Styling Replaced My Steels For Alloys....

[Blackie27]

Rear shocks should be changed as a pair if they have done over 15K

There's no such requirement for springs as far as I know

Park somewhere flat, If from the ground to the top of the wheel arch measure roughly the the same each side, I wouldn't bother, a bit of surface rust is fine

Original springs a painted colour mark to identify them they should be the same colour, unfortunately it's often missing from third party springs

Thank for you never-ending knowledge and great input..

The rear of the car is the same height and they are both black.

I plan to clean the surface rust from the old one and give it a protective coating.

I bought the car at the end of December for £375. MOT'd till June 25. The body and cills are solid. I have done some immediate
work on the car since I got it.
Full service, timing belt water pump, rear brake shoes, cylinders, and today a new battery.
I plan to change the shocks front and back with associated parts in the coming weeks.
The price for all the parts will be around £200 and with the price that I paid, I think I will have a cracking sound little car for a good few years.
And It is Ulez compliant too.

Blackie27.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I had one spring changed on our Seat two or three years back. It went against the grain as the car had done 130K miles, but I knew it was coming to its end. In the event it felt no different with 1 new and 1 old spring and the old one was still there when we sent it to the breakers. If you chnage now you will still have an odd pair maybe from different makers. I would leave it as is and just be aware and monitor the condition.

 

[Blackie27]

I had one spring changed on our Seat two or three years back. It went against the grain as the car had done 130K miles, but I knew it was coming to its end. In the event it felt no different with 1 new and 1 old spring and the old one was still there when we sent it to the breakers. If you chnage now you will still have an odd pair maybe from different makers. I would leave it as is and just be aware and monitor the condition.

I was not sure regarding the spring being a different age on how the car word run, but with the great knowledge from the likes of yourself and others it has put my mind at ease.
Thanks for the info Panda Nut.

 

[rmjbn1]

I bought the car at the end of December for £375. MOT'd till June 25. The body and cills are solid. I have done some immediate
work on the car since I got it.

Just in case you haven't found them yet, other rust points are:
Coolant return pipe across front of engine - it disappears behind the exhaust manifold and both ends cen get rusty and start to leak
Oil sump pans go porous as they rust and can weep oil
Exhaust bracket below the cat
Mud trap behind front springs

Also keep duckbill scuttle drains clear below the windscreen - they block easily

 

[The Panda Nut]

Reminds me I have two exhaust brackets to check

 

[MrMagoo]

That's a very pretty car. Wheels looks lovely.

 

[The Panda Nut]

That's a very pretty car. Wheels looks lovely.
View attachment 461439

think these wheels are really up there in terms of style

 

[Kernow 70]

That's a very pretty car. Wheels looks lovely.
View attachment 461439

Thank you for your comments . Yes I'm delighted with it I purchased it with just 40,000 genuine miles on the clock. Besides the wheels I fitted the aftermarket roof bars which in my opinion enhances the little car, o.k. there's extra wind noise but isn't excessive, and I like anything that enhances the aesthetics.
Still contemplating lowering the rear slightly.???

 

[MrMagoo]

If it's solely a question about aesthetics, put something weighty in the rear and consider.

I do not recommend cutting springs or fiddling with the suspension. Much has been said on this topic.

 

[Kernow 70]

If it's solely a question about aesthetics, put something weighty in the rear and consider.

I do not recommend cutting springs or fiddling with the suspension. Much has been set on this topic.

Yeah if I do anything it'll probably be somewhere on the lines of 30mm lowering springs with Fiat Coup bump stops and shorter dampers.....
Still undecided at the moment.???

 

[Kernow 70]

Well I decided to go for it and bit the bullet so to speak....

Kit arrived yesterday............

 

[Kernow 70]

So today I removed original springs shocks & bump stops. Cleaned up and painted lower spring seats making sure drain holes were all clear, everything in excellent condition just a bit of surface rust. Fitted new Fiat Coupe, (shorter) bump stops not an easy task but with the aid of some WD-40 a long wooden lever and a rubber mallet they eventually went in, oh and also with the obligatory expletives . Next the new 30mm lower Eibach rear springs after replacing the original rubber cushions on the top of the springs, followed by the new shorter Stance shock absorbers, copper slipped all the 4x bolts before bolting everything up, re-fitted rear wheels and went for a test drive definitely a firmer ride which is exactly what I was expecting but gone is all the original banging and crashing from the rear.....delighted... Once I've purchased a pair of new shocks/legs for the front I will be fitting them along with new top mounts of course.....