[DML] Re: Lowering the DMC-12

[Lee <Lee@xxxx>]

At 12:18 PM 1/7/00 -0500, you wrote:
>
>
>Lee wrote:
><SNIP>
>> My DMC-12 looks great with just the right slope, and handles like a dream
><SNIP>
>
>Slope? I think the original design had the car level. Which is why
>when the springs were changed for DOT specifications, the ENTIRE CAR was
>raised. This was done to keep the car level.
>
><SNIP>
>> Don't screw around with cutting and swapping, springs it's
wrong, and
>> potentially harmful. Just buy the new front end springs, and what ever you
>> do don't just lower the whole car. It not only trashes a wonderful design
>> it also will mess up the handling while driving.
><SNIP>
>
>I agree, I had the cut and swap springs on my car, and replaced them
>with after market lowering springs. (My old cut/swapped ones are for
>sale if you want them!)
>
>The cut and swap does fix the high speed "float" problem, but because
>the front springs are moved to the back, the back of the car was not
>stiff enough. The front springs were not designed to handle the weight
>of the back.
>
>I agree that most of the improvement in performance is to lower the
>front, but with respect, I disagree with your (Lee's) statement
>"...don't just lower the whole car." Although I would consider it OK to
>just lower the front, I think the correct method of returning the
>DeLorean to it's Lotus designed specifications is to lower the entire
>car- keeping it level. The nose is not supposed to slope down.
>
reply:


I just love a good debate! don't you!



My Delorean's bottom is level and the ground clearance is exactly as listed
in the car spec's.

And if you park a DOT Delorean right next to mine, (which we have on
several occasions) you will find that the ground clearance in the rear is
the same but the tail has a down word rake and the bonnet in front is
almost level, while my bonnet has a very noticeable down word rake. The
"nose does slope down when the D is set up to meet the Lotis suspension specs.

OK - You can prove it your self...go out and measure from the ground at the
Grill 4 inches forward center of the bonnet, then measure from the ground
front center of the head lights R&L.......now tell me there is no slope!
smile....see I told you so.

One of the cool things about building a scale model of a DeLorean using a
real one for measurements is you get to know all the various measurements.

BTW no fair fooling with tire pressure or wrong size tires. My D is dead on
all the design specs in so far as the suspension distances, shocks and all
that stuff.

and YES my D has a very squat wide look to it. I also have modern NCT Eagle
tires all around which have the wide square profile.

I would also suggest that there is a lot more to a spring than just it's
loaded length.......Cut any spring at all and you have a whole new dynamic
system, not just a shorter version of the longer original.

many DeLoreans have the correct rear spring and don't need these changed to
correct the forced DOT requirements, now no longer in effect. My
understanding is that there is a choice of "New" manufactured front springs
that meet the Lotis design requirements and "New-18 year old) front springs
that will do the same thing.

IMHO lowering a Delorean past it';s original ground clearance is simply
wrong and does interfere with the proper Lotis design, if you doubt this
just find one of these ground huggers and look at the tire wear....I rest
my case!


are we having fun now!

Lee

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