Cutting stock springs

[rjkoop]

Always felt my '81 was sitting a little high.



I have the entire front suspension out right now. Springs are in great shape...



...but I was thinking now would be the time to cut them. At there any drawbacks to this? I would do the fronts this year and the backs in fall when I redo the back suspension. And do you have to cut in regular increments (ie. 1 whole coil) to ensure they fit in the mounts top and bottom? I was thinking about cutting off 1 coil.

[SLOSpider]

I have cut them before but I don't think I did a whole coil. Ride suffers a bit. Your much better off to spend the 200 and get a new set of lowering springs.

[RoyBatty]

I cut 1.5 coils from front and rear on my 75 spider.
No complaints and the height is right where I want it.

https://picasaweb.google.com/m/zoom?una ... Height=416

[So Cal Mark]

the only real issue is the rear, when you jack it up the spring can fall down from the seat and misalign. When you lower the car you have to make sure the spring lines up with the seat. The ride is a bit harsher

[rjkoop]

Thanks for the responses. Something to consider.

Was in Toronto and went to Andy's Spiders just to take a look for fun.

http://www.andyspiders.com/

TONS of Fiat Spider parts and a number of shells/cars they were working on. They have amazing attention to detail but are too pricey for my blood ($20,000+ to rebuild a car). I'll keep working on my car in my garage. I've learned so much doing things myself and keep things within (a much smaller) a budget. It's amazing when you want to minimize costs what can be done (eg. rebuilding seats). Also rebuilding top end of engine myself was a great learning experience. Also learned how to weld for the floorpans. Welding is something I'd love to take a course on but can't find one in the area (Ottawa). If anyone know where I can find a course on this please let me know. There used to be some auto courses at the Ottawa Technical high school but they don't seem to have them anymore. I'd love to find an autobody course where they'd take my car and we'd redo the paint as part of the course. Then I could learn and use their paint booth!

[phaetn]

Check Algonquin College. Back in the day a guy I knew from Vespas taught a welding course there. Times have changed, though, and it may not offer that type of course any more. Maybe now it's more of a computer programming or commerce and marketing type of place...

<scurries off and looks at web pages>

Nope. It still has stuff for trades. Here's a weekend welding program:
http://www.algonquincollege.com/acce/pr ... ourprogram

Looks like it's not just a course, but a whole program to seriously become a member of the trade... They may refrain from offering "hobbyist" welding courses.

Cheers,
phaetn

[spiderdan]

Richard, Kemptville campus offers an "Intro to Welding" 30 hour course.

https://www.kemptvillec.uoguelph.ca/pro ... to-welding

[rjkoop]

Thanks guys for the replies. I'll check it out.

1st thing this spring... entire front suspension. Just ordered parts from autoricambi.

Richard