Suspension
Intro ...
Fairly standard at front. At least uprated front lever arms, although I
haven't ruled out the expensive Frontline telescopic conversion kit, with
lowered and uprated front coils. Option is to also fit the small 1/2"
lowering kit on spring pans to "slam" it further. A 9/16" diameter anti-roll
bar already there from the 70s upgrade. Midget stub axle assemblies with
poly bushes in suspension arms. Poly trunnions if I don't go Frontline.
Already sourced the stub axles so these need a good clean-up and servicing
probably with new kingpins and bushes, but definitely the fulcrum and cotter
pins and various washers. Odd system on the A35 and Spridgets in that the
fulcrum pin is locked to the kingpin so any movement is transmitted to the
threaded fulcrum pin which turns in the metal wishbone bushes. Well it keeps
wishbone reconditioners in business! And I will probably have to buy two! [I've
acquired two good pans from a fellow Club member]
At the rear it has van springs (11-leaf instead of 7) as it was normal
to carry passengers being the only car when I was younger. I'll probably try
and find or design custom adjustable telescopic shock setup like the A40 or
simply updated levers at least. May look at getting a set
of leaf springs made from Academy Race springs or remove a couple of the leaves
from the van springs as it drove ok on 5 1/2" steelies and radial tyres when
last used.
Possibly some thin lowering blocks if lowered springs are too expensive, the
springs will prevent the tyres rubbing on the already flared arches.
Cheapest option will be to fit 6" x 13" Minilites probably with 185/60R13. I
have a set of wheels with 165 width tyres and they are far too narrow and
stretched onto the rims ... something that i personally dislike intensely and
is probably a safety issue. But as manufacturers start to drop the smaller
diameter tyres from their range I am considering going up to 14" rims to
ensure supplies, plus I can go low profile and not lose the advantage of the
lower diff ratio.
