Suspension Rebuild, Etc.

Although our car has only 29,000 miles, 33 years had taken their toll on the shock absorbers (dampers), suspension bushings, and tie rod ends. It got to the point where the suspension had become very jarring over bumps and the front end would wander and dart left and right over pavement irregularities. It had gotten to be quite a handful (and a little scary) to drive even moderately quickly.

Since I'm not Omgjon, I farmed the job out to our local Ferrari mechanic, Karl Troy at European Road & Racing. He replaced all of the bushings and tie rod ends, had the a-arms and springs powder-coated (just to look nice), and installed four brand new Konis. I also got a tune up and had a leaking drive shaft seal replaced. He also installed a new clutch cable as the old one was sticking badly.

The results of the suspension work are spectacular! Like anything that takes place over a long time, the deterioration had caused me to forget how the car felt when it was new. Now I remember. It feels 10 times better over bumps and goes exactly where it's pointed over rough pavement. It inspires total confidence.

Between that and the tune-up, I feel as though I'm driving a brand new car. The clutch had been sticky for so long that it took a little while for me to get used to it working right.

As always, Karl and the guys at ER&R did a fantastic job. Karl's attention to detail is amazing. For anyone in the Charleston (SC) area, I recommend them highly.

Also thanks to Dave M. for persuading me to go whole hog and get the bushings done...