| Author |
Message |
Steve Magnusson (91tr)
| | Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2001 - 12:37 pm: | |
Peter, I'm not sure what you mean by "company time" -- is there some other kind of time? In my cynical "my glass is half empty (and a bunch useless bureaucrats want to take more)"-view, we're all just modern day slaves still building the Pyramids. |
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
| | Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2001 - 1:04 am: | |
Thanks.
P.S. Do you do these drafts on company time? Very professional looking (only when the boss steps out of the office, eh? J). I have cleaned all of my engine parts at work too. Shhh... |
Steve Magnusson (91tr)
| | Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2001 - 11:51 am: | |
Peter -- Yes, the deeper lower spring perch is designed to work with the stock front spring. I�m fairly sure it would fit the rear 308 Konis too (since I think both stock lower perches and the half-rings are the same front/rear) -- to be really sure, measure the lower shock case OD (should be a little less than 56 mm diameter) and a half-ring (should be 5 mm diameter cross-section). The action of the 308 rear suspension is a little different than the front so the amount of �drop� (measured at the top of the wheel arch) versus the �L1� dimension of the perch as shown on the drawing would not apply. These are layouts of the front & rear 308 suspension motions based on the cross-section drawings shown in the 308GT4 WSM:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=972829&a=8468088&p=34130111
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=972829&a=8468088&p=34130102
if you want to calculate the �rear drop vs. L1� relationship for the lower perch. |
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
| | Posted on Friday, April 27, 2001 - 7:09 pm: | |
Steve M. That spring perch design of yours, will that work with the stock springs still? If that's the case, then yes that is the most cost effective (just fab up little ring-thingys). Will it work for the rear shocks? Hmmm... just curious... |
Steve Magnusson (91tr)
| | Posted on Friday, April 27, 2001 - 4:03 pm: | |
I�ve got to cast a dissenting vote here -- I lowered the front of my ex-308GTS AND had the deep Euro spoiler:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=972829&a=8468088&p=47307819
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=972829&a=8468088&p=47307817
Sure you need to be more careful and �angle� dips (and sometimes you�re forced to scrape), but it�s worth it IMHO. A little forward chassis rake just looks too good on the 308/328 coachwork, and it makes the clearance between the front tire OD and the fender opening more uniform (check out the side-view of a 288 and a 328 on the FNA website -- you�ll note that the 288 is lower in front and has a little forward rake). You want to talk about front overhang and not much ground clearance try a stock (flat-bottomed) TR!
There is no "built-in" 308/328 ride height adjustment mechanism/method so it's a little more difficult than "easily", but still 3 reasonable options:
As the others have already suggested:
1. Different (shorter) springs (usually with a higher spring rate, or even better, a variable spring rate) -- if you can really get these for ~$150 each I�d go that way (like Nick, Truechoice might also be a possible source), but my experience is more like $250 each.
2. Modify the existing Koni�s to have an adjustable lower spring perch -- Truechoice Motorsports (http://www.truechoice.com) indicated that they could modify my existing TR Konis to have an adjustable lower spring perch (essentially the lower spring perch becomes a large �nut�-like thing that can moved along the externally-threaded lower shock case); however, the turn-around time was/is 4~5 weeks.
The third alternative is:
3. Replace the existing Koni lower spring perch with a different design -- this method worked very well for me (and is probably the lowest cost approach). A copy of the alternate spring perch design is at:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=972829&a=8468088&p=47307815
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=972829&a=8468088&p=47378561
(and I recently noted this part would even fit my �91 TR front Konis so it may work on many other models too). If anyone is interested in this now, you might try contacting Stewart Chung at ([email protected]) -- I think he and 4~5 others on the FerrariList are trying to put together a �group� buy right now to keep the fab costs down.
JMHOs. |
BretM (Bretm)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2001 - 6:16 pm: | |
The suspension in them is pretty good. If you lower it you are gonne encounter problems for the most part. That long overhang is already a hazard at the height it is, I would have to see it if the car was lowered. As it is, if I go really slow I never scrap, but if I go with any speed whatsoever I definitely will. I wouldn't recommend lowering it, you'll only cause more problems. Which 308s have you seen that sit lower? |
Craig Dewey (Craigfl)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2001 - 11:42 am: | |
My 328 (as well as the rest of them I'm sure), must be driven carefully over bumps and dips. It is difficult to keep the front spoiler from scraping on the ground now and then. Of course the easiest way to "lower" the car is to change the wheels/tire profile... |
William H (Countachxx)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2001 - 10:10 am: | |
Nick, who advertizes here up on the upper left corner has adjustable shocks & new springs for 308s/328s. I have to get some for my 308QV also |
Kurt Kjelgaard (Kurtk328)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2001 - 10:05 am: | |
I don't know anything about adjustable 911's, so I don't know what easily adjustable is.
If you want to adjust a 328, you will need to change springs (and possibly dampers/shocks).
And yes, I feel that you will have clearance problems if a lowered car is to be used as a normal car, off the track. Especially due to the front overhang.
Good luck with your search and welcome to Ferrari World.
brgds Kurt |
Mark McKenzie (Redcar)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2001 - 9:33 am: | |
I'm looking to buy a 308/328. From strictly an appearance standpoint, the 308/328's that sit lower to the ground look much better to me. Is the ride height easily adjustable like a 911's? Are there clearance and alignment issues? Thanks for any help. Mark McKenzie |
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