lowered front spring seats
Moderators: notoptoy, S Allen, Solex68
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- Roadster Fanatic
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:36 am
- Location: Bozeman, Montana
- Model: 2000
- Year: High Windshield-68-70
lowered front spring seats
I am retired and have little money to spend on my 70 roadster but I do have lots of time. I had the roadster up on my lift yesterday looking at the front spring seats to see if I could lower them myself and how much trouble it would be. Looks to me that the 4 bolts securing said seat could be removed so the seat could be removed, then have, say, 1" individual ears or a continuous lip welded with new holes to drop the seat down at exactly the same angle and everything thus achieving a lowered front end.
Any thoughts? seems like it would be relatively easy.
Scott
Any thoughts? seems like it would be relatively easy.
Scott
1968 510 Wagon
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
- keith0alan
- Roadsteraholic
- Posts: 923
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 10:07 am
Re: lowered front spring seats
Sounds reasonable to me. You could leave the original holes so that it could be returned to stock if desired.
- rwmann
- Roadster Fanatic-Site Supporter
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- Location: Port Washington, NY
- Model: 2000
- Year: High Windshield-68-70
Re: lowered front spring seats
I would go with a continuous lip, which would perform better as a shear web.
- Alvin
- Roadster Nut-Site Supporter
- Posts: 8381
- Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:01 pm
Re: lowered front spring seats
A thread on making the perches:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24193&p=216461&hili ... es#p216461


Lowered spring perches on Mike Braaten's SR20-powered '70:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24193&p=216461&hili ... es#p216461
Lowered spring perches on Mike Braaten's SR20-powered '70:

Alvin Gogineni
San Jose, CA
1967.5 SPL/SR20
1997 Acura Integra GS-R
2022 Chevy Bolt EUV
zcarblog.com
Instagram
YouTube
My SR20 Build Thread
San Jose, CA
1967.5 SPL/SR20
1997 Acura Integra GS-R
2022 Chevy Bolt EUV
zcarblog.com
YouTube
My SR20 Build Thread
- rwmann
- Roadster Fanatic-Site Supporter
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- Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:11 am
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Re: lowered front spring seats
Shear web for the win!
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- Roadster Fanatic
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:36 am
- Location: Bozeman, Montana
- Model: 2000
- Year: High Windshield-68-70
Re: lowered front spring seats
I think I'll do it this winter. Will post pics of my method.
1968 510 Wagon
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
- spl310
- Roadster Guru
- Posts: 13241
- Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2002 10:38 pm
- Location: In front of this keyboard... in Jacksonville, Florida!
Re: lowered front spring seats
Rob Hewitson in Australia did that to a 67 2000 years ago. He had a website with pictures but it is gone.
"Wow, a Roadster!" Stuart Little
1967.5 2000
1967.5 2000
1964 1500
1964 1500
1967.5 1600
1968 chassis
2006 Acura MDX
2013 Volkswagen Jetta TDI wagon
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1967.5 2000
1967.5 2000
1964 1500
1964 1500
1967.5 1600
1968 chassis
2006 Acura MDX
2013 Volkswagen Jetta TDI wagon
1995 F350 Powerstroke!
More...
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- Roadster Fanatic
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:36 am
- Location: Bozeman, Montana
- Model: 2000
- Year: High Windshield-68-70
Re: lowered front spring seats
I had forgotten that I got a bunch of parts when I bought my roadster. Turns out I have two each lower control arms complete so will be able to use the spring seats off of them to modify for this project.
1968 510 Wagon
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
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- Talented Enthusiast
- Posts: 2962
- Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 9:43 am
- Location: Cumming, GA
Re: lowered front spring seats
I have to ask why that method? You can buy affordable after market
springs which drop the car 1-1.5†that simply drop in. They have increased spring rate and also improve ride stability.
If you drop it much more than that an use stock springs, the lower a-arm will hit the tie rods
on hard bumps. (Not a good thing) Then you need heim joints. If you don’t do all this correctly, you really mess-up the suspension geometry.
springs which drop the car 1-1.5†that simply drop in. They have increased spring rate and also improve ride stability.
If you drop it much more than that an use stock springs, the lower a-arm will hit the tie rods
on hard bumps. (Not a good thing) Then you need heim joints. If you don’t do all this correctly, you really mess-up the suspension geometry.
LT/JT
https://www.datsunrestorationproducts.com/
Only the very BEST parts for your Datsun- 10000's of items in stock
New, Used and Reproduction!
https://www.datsunrestorationproducts.com/
Only the very BEST parts for your Datsun- 10000's of items in stock
New, Used and Reproduction!
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- Roadster Fanatic
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:36 am
- Location: Bozeman, Montana
- Model: 2000
- Year: High Windshield-68-70
Re: lowered front spring seats
OK. My method costs me nothing, that is the reason for doing it at all. You make a good point, and I am glad you did. I won't do it then. If I win the lottery (which I don't play) I'll come to you for the springs/bilsteins.
1968 510 Wagon
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
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- Talented Enthusiast
- Posts: 2962
- Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 9:43 am
- Location: Cumming, GA
Re: lowered front spring seats
Springs themselves are not too expensive and accomplish the lowering objective easily without any disadvantages even if Bil’s are not in the current budget. WAY easier method.
Cheers!
Cheers!
LT/JT
https://www.datsunrestorationproducts.com/
Only the very BEST parts for your Datsun- 10000's of items in stock
New, Used and Reproduction!
https://www.datsunrestorationproducts.com/
Only the very BEST parts for your Datsun- 10000's of items in stock
New, Used and Reproduction!
- CSP311
- Site Supporter
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Re: lowered front spring seats
Or you have this option (not lowering as such, but improving the ride)
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17581&p=243819&hili ... ng#p243819
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17581&p=243819&hili ... ng#p243819
1965 Nissan Silvia (CSP311) for total restoration
1978 260Z finally on the road (Rebello 3.2L)
1978 260Z finally on the road (Rebello 3.2L)
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- Roadster Fanatic
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:36 am
- Location: Bozeman, Montana
- Model: 2000
- Year: High Windshield-68-70
Re: lowered front spring seats
Thank you CSP311! His mod really shows that small changes in things make big differences. I found this out on my VG powered 510 when playing with spring lengths for the rear end. Good info.
1968 510 Wagon
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!
1970 Roadster 1600/U20/5 sp. swap
1972 510 4 dr. vg30e/5 sp. ricky racer
1971 510 shell behind the shop, r.i.p.
I drive a Roadster or 510 almost every day!