COIL OVER CONVERSION

Not all shock conversions are alike.

There are a profound number of conversions which are done wrong. Bad brackets and incorrect shocks can lead to shock conversions being removed and levers put back on.

I am not AGAINST lever arm shocks specifically but like many avoiding costly repeated rebuilds and the simplicity of a modern tube shock is just to appealing.

Tube shock conversions have gotten a bad name when done poorly. Keep in mind a lever arm shock was designed by the factory for the car. Many of the conversions had little more thought then to bolt on a tube.

If the factory shock range and rigidity was right on, then the conversion must be right on before the ride will be it's equal. Done correctly both can give similar rides. It's as simple as that.

The true problem in shock or brake conversions in an MGB is the value of these cars do not warrant adequate R&D to create quality well designed aftermarket bolt ons as is done in other markets such as Camaros, etc. As long as the interest and funding is not there, good conversions such as this will not be done.

The problem is people think a shock will fix the poor ride of an MGB. This couldn't be further from the truth. The MG uses a rear leaf spring. With most cars the rear leaf spring is bowed to provide graduated resistance.

The problem with the MG is the leaf spring is nearly flat when the car sits level. This causes 2 problems. The main problem is the leaf spring has little resistance until the spring begins to reach its limits. Its kind of like dropping a rock tied to a loose rope. It doesn't do much till you hit the end of the rope.

This causes the back end to dip over bumps and grab at the bottom of the dip. Very annoying to say the least.

The other problem associated with this is MGB's are hard to get level. As the car sits one side is often higher then the other. Some times it's not the same twice. This is brought on by the fact that the spring sits in a very weak range.

My solution was to build a coil over conversion and remove 2 leafs. A stout bracket was made. QA1 shocks and 125lb springs were added.

RESULT!

I live on roads which were once mined by the coal mines. It is a perfect testing grounds. After 1500 miles the result was a day/night difference in the rear of the car. The back end of the car responds like a modern car. ** Bumps are absorbed with graduation and the rebound is perfect. **

I tried 100lb springs for a couple hundred miles but went back to the 125' springs.

I had a dozen brackets laser cut and have made a dozen of these brackets for other people. I don't intend on making any more. There are enough pitfalls car to car car and there is not enough income to make a venture such as this worth while. However, the following is a post of what I have done so it can be copied by other people. It's not really that hard.

I would like to point out that this is a 1964 car. My sway bar is mounted aft. Newer cars or cars with a forward mounted sway bar can not use this bracket in this configuration. With this example others can come forward with more ideas!


Plates are cut to fit the back side of the frame rail. Holes are drilled to bolt to the frame rail and to bolt on the shock.	The head is cut off the main shock bolt which is welded to the plate from the back side and on the front side. Pipe tubing is cut with a wider washer welded on.	The pipe tubing and washer is welded on increasing the strength of the shock bolt. One mounting bolt is welded on the other is not.

Everything here is TIG welded.	Parts are dipped in chassis black and hung to dry.	Brackets finished and ready for assembly.

Finished product ready to assemble.	Shock mounted with good angle toward the axle.	Leaf spring mounts reversed. I actually ended with a slightly lower adjustment then this.