Forums General Counties Cars Discussion front dampers on 1954 somerset

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #9039
    rockhouse1955
    Participant

    are there any pictures of a front  damper conversion

    on a 1954  austin somerset

    thanks for any info

    #9041
    number5
    Participant

    Here in Aussie there were two types of front aftermarket kits for A40 Devons/A70 Hampshires/A70 Herefords and A90 Atlantics. One was a pre-fabricated ass’y consisting of a lower plate about 1/4 inch thick with a vertical post on the rear front edge with a mount at the top for a telescopic shock, and for the lower mount a bar was fitted under the bottom of the spring plate. With this, one still needed an original shock, with a good shaft and bushings and filled with perhaps engine oil,  but not having the oil valve.  If the bushing etc had minimal wear, they could be greased, though such could only  be done if greae nipples were installed..

    A second kit done away from with the original shock, but it incorporated a cast body that had original shock arms installed in a machined “hub” at the rear of the base plate to take the arm, fitted with grease nipples. The base plate also had the same vertical front post and under spring mounts for telescoping shocks

    I still have the original shock type plate/post on my prototype Atlantic convertible, but fitted with origigina shocks that I rebuilt.  This is because the plate that has the post raises the original shock from the chassis and as such produces  a negative chamber, resulting in more stable cornering. The kit which was made with the arms was produced with the same base to main arm shaft height.

    The above carbs all had the same shock arm length, which was also the same as the BN1 & 2 Austin Healey 100-4 cars. I have been told that a similar kit to the one that does not use an original shock may have been made for the Healeys, so might be worth following up with the several businesses that supply parts for these models.

    Hope this assists.

    Regards-Peter.

     

     

     

     

    t. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.