs:  There cheap enough, but need welded onto your struts (slid on, seam weld the tops and bottoms of the threaded sleeve), but then you can get almost any length and weight spring and put that on. I did this to the front struts of my Hillman Hunter and they worked great. Its pretty straight forward if your struts are also steep and a 50mm diamiter Here are some before and after pictures: Before  After  In total it cost me about £100, for the 2 kits, springs, new shock oil and a grinding disk to chop off the old seats |
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Too many projects, not enough time.
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Dec 20, 2010 22:26:36 GMT
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Hm. Best I can make out springs are 4 1/2" o/d with 5/8" wire, cut flush at the bottom, can't see the tops. Can't change spring diameter easily, they sit directly on the bottom a-arm not on a separate plate.
It's got new Spax shocks so I thought it'd be cheapest to swap springs, but I'm not sure how to guess a spring rate. Coilover conversion looks interesting...
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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Dec 20, 2010 22:55:33 GMT
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Hey Bob,
Changing the subject a bit. Any idea's what the wheel fitment is on the minx's???
Wouldnt mind some alloy's or banded steels.
Whats up with your front springs??
B
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I'm just an average man with exceptional hair.
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,516
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Dec 20, 2010 23:02:53 GMT
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If you struggle to find springs, you could try modifying your struts to take these to convert them to coil overs: The Minx in question doesn't have struts  For a Singer Vogue I've got 4.46" OD, static laden length 7.9" and free length 11.17". So under static conditions the weight of the car is compressing the springs about 3.3" Overall weight of he car is given as about 2400lbs. Assuming/guessing a F/R weight bias of 55/45 and that means the front end is taking 1320lbs, each front wheel half that at 660. So the wheel is seeing a "spring rate" of 660/3.3 = 217lbs/" BUT the spring is about halfway up the wishbone so you need to consider the leverage the wheel has on the spring. Its late (Zzzzz) but I might be able to work this out for you tomorrow. |
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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I've got a set of NOS Sunbeam Alpine springs sitting in my garage. Probably pretty expensive to ship to UK though.
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63 Alpine Series III
69 Imp Sport 930
07 Golf V GTI
11 Freelander 2 (hers!)
70 Hunter Royal (scrapped), 78 Chrysler Alpine GLS (given away), 84 505 STi (sold), 01 206 1.6XR (sold)
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Hi Ben, wheels I've no idea mate, offset etc. One front spring feels pretty dead, and its nearly 2cm lower on that side... Deadness could be a shock but they are new, and I can't see a leak. Seth, cheers, that helps. I guessed 2500lbs, my manual doesn't list it. It does give 1270 lbs "static laden (off car)" (? que ?) re front suspension. And free length 12.75" vs laden 7.9", so call it 4.75" compressed. Which seems a fair lot. And this is not my model though probs near as dammit the same. So that gives 267lbs / inch without accounting for the angle of the dangle. Aargh...  I'll surf about for a way to do that, to get a rough lbs/in number. |
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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v8ian
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,766
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Dec 21, 2010 11:34:02 GMT
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What about somthing from a Mk3-4-5- Cortina, they are wishbone fronts, may be able to pirate those, they were available in different ratings from factory, probably well catered for in the kit car world too,
Wheels, same as small ford PCD 4.25-4, BUT, be careful the roots nuts and wheels have a radiused nut seat, and Fords have a Conical seat, mix n match and your wheel nuts will have a habit of undoing themselves, matche the wheels with nuts and there wont be a problem
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Atmo V8 Power . No slicks , No gas + No bits missing . Doing it in style.
Austin A35van, very different------- but still doing it in style, going to be a funmoble
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Hey Bob,
Was flicking through my Minx manual and found some info on the springs, here it is;
Front road springs,
-Outer diameter 4.46in
-Length static, unladen 7.75in+-0.010in
-Load static laden 1150lb (off car)
-Free length 11.52in
Hope this is some help for matching it up.
B
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I'm just an average man with exceptional hair.
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Give me some more details year model ect and I will ask my mate,
He owns a local motor factors and restores vintage cars so should be able to help......................
PM me if you wish.........
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Dec 22, 2010 12:04:09 GMT
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usedabused cheers  PM on the way... Ta Ben, I think mine is slightly different although I've got series V figures not VI. The springs are given as 4.56" for series V (odd eh to change from 4.46), and some other lengths and stuff. Found some sites on the interhighweb talking about how to find a spring rate, but isn't practical, so back to guessing etc. Found a few places that make springs for classics to ring, hope to try them at lunchtime. Cheers guys. |
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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I'll surf about for a way to do that, to get a rough lbs/in number.
PM on the way...