Red springs

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: Red springs

Post by vandor »

RoyBatty wrote:So....crap. What do I have??
It does kind of look like one end is cut. On both the stock and aftermarket springs, the end of the spring flattens out, so the end of the spring can sit flat. It looks like these springs only have this on one end, not the other, so my guess is that one end was cut.

The stock front springs were ~14" long, and had almost 9 coils.
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town
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124JOE
Posts: 3141
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 7:11 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: Red springs

Post by 124JOE »

clean them up and
just thow them in and mesure hight
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
narfire
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: Red springs

Post by narfire »

As mentioned above I believe the springs are IAP springs. I'll take a look tomorow as my reds have not been cut on the fronts.
I had KYB's as well for the longest time and are a good shock. I had cut the rears down one coil as with the KYB's the car seemed still sit a bit high at the back. I recently installed Koni yellows and found the length of the Koni's were a bit shorter than the KYB's so now the car might be sitting a bit low at the rear. I think it would be perfect if I had left the reds the original length with Koni's.
Good find Roy
Chris
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
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RoyBatty
Posts: 852
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 11:44 pm
Your car is a: 1975 124 Spider - 1971 124 Sport Coupe
Location: Locust Grove, VA

Re: Red springs

Post by RoyBatty »

Well, after some comparison and dimensional checks, it looks as though I may have some stock springs that someone cut down by 1 coil and refinished.
So what's the consensus here, should I install them and give them a shot?
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124JOE
Posts: 3141
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 7:11 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: Red springs

Post by 124JOE »

go ahead throw them in
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
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RoyBatty
Posts: 852
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 11:44 pm
Your car is a: 1975 124 Spider - 1971 124 Sport Coupe
Location: Locust Grove, VA

Re: Red springs

Post by RoyBatty »

After removing the front bumper I installed the springs and shocks I mentioned at the start of this thread.
Here is the new stance,
Image

Compared to the old,
Image

The ride is a notably more stiff but not uncomfortable for me, even at 49 yrs old with bad discs in my back and neck.
The handling is much improved. The coil springs were only cut off so that the collapsed seating coil plus about another 1/2 coil was removed. The shocks are bilsteins at the rear and KYB's at the front.
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124JOE
Posts: 3141
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 7:11 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: Red springs

Post by 124JOE »

nice, im glad it worked out
it looks good
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
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