another spring conversion

[Hans Efde]

Today I completed the mods on my subframe. It just needs another lick of black gloss paint and then I can start installing the suspension.
I've followed David's path to convert the hydragas to springs. But on advise of Alan I put the springs a bit higher. This gives more adjustment of the springs and it's now possible to pop them in by hand. A local machine shop milled 2 bushes for me, 4cm high. They drop over the flange on top of the turret, so in total the spring sits 2 cm higher.





Another small mod is the towing eye. The exisiting towing eyes on the subframe are covered by the front bumper so I bent a piece of rod and welded it on the towing eye. It's 8cm lower, this should expose 4cm of the new towing eye below the car. I had it on my first Midas as well, very simple but effective. Only drawback is that it may bang against something occasionally.



Another solution would be what Peter Hills had. He had made a complicated bracket bolted the subframe. It stuck out the front bumper just below the indicator light.

[wolfie]

Looks amazing. Hell of a lot better than any of my ideas or attempts. I think if it works you could be getting a lot of orders

[Hans Efde]

It's the Watson spring set. You have to order the set from him. The bushes can be made by any local machine shop. Mine are 40mm high, outside diam. is 108, internal diam. is 101mm, halfway up the internal diam. decreases to 95mm. I paid 70 euro for the bushes. when I got them, I just had to drill 2 12mm holes and make 2 sleeves with an angle grinder.
I bought Stuart's spring kit second hand, I don't exactly know what the new price is, around 160 pounds?

[Rich]

That looks really good Hans.

[manifold]

Looks really cool that Hans. Good job.

...and if you find the ride height too low, you can pack up the spring from the back of it.

Welcome to the front spring club. You won't regret it!

[Hans Efde]

Today I finally got the new subframe in the car. Before that I had cleaned the engine bay and cut a hole for the LHD conversion (something for the future)


I had no idea how to connect the steering rack to the rubber donut when the subframe is in place, so started with hanging the rack by 2 strings,connected the rubber donut



and lifted the frame on its place with a bit of fiddling. First I had tried with 2 jacks but that turned out be impossible. With my chain hoist and a jack for the front it was easy to control the frame and carefully get it in the car. I had to remove the front mounts to get a bit of space. One bolt was seized and had to be dremeled out.



The front mounts were installed again with new SS bolts and nuts. I installed them with the nuts down because the cavity in the engine bay tends to collect water and dirt. I think it's better to have the bolt head sitting in that muck than the thread and nut (which caused the seized bolt).

When the frame was bolted up I attached the steering rack to it.

Tomorrow the AR bar goes in

And then continue with bolting up the steering column bowl, I hate the job already.

[manifold]

Hans, you fit the subframe with the steering and rollbar fitted. Just thought I better let you know. It will go, honest. I do it by jacking the frame up to the car balanced on a plank using a trolley jack. Just make sure front bumper is off.

[Hans Efde]

It was a nightmare to get the steering rack loose from the column when I removed the old subframe, so I can't see how you can get the subframe back in and then attach the steering rack at the same go.
I split the 2 by unbolting the rubber donut (which required about 3/4 inch of space to lever the rubber donut from the studs), is there an easier way to separate the steering rack?

[manifold]

Hi Hans,

On both my cars I remove the housing fixed to the floor on the column inside the car and slide it up the column (one car has a rubber housing and one car has steel housing).....

Then I get a 13mm or 1/2" open ended spanner and get it round the back of the subframe through the wheel arch. It does just fit.....with the nuts on the engine bay side. I draw the bolts back up into the car. I can do all this myself without a helper if I take the door off first.

It may be easier to unbolt the column altogether to give you more access if you still struggle.

Always works for me. It is fiddly but not the worst job.....which always goes to the front upper shock absorber mounts.

[Hans Efde]

Springs and upper suspension arm is now in: