Talk to a spring manufacturer, cutting a spring down makes it stiffer.

I have a Henly with a Cortina front end. It has shortened springs and thats responsible for the adverse camber on the front wheels. (see a post I made several weeks ago).
Ive just managed to source a complete front end complete with spring and intend to replace my shortened springs with originals. Ive emailed everywhere over the last few weeks to try and obtain a solution but it seems the only way, short of rewelding in new mounting holes is to have either severe camber or high front end ride height.
Good luck and let me know how you get on?

Hi Gavin.

Have you actually driven the car? If so, does it drive ok?

As you suspect, the lighter weight of the Henley compared to the donor along with the fact that the engine sits further back in the vehicle, means that the standard springs don't have the same compressive load on them - so they'll sit higher.

It's certainly true that the 'standard' solution of cutting a couple of inches from the original spring will make the Henley front really stiff - this is fine for road-holding, but doesn't make for a comfy car! With the car having a lighter weight in the first place - which means even standard suspension will feel stiffer - making the springs stiffer still by shortening them is a bit of over-kill!

Softer springs certainly do exist - or used to. I understand Pilgrim Cars used to supply 160lb road springs for this purpose which I'm guessing is softer!

I also understand that Burton (they do lots of performance mods for Fords - try a surf) also have modified Cortina springs, but whether these are simply shorter rather than softer, I don't know. They'd be a good place to contact tho'.

A couple of other things to consider: what size wheels are fitted, and what size and PROFILE of tyres are on them? The TF really benefits from high profile boots - 75s or 80s - on 15" wheels to fill them arches! High profile tyres also tend to be softer, so will compensate somewhat for stiff suspension.

Also, were the wings fitted in the correct place?! Daft question, I know, but my Henley's rear wings are ludicrously high, with the back edges sitting ABOVE the height of the horizontal join between the rear body and the lower scuttle. Every other TF I've looked at has this part sitting well below this line. As a result, the rear arches sit stupidly high above the wheels, and needs altering. All I'm saying is, don't just assume it's been done correctly by the builder!

Thanks mel, tony, donnie, Tony good to here you have almost sorted your problem. I was following your post with interest. Donnie, I think that the wings are in the correct position, I dont think that they could go much lower especially at the doors. I may have to put up with the high wings. I have noticed on other Henleys the wings seem high but on MG based TF the sit much lower, no I have not driven the car yet I started to take it to bits as soon as I bought it so that pleasure still awaits me.
Im hoping to have it on the road for next summer

Hi Gavin (and Tony!)

A possible solution: I was having a browse of the 'inter-web' looking for 'Cortina front spring' problems, and it threw up a few links to other kit car models (Pilgrim Cobra-replicas, that sort of thing) and peeps with similar problems.

A company that was mentioned was www.dampertech.co.uk , who make all sorts of replacement springs, shock, coil-overs for many cars.

I emailed them to ask if they had a Cortina Mk3 adjustable coil-over-shock replacement, with softer than original springs, and the answer seems to be 'yes, but give us a call to run through a few details'.

This could possibly be an ideal solution - an all-in adjustable unit which would replace the current shock?

He left me a contact name and number: Dave 01709 703992 or 07973 382199

(For simplicity, I'd worded my email as tho' I was the one enquiring, but there's obviously no point in me phoning them up myself as I don't know the details of what's required. I'll leave it to your good selves to chase it up if you are interested...)

I contacted one company about Coil-Overs
They quoted me £293

EACH !!!!!!!!!

In November Im putting a 2 Litre Pinto and 5 speed box in. At that time I might have a play about with the removed front end and moving the top wishbone

Ouch!

I would be careful, altering the pickup point will not only change the camber gain. You will move the front roll centre and may induce bump steer. On the B suspension camber can be altered by elongating the outer bottom wishbone pickup and welding or braising washers on at the desired place, is that possible with your setup?

Hi Mel.

Yes, care is needed.

There are two issues involved here, as far as I understand - one is simply coping with the reduced weight of the kit as opposed to the donor (easy - shorter or softer springs so that the car is returned to 'level' settings!), but the other depends on whether the Henley actually needs to have its suspension LOWERED further than the Cortina donor (as it does in at least some Marlin Berlinettas).

If you 'fix' the springs by removing MORE than is required for restoring 'normal' suspension height, so that the suspension is actually lowered further than it was in the Cortina, then I understand Negative camber will ensue (I udertstand this happens in the Cortina under 'dive' conditions.)

The simplest way around this is to fit a replacement - adjustable - upper wishbone arm: see here -

http://www.marlinownersclub.com/forum.php?read=6356&cat=1


I was pointing out 'DamperTech' as a possible way of restoring the SAME suspension height as the donor - ie: getting softer, and height-adjustable, front suspension by replacing both the spring and damper with a single coil-over-shock which should be able to be fitted in the current shock location.

I don't see why this shouldn't work if what you require is to simply restore the original Cortina suspension height for the lighter Henley. If you want to LOWER it further, however, then something more serious is required.


What I don't understand, tho', is why Gavin's front suspension doesn't restore normal camber to his wheels when he jacks up the front of his car - I'd have thought it would. Any ideas?