Red springs

[RoyBatty]

I found a wrecked '78 Spider in a local wrecking yard to scrounge parts from. I noticed it had red springs at all four corners and silver bilstein shocks. Are these springs worth my time to strip from the wreck?
I would like a slightly lower stance. The red finish on the springs appears to be from the manufacturer.

[burgandy81]

I have the IAP red springs on my 81and quite like them, a little lower and a little firmer. Having said that, they are not outrageously expensive and may take quite a while to get them out of a car at a wrecking yard. If you have the time......

You may want to consider getting the Bilsteins as well. An old neighbor was a Porsche guy and swore by Bilsteins.

Cheers,

Jordan

[vandor]

... may take quite a while to get them out of a car at a wrecking yard.

No really, just have to remove the ft shocks, cut the brake hose, and undo the upper a-arm bolt while a jack is supporting the lower BJ. Then lower the jack, move the a-arm down, and you can remove the spring with a bit of prying with a pry-bar. These are lowering spring, and therefore shorter than the stock ones. Once the lower a-arm is pushed down, the spring should be just about totally extended.

Of course common-sense precautions should be take as always when working with loaded springs.

[124JOE]

might as well grab any Aarms that are still good and brakes
offer them $200 to strip it

[RoyBatty]

Hi Csaba,
Tom from Sacramento here. Thanks for all the help you and Ramzi have given.
So am I to understand that you think these springs are worth snagging?
Also, I have yet to remove any of the rear suspension assemblies from my car. Are the rear springs going to be as easy as the front?
I am considering that I will need to take a floor jack into the yard with me.

[BEEK]

rear is easyer than the front, just remove the compensator rod from the rear end, and the top shock mounts, then jack up the body, the rear end will hang low enough to remove the springs and shocks

[kmac33]

Definitely worth grabbing those springs. I am very happy with the IAP "red" performance springs.

[redcars]

Bilsteins are normolly yellow, they are my preferred shock for everything I own I stated using them on BMW's in 1971 and have been using them on just about everything sence. I do have Leda's on the Super 7 though and they are not available for the wife's minivan.

[vandor]

Hi Tom,

>So am I to understand that you think these springs are worth snagging?

Definitely!

> Are the rear springs going to be as easy as the front?

Just unbolt the shocks (and the brake compensator bar, as was mentioned above), and the rear end will fall down, so you can remove the springs. In '78 there were 2 ways of bolting the shocks to the rear end.
If the rear end has a plate at the rear, simply undo the 17mm lower shock bolts. If it does not, the you need to unbolt the shock brackets from the rear end. You need to go from under the spring perch and find 2 13mm nuts. Sometimes I can get these with just an extension, but sometimes I need my 1/4" drive with a swivel or u-joint.
Once the shocks are off be sure to keep the brackets and sell them to the Spider owners who accidentally threw theirs out with the shocks

>I am considering that I will need to take a floor jack into the yard with me

That would be safer. It can be done without that, but then when you undo the shocks things will fly apart form the tension of the springs. I wouldn't want to be in their path...

[RoyBatty]

Well I was able to get the fronts this evening before the yard closed. I have coaxed another gear head friend to go get the rears for me tomorrow, since I'm leaving for Texas.
I think these are Vick springs. The paint is staying on the springs better than an average garage rattle can overhaul. The front shocks are KYB GR-2's, what can you all say about them?
I know the rears are the same finish on the springs with the Bilstein shocks.

[vandor]

>I think these are Vick springs.

Nope. Maybe IAP.

> The front shocks are KYB GR-2's, what can you all say about them?

Decent all around shock. About $30 new.

[RoyBatty]

Overall length of the front springs is 12.5" And I think I count 8 coils.
I read on the IAP site that their front springs are 12.25" and have 9 coils.
So....crap. What do I have??

[leftfield6]

Maybe cut down stock springs? Did Fiat use any kind of markings on their shocks to identify them?

I know VW used to use a series of painted on marks to identify different springs. IIRC correctly, the number of paint marks and the paint color together indicated which set of springs you had. Wonder if other European manufacturers did similar?

Regardless, if someone has rattle canned, factory markings are moot.

BTW, just because the red paint is staying on there well, that doesn't necessarily eliminate it being a home paint job. Properly prepped and painted, painted springs hold up surprisingly well. Here is a pic of some springs I was getting ready to install on my VW Vanagon Westfalia. Unpainted springs in pic were the stock springs.



That was two years ago, and while I don't have an "after" pic to prove it, they still look near perfect after many miles of use.

[RoyBatty]

Ok then,
Does anyone know the unloaded lenght and number of coils for a stock set of front and rear springs?

[124JOE]

ive heared on here 1 coil cut
also talk about 1 1/2 coil cut but i wouldnt go that far