Tiger front springs

I am sure this has been addressed before but I could not find it. I would like to lower the front of my Mk1, does anyone sell a lowered front coil spring? I have about 3" between my tire and fender, too much for me. I would like to lower it at least 1,5-2". thanks.

Rubber Insulators

The rubber insulators on the top of your front springs are about 5/8" thick. If you remove them it will drop your front end 1 1/4", since they are half way outboard from the fulcrum pins. No cutting of springs or changing your spring rate, so your car will ride the same. You may have to have your front end realigned, since your camber may change.

I used a bandsaw to cut 1/2" off of my insulators in order to leave 1/8". So it lowered my front end 1". I wanted at least some rubber to dampen any vibrations.

Gary

I know some guys here remove the insulators completely.. personally i wouldnt, even a slim one to take away some shock transer into the car woudl be my preference.

As for buying uprates springs:

Dale A of dales restos
Mod Tiger engineering.

The you have the option of slotting in the later hillman "drop spindles" which lower the front of the car a bit over an inch, but finsing them can be a bit time consuming and pricey.

This came up at the beginning of summer. I think is was "oneoffive" posted a picture of an A arm with what I would describe as a spring cup welded into the A arm.

The coil then sits into the cup, lowering the front. Seems logical too me and I guess it was done for racing as well, to get that front end down.

I just installed the springs Dale orders. These are supposed to be one inch lower. I am please with the ride height. Lowering is a tricky business as it always seems to lessen the travel. I cut out a 1/3 coil in my Boss 302............glad I didn't cut any more than that. Certain cars have short springs from the get go and to drop to much also messes the travel of the shock.

Go too 5/22/2011 on the discussion section............I could not figure out how to paste and copy the topic

Mike

Drop A-arms

Here's another pic if you missed the first go around. At the time, front shock travel was a worry and we found several large piston alternatives by invading the shelves of the local parts stores. Try that move with your counter guy today! Can't remember what we ended up with, but it worked fine. Of course, re-alignment is required as the A-arm ride angles will change.

Just curious if the reason the front gap looks to be too much for you is partly because the gap in the rear is much less than the front? So the car looks like it is running up hill? I could not find good enough pics in the earlier postings to check myself. Anyway, if so, that is probably because the rear springs has sagged over the last 45 years. Look closely at the stance of the NZ tiger in link in the Finally Brought It Back Home posting. That shows what a Tiger's stance looks like when new. Major gaps at front and back. How does your car currently compare to that one?

Does the rear end bottom out easily when driving over major bumps at speed? Especially with any weight of substance in the trunk? If so, you might look into getting new rear springs first. Then if the car sits too high for your personal tastes look into adjusting both front and back heights. Hopefully something in all of this is relevant at least to the context of your question! Cheers, Gene

The rear sits nicely to me and so far no rub issues that I have encountered. Here is at least one pic to show the "gap". Thanks for all the help and info.

I have about the same gap, but my car sits level...60 series tires on 13" rims has something to do with it, I'm sure. I can't go any lower in the back, but I still might lower the car an inch or so in the front someday. This pic is on a driveway incline, but you can see the gap difference.

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You really need a side elevation pic to see the gap.. but as for the front looking high.. i'd bet its at stock height.

The sunbeams (alpine and tiger) have a high appearence at the front, large gap around the wheel, especially in comparison to they way the rear arch sits in relation ot the rear wheel.

When new the cars sat level, as in the top of the guard line/body runs straight, when the car is like this the front appears to sit high in comparison to the wheel arch, many owners lower the front closer to the tyres.. this not only closes the gap, but actually gives the car a nose down stance. It will actually physically angle the whole body down towards the front.

a stock car:

Thanks for the pics----mine probably sits like both of those---I would like it a little lower. I may try the insulator fix first, go from there.

Go to a mustang parts site on line and order spring pads for a mustang two, they work really well on my car, far better than stock and lower the car about an inch which helps. Don

Thanks, may try that one....