I had a set of coil springs made for my '41 Buick that lowered the car just right up front, but now that they've settled, the front is SLIGHTLY lower than the back which is no good - opposite of the taildragger rake I'm going for. I mocked up the skirts I've been working on and figured that I need about 1.5"-2" lower in the back. Can a spring shop take the coils that I have, cut them to lose the extra height, and re-shape them to sit in the spring mounts properly? Or do I just need to have new coils made?
I did a few years ago, successfully so far (they haven't broken yet). Shortened about a coil and a half IIRC. I made a "fixture", consisting of a piece of tubing the diameter I wanted the center wrap to be, welded another smaller tube at a right angle and near the top of the first. The free end of the coil is inserted in the smaller tube. I used a rosebud tip to heat the coil near the 'fixture', while twisting it with a pipe wrench, until I had the shape/diameter I wanted. Then let it cool gradually. Sounds a little crude, but worked surprisingly well. However, all that said, I now have a car similar to yours, a '40 Buick, and have been considering how best to lower it. I have to do a bit more research, but I'm thinking there is some possibility that a 60's era Chev/GMC pickup rear spring (or a "lowering" spring) may do the job. Also, some of the GM sedans from the past 20+ years have rear coils to check out. Ray
A good spring shop should be able to handle it, or to just make a new set to your dimensions. If the springs are the originals, I'd just get new ones. Places like PST will make them for you with a 1, 2 or 3in drop, from factory specs. Eaton, would probably do it as well, but may be more money. But if you have a good local shop, you can go there, and save shipping costs. Did yougo to Gettysburg, even though your car isn't done?
Why not just alter the base that the spring sits on to accept the wider spring once it's cut? Seems like it would be easy enough.
These aren't the stock springs - Jim Genty at Jamco made these for me to drop the car about 4". They ride great and lowered it all around nicely, I just need a little extra drop out back, especially now that the skirts are going on. The jig that you made to re-wind yours sounds cool, but I want to stay away from heating them at all. I'd be interested to know if you come up with another spring that works with your '40 (I'd like to see pics of that '40 as well!) I may wind up just taking some measurements (how tall they are compressed, how much shorter they need to be, etc.) and taking the springs to a local spring shop to see if it would be easier to modify mine or just make new ones. I hadn't thought about modifying the perch to accept the larger end once they're cut. I know that won't work where they sit on the axle, but I'll have to take another look at where they attach at the top and give it some thought. Mark, I didn't make it to Gettysburg. I had gear lube leaking at the torque ball pretty bad, so I spent the day dealing with that instead. You didn't go, did you?
Try http://www.springsnthings.com/ I've gotten several sets from them, great to work with and great prices. They'll make about anything, and I believe they are manufacturing for a lot of the other companies.
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