24 replies to this topic

[KR200]

Hello Gents,

I'm a newbie here but not to Minis. Had a Innocenti Export 1300 25 years ago (JGY319V are you still alive?!) but always wanted an S. They were always a lot of money. Nothing changes…

Anyway the itch has been scratched and I am now the proud owner of a stealthy bronze yellow S. Restored 20 years ago but still looking superb and is on its original shell/S motor etc etc. Only time I'll sell it is possibly to get a Mk1 S. But for now this is the one for me..

It's also on hydrolastic as it should be. As you can see it's sitting a bit high. I spoke to a respected specialist recently about getting the whole car dialled in and lowered to a nicer stance. It seems my displacers may be tired at the front? because the back is sitting higher? The ride's OK (better than rubber) and it's not on its ar$e! Can't I simply faff around with washers etc? It has shocks on the front.

Or do I sack the lot and convert to horror of horrors dry?! I would keep my subframes and simply buy the bits. But as it's a kosher and largely proper Mk1 S I'm thinking this is not a wise move.

I just want it so sit with a nicer stance. With rubber I can get adjustable everything and really dial it in. On hydro I'll probably just get an allignment. It handles OK but is no razor sharp beasty. It never will be a race car on hydrolastic..…

Your thoughts?

Attached Files

•  Mk S 2.jpg   96.5K   21 downloads
•  My S 1.jpg   96.65K   32 downloads

Edited by KR200, 26 March 2012 - 10:52 AM.

[Cooperman]

Your car looks great and that model of 'S' is really very rare, especially in original form with hydro. I converted my '64 Mk.1 'S' to dry because it's a rally car, but for yours personally I would leave it wet.
From memory the 'wet' cars did always sit a bit high at the back when empty to allow for a realistic ride height when full with 11 gallons of fuel, luggage and rear seat passengers.
Actually it looks about as original in the photos and that is how it should look. You could try letting a bit of fluid out of the displacers if you wanted, although that would make it sink all round.
It looks fantastic as it is and is a real classic 'S'.

[mk3 Cooper S]

I would not convert it if is pretty original.

Is it front to rear or side by side system?

It doesnt look too low at the front to me, maybe a touch high at the rear but nothing too bad?

[midridge2]

ive never heard of a side to side system, do you have any more info on this please?

[mk3 Cooper S]

One of the circuits is o/s and one is n/s or front/rear.

Not sure there were options on the S to be honest

[KR200]

Your car looks great and that model of 'S' is really very rare, especially in original form with hydro. I converted my '64 Mk.1 'S' to dry because it's a rally car, but for yours personally I would leave it wet.
From memory the 'wet' cars did always sit a bit high at the back when empty to allow for a realistic ride height when full with 11 gallons of fuel, luggage and rear seat passengers.
Actually it looks about as original in the photos and that is how it should look. You could try letting a bit of fluid out of the displacers if you wanted, although that would make it sink all round.
It looks fantastic as it is and is a real classic 'S'.

I think i will definately leave it wet. I love the colour. A proper 70's glam rock period hue.

I may bleed a bit of fluid out but if I do too much i'm a bit stoofed! Anyone in London/south east with a hydro pump?

Edited by KR200, 26 March 2012 - 12:24 PM.

[Cooperman]

I think 'The Rover Centre' in St. Albans (01727 834004) have a hydro pump and Chris Spennewyn (07976 736885) in Hitchin definately has one.

Edited by Cooperman, 26 March 2012 - 02:33 PM.

[Spitz]

Looks good as is

[jaydee]

To be honest i wouldnt lower it, enjoy the smoother ride of hydro + standard height :)

[Spitz]

Forgot to mention.

Back in 1983 or so....I test drove a 1971 Cooper S.
It rode extremely smooth and still handled well
At the time I thought the asking price was a bit high. The car was 100% original condition and very clean.

The price that I thought was too high .......... $3000 ( ~ 1,900 GBP )

Edited by Spitz, 26 March 2012 - 03:51 PM.

[KR200]

To be honest i wouldnt lower it, enjoy the smoother ride of hydro + standard height :)

Trouble is I think it's sitting higher than standard.

The only way to get it lower is to let out some pressure. Which is fine if there's too much in it. So i need to rig it up to a pump and see what's what.

However if it's at the right pressure why would it be sitting so high?! I thought displacers sagged not the other way!

I suppose I could simply take a bit off the rear rods to level it up.. There is a fair old bit of fresh air above the real wheels...

Attached Files

•  my s 3.jpg   98.14K   10 downloads
•  mk s 4.jpg   96.92K   24 downloads

Edited by KR200, 26 March 2012 - 04:18 PM.

[Spitz]

Now that I relise you can click and enlarge the pictures....it does look a tad high.

If it's not excessive pressure/fluid....could it be that the knuckles have been replaced with ones for a late MINI that have the built in space?

[KR200]

Hmm? that seems unlikely as the bloke that restored it was a purist.

If I let some pressure out to get it sitting better will it be detrimental in any way. Softer ride? bottoming out? I can't believe the front displacers are shot.

[KR200]

Don't reduce the pressure (bodge it), you need to take the rods out the displacers and machine them down............

I have no desire to bodge it. I'll firstly check the pressure. If it's correct then I'll do what you suggest.

On the dry cars you can simply unbolt the damper and drop the radius arm down. Can I assume in this instance I unbolt the spring (which I again assume is to stop the whole lot falling apart if jacked up) and take out the rod?

It should be fairly easy to turn say 3mm (on both) at a time as my pal has a lathe at this workshop. Then fit and remove 'til it's sitting better. The front is also too high but I can see i would need a full system drain on them.

However looking at this breakdown diagram it seems there's no trumpet like a dry car. Does the knuckle sit in the displacer?

http://www.somerfordmini.co.uk/eshop/index.php?main_page=page&id=53


Hydrolastic's a PITA with little benefit over dry!

Edited by KR200, 26 March 2012 - 06:45 PM.

[midridge2]

its not the pressure thats important, you pump it up untill you get the correct measurements, off the top of my head the rear is about 13 1/2 inches from the wheel centre to the wheel arch lip.