Suspension confusion

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its_nick13
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Fri Apr 01, 2011 6:28 pm

Can anybody clear this up for me?

I've just bought a 83 chromie now im plannning on keeping her pretty stock minus a nice drop on some banded steels.

Now i've heard my year of E30 has a different set up on the rear from the face lift E30's and apparently its harder to get hold of a decent set of coilovers?

can anybody suggest a set i would need to pull a perfect stance off?

cheers.
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harry_p
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Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:57 pm

The suspension is exactly same. The difference is the height the arches sit at on the body. They're a lot higher on early cars so you need to lower the rear more to keep the arch gaps even.

This is why a lot of people go for a 60/40 drop on later cars to drop the front more than the back. On a 60/60 drop the later cars look like they're dragging their arse allong the ground :D
cheers,

harry
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its_nick13
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Thu Apr 07, 2011 4:55 pm

ahhhhhh thank you very much, that clears that one up atleast.

cheers.
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Prey
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Thu Apr 07, 2011 6:09 pm

I've got an 85 325 and im going through lowering experiments! Had 35mm apexs on and now putting 60mm apexs so will post pics of both and standard if you can wait til the wkend!
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its_nick13
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Mon Apr 11, 2011 7:02 pm

Prey wrote:I've got an 85 325 and im going through lowering experiments! Had 35mm apexs on and now putting 60mm apexs so will post pics of both and standard if you can wait til the wkend!
sounds good, i look forward to seeing them!
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Prey
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Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:17 pm

Theyre on - and on pb so give me 10 and i'll link them up!
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Prey
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Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:27 pm

I'm afraid the pics aren't great, main thing is the standard tyres are 2in taller than the schmidts so the arch gaps are a bit deceptive. Also for some strange reason the 60s look very similar on the fronts, but this could be as theyve only just gone on and havent had time to settle - in person the car is lower, the mudflaps are less than an inch off the floor.

Standard:
Image

Apex 30mm:
Image

Apex 60mm:
Image
kman82
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Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:01 pm

harry_p wrote:The suspension is exactly same. The difference is the height the arches sit at on the body. They're a lot higher on early cars so you need to lower the rear more to keep the arch gaps even.
I may be wrong here but isn't this only true of 2 and 4 doors. Early cabby's have the later arch profile.
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