skiing

I mean the bit that (if it exists?) fits between the chassis and the body where the body bolts to the chassis at the front. There are two bolts through the frame at the front and then various others to hold the body to the chassis. Or are you suggesting I used the spring seat rubber to raise the height slightly instead? Thanks!

Hi all, so my car (the first S3 NA) - has always sat very low at the front of the car. It sits on standard springs (replaced) and pro-techs (non adjustable). It has had every bush replaced recently. And despite suspension renewal still sits a little too low. The front wheels still rub on the top of the arches when driving fast, with two people plus luggage in the car when going into a compression. There is also definitely less room between wheels and arches at rest. My question is, should there be a spacer or body sandwiched between the chassis and the body where the mounting bolts go through? Can anyone take a look under their car and perhaps take a picture of the area? I think my car is missing some sort of bobbin between the chassis and body and this means the car sits a little too low.... NB my car was also crashed at the front at some point in 1986, so it's possible that things where mucked about with when repairing and the fibre glass is definitely thicker in the tops of the arches where a new front end was put on, so this might account for this issue. But any help or pictures would be very gratefully received...

The thing we were most amused by was how did they fit them in the factory...?

Another day, another major improvement in the S3.... this time, anti-roll bar bushes. Although these had been replaced only 7 years ago, they were totally shot and furthermore when Sparky took off the antiroll bar turns out the rollbar to chassis bushes had been cut in half to get them on without removing the distance tubes and washers on the end of the anti-roll bar!!! Needless to say this can't have helped the car's feel at all... the end bushes were also loose and had incorrect washers etc on the ends. These were all done by a 'specialist' of course last time round. Pretty disappointing to be honest. Sparky has (as he always does) now done the job properly. As mine is the first S3, it has S2 type bar to chassis bushes which are a swine to fit over the roll-bar but with lots of lube and strong men he managed to thrust them into place.... and then new end bushes, washes etc. were added and everything bolted up. We luckily managed to use the old distance tubes as they were not too knackered but it took heat and a bit of a hammer to get them off the anti-roll bar. They are now all bolted up with new poly bushes on the end. And the result - a much quieter car. tightened handling. very little movement or knock through the front (before it woudl rattle and thump over bumps / uneven roads) - really transformed the car. Tomorrow I will paint up the anti-roll bar and suspension bits and pieces with satin black and this now means every element of suspension has been replaced on the car since I have bought it.... Thank you again to Sparky - really a huge improvement on the car again and am looking forward to the next 'session'.....

S3 are fibreglass so more difficult. I re-did my rear bumper once, a lot of sanding, filling, sanding etc. and I was v pleased with the finish. I then reversed it into a bollard a day later. Such is life.

Amazing how many people look at their watch though and refuse to believe what time it is though... (consultant here too!)... I look forward to seeing the lovely Christine soon.

As far as I have read a luggage ratchet strap or similar is essential equipment for getting the anti-roll bar back into place (the ends into the lower arms).

My car (first production S3) has the standard spring (non Air Con) and pro tech's are fitted. Ride height is where I want it (although my car does sit lower than most S3's I have seen possibly due to front end crash damage in the 80s). The issue with the pro-techs is the adjustment knobs contact the lower spring seat and get wrecked. The knobs on mine have been removed but can be adjusted by screw driver. From reading lots of posts on here, the consensus is all after market suspension has different characteristics to the Lotus designed original or Lotus upgraded suspension. My pro-techs are fine (others have been less then happy). However, I would ideally like a lotus developed front shock, hence my posts on the other suspension thread on the subject. I think it comes down to cost. Cheapest /easiest approach will be standard springs and pro-techs on the front. Most expensive will be new lotus upgraded suspension on the front with standard springs (as far as I can see). According to Lotus Esprit World, this will fit (and I believe they derive their information from Lotus). I am tempted to get the new lotus shocks and experiment on that basis.

The garage is looking much bigger than usual.

Looking forward to pictures of the Delorean!

As far as I can see the new eibach springs tuned by Lotus are a different diameter to the original lotus springs - it specifies that different spring platforms are to be ordered if using original lotus springs. In terms of the lotus dampers, if they don't affect ride height on a pre-85 car then it looks like it might be worth having a go with the new lotus dampers matched with original lotus springs.

The new lotus suspension has two heights using lower spring seats which move. However, if using on a pre-85 car on the front suspension, you would use the lower spring seat on the lower arm rather than the separate spring seat which comes with the lotus suspension for post 85 cars. If the spring dictates the ride height (?) then I would assume the ride height will stay the same as I currently have it on the standard lotus springs. I would ideally like lotus developed and tuned suspension rather than aftermarket if possible but also don't want it to look like an off-roader! It might be case of conducting a very expensive experiment to see how it looks... Unless someone here can confirm what sets ride height - spring or damper? Or perhaps a combination of both.

So if I was to opt with the combination of the new Lotus damper with existing Lotus spring, this would impact ride height?

Resurrecting this - does anyone have experience of using the using the Lotus developed suspension in a pre-1985 car. I am fed up of the pro-tec's on my car on the front and think the Lotus damper used with original Lotus spring could be a way forward. Although the damper are crazy expensive...

Mine has fans in the ducts which lead to the ears which seem to help a bit.