on the gemini springs use springs from a td 1977 onwards ( square headlight and chrome bumber bar) as this was the first with RTS and variable rate springs

yeah, Bruce did all my alignments on my old coupe and the GTR, so the new coupe will go there eventually, but I haven't even driven it yet!

might be going out for a practice at Morgan Park tomorrow

Right on the moeny Harry. Warick is very good at it, he wouldnt let me buy anything below Koni inserts .... He really enjoys doing them on the side as he doesnt do many anymore with his power steering business. Then took the setup over to LEDA suspension with the old Guru Bruce with all the old alignmnet gear! awsome stuff. Im sure you will take the coupe over to Bruce at some stage??

Coops - any model gemini as far as I know. I've bought 3 sets over the years and they've all been the same. Unless you're going crazy low, you won't have a problem.

corner weighting is a pretty sophisticated setup 'tool' (for want of a better word) and best left until you have done all the basics and have a full on race car chasing every last ounce of performance. Complete wank on a road car.

Hey Rainer, sounds like Warwick did your shocks? He's a good shock man alright - does some of the fastest formula libre hillclimb cars in the country.

The idea of coil over is that you can put the car on some scales and get the weights evenly distributed. you can't do this with a fixed height system. If doing any track work, getting the weights right is very important....this should be done before chasing any "handling issues" you may/will experience.

Yes dont Cut springs. I have been there many times. You will find very little travel with 200b struts in your 1200. I had stanza and cut springs and it wasnt a fun experience even with travel becaause there wasnt much of it!... Then i went to far and started breaking shocks This was with a lighter Aseries motor too! So A CA is going to be even worse. Lets not forget how bad brissse roads are too... With little travel its like "Bottom Out City".

Now I have gone Coilovers I am so happy with the result. I got all my hieghts and so much travel with top qaulity stuf. This wasnt the cheapest option. But if you want travel without going to coil overs I would suggest just cutting the strut down and re-welding the sping seat on. Because you will go thorugh alot of hassle when you could spend few hundred bucks just cutting the strut down. I have a number of a guy that did my struts on the side took a week and he worked for fulcrum for 17years ... And can do all the welding and measuring you require at nice cheap rate

Just a pic to get you thinking

Now you're talking........

Should I be looking for any particular model of Gemini (TC, TD, TE etc.), or are they all the same?



P.S: Guess I'm lucky SOMEONE (along with everyone's favourite dog) changed my mind on cutting springs. lol

if you just want to lower it an inch or so, improve the handling and do a few events, there's no need for coilovers.

having said that, aftermarket lowered coils for Datsuns are rubbish! If you had a Holden or Falcon they put a bit of effort into making coils that work, but for old Datsuns etc they're just whatever they already had that fits. Eg - Kings springs lowered stanza coil is the exact same part they list for a standard 1200 coil!

Go and get a set of Gemini coils from a wrecker and cut them. leave the variable rate part on there and you get fantastic ride quality and a big handling improvement.

Ride height and spring rates are a bit of a science,if you reckon you can get it right the first time or even the second time go for the fixed units.If you need more attempts to be 100% happy then the costs of a full coil over set up will start to come into play,as for track work,if you start to get serious you will potentially have a differant set up for each track.eg. there is no way you would use the same set up at Q.R. as at Pittsworth Sprints(too bumpy)if you did"nt have to.As with bikes the CG is the base point for handling on any thing with four wheels,get this as low as possible without changing base geometry and everything else will follow.It"s all a compromise with production based vehicles and in most cases with the size of your cheque book,give yourself some thinking time to fully address all the issues.Cheers

Quote:

Surely only going 1" lower wouldn't cause the struts to run out of travel...... Would it?

Good point though regarding cutting the stut tube.

B210sleeper - I'm running a 180sx front disc conversion & the engine is a CA18.