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Post by moosh2007 on Mar 23, 2010 21:00:04 GMT 12
hi everyone. long time reader first time typer. lol just bought my dream car. 78 gem. yee ah! real tidy no need for any work on body as it has all been done.................................... but. for a warrent i need shorter shocks, what is the best way to do this? buy shorter ones new, shrten the ones in it. i am on a budget but dont want nasty if ya get me. also i am not going to convert to a bigger motor. it was born with a 1600 and i wish it to die with one, all you experianced ones out there, what has worked for you and what sort of dollars?? all help and suggestions will be rewarded with gratitude and the knowledge another gem rolls the mean streets Attachments:
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Post by burntrubber on Mar 23, 2010 21:08:45 GMT 12
Gem looks good Piazza rear shocks are the best option someone on here might have a spare set. Failing that I have wb holden station wagon rear shocks in my TG.
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Post by misdablack on Mar 23, 2010 22:32:12 GMT 12
wouldnt be worth shortening your own unless you can do it yourself. early holden's/torana's etc as long as theyre short. will obviously be stiffer than stock. better off getting new as you can choose stiffness & length so theres no Barry Whiteing around. if youre staying stock engine id get monroe gas shocks. not too stiff but stiff enough. make sure you measure your nuts up first though. ;D
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Post by cul8r on Mar 23, 2010 23:11:41 GMT 12
Piazza/gemini/chevette front shocks in the rear
Fiat 131 (at least thats what my shocks are) in the front..
shortens shocks by 2-3"
Think I paid about $80 for a pair of "front shocks" to put in the rear, and the fiats were $110 from memory
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Post by crazytim on Mar 24, 2010 8:17:47 GMT 12
new and seeking (mis)guidance, by the time we finish with you you'll have several T-cars and a stash of parts to call your own.
Nice gem btw... where abouts in the country are you?
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Post by moosh2007 on Mar 24, 2010 20:21:08 GMT 12
thanks everybody so far. i will jack it up tomorrow and see how much i need shorter, on the engine front i want it hot just a 1600 any cams and carb suggestions that make a nice we package or perhaps a 2 litre block 1600 head cam and carb?  ? golly decisions decisions, many a sleepless night ahead i think. any spare parts will offered would be appreciated as the parts cars are getting hard to find. i live in invercargill. |
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Post by crazytim on Mar 24, 2010 23:53:31 GMT 12
what springs are you running? Lowered springs 'should' be OK with stock shocks... (so I was told by shock shop guru old feller guy)
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Post by mcqunt on Mar 25, 2010 8:47:46 GMT 12
i just went to local repco with some measurements to get shocks,
ended up with some l300 van shocks for the rear and liteace disel ones for the front
seemed to work well
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Post by mikuni on Mar 25, 2010 9:20:02 GMT 12
^ concur, I have Suzuki shocks in the front and Holden ute shocks in the rear, so the options are almost endless really.
What I do is just jack the rear axle up until the spring becomes captive, not too far though because then it will become preloaded. Once theres just enough weight there so the spring won't be able to fall out I mark the old shock with a marker and remove it. Take this in to get your new shocks and you can't go wrong.
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Post by cul8r on Mar 25, 2010 18:25:52 GMT 12
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Post by moosh2007 on Mar 25, 2010 21:31:46 GMT 12
thanks everyone for the time you have taken to find links and pass on advice, i am 100 mm from the ground and the car is rather bouncy will the shorter shocks help dampen this?? i came across a thread that a prior owner of this gem had about engine mods, if i get some carbs and a head mill will it give it a bit more grunt or a big old lumpy cam as well be the winner? sorry i know little and am bleeding you guys dry for info. any one know of a cheap set of carbs or have a hot head floating round?
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Post by misdablack on Mar 25, 2010 21:54:18 GMT 12
nah dude. you need stiffer springs. carb = weber(s). ozgemini for all tuning mods etc. if you search thru all the tech info ill sure youll find everything you need to know.
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Post by zep on Mar 26, 2010 9:44:10 GMT 12
How did you lower it? What kind of springs? You probably need shocks to match, which is kinda hard to find. Is your car on 17s?
To give the 1600 a bit more pep, shave the head a bit to up the comp. Then get a mild cam (I'd buy new from crow cams in aussie or something), a 32/36, port match and extractors with a 2" exhaust and you'll be pretty happy.
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Post by mcqunt on Mar 26, 2010 11:12:13 GMT 12
16's i think
i have twin side draught manifold that i was
going to use $400 and its yours cost me all that too
and for an extra $100 i'll throw in a lightened piazza flywheel with the bigger clutch etc,
but here's the trick don't run the side draughts jam quad throttels on there
drill holes and add injectors and go efi with a mega squirt,
also have the quads for $100,
this would be a great little head start on power at $600
add a cam and off you go,
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Post by misdablack on Mar 26, 2010 12:21:13 GMT 12
there will be way too much travel in your stock shocks. shorter/stiffer = win. whiteline swaybar/panhard + nolathene. starts getting expensive tho. could easily spend a grand plus just on suspension. another grand or two on engine mods...
off the subject - being a fibreglasser how easy/expensive to knock out a custom dash? possibly a centre console too.
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? golly decisions decisions, many a sleepless night ahead i think. any spare parts will offered would be appreciated as the parts cars are getting hard to find. i live in invercargill.
