Hawk replacement suspension.

Having fun with new Christmas project, fitting new springs and dampers.
Also de-rusting the suspension parts and chassis with POR15, as the car is over 30 years old!
Doing the front end first as I?ve only two weeks in the workshop at work.
Attachment 20405Attachment 20406Attachment 20407Attachment 20408

Great progress Ian, glad the upper pivot bolt wasn't seized in either the chassis bush or the wishbone bush, that can be difficult to dismantle in rust sets in. Good solution to sort the seized ARB bolt stuck on the shock bush! Did you consider upgrading the upper wishbone to polybush or is that just too harsh on the Island?

Guy

Had more fun with the bottom inner bolt, as the inside of the bush was rusted on, on one side.
I’m quite happy with the old bushes and i think as you say the Island roads are like a constant rally stage!
Just awaiting on the POR15 top coat for UV protection, postal strike.
As a side note, its a good idea to have gloves on when painting POR15 as its seams to be almost solvent proof.

Did a bit to the rear today, taking off the old Beta rear struts with the one coil removed to get the correct spring rate and ride hight.
Attachment 20409Attachment 20410

Hi Ian,
Some people have reverted back to, or prefer the rubber Beta strut tops.
'Might be best to hang onto the old parts until you've tried it on the road.

These old cars do like a bit of refurb every few decades, don't they ;)

Is that a cleaned-up and repainted Beta spring still, or did you get new springs on the Gaz struts?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rutthenut

Is that a cleaned-up and repainted Beta spring still, or did you get new springs on the Gaz struts?

---

They come with the GAZ struts John.
'Pig tail' on the Beta and they're a larger diameter. Flat ground ended on the GAZ springs.

Cheers - did assume they were new springs but thought I'd ask.

Got the struts with springs from Gerry. Springs re-painted red.
Yes I will be holding on to the old struts, they did me well, and worked very well.

Bottom bolt and spacers. Also a bit of old rubber water pipe for the anti rotation of the bottom of the coil over.Attachment 20499Attachment 20500Attachment 20501