Front lowering using BMW coils and Koni shocks

[vwfye]

sweet...

[VW411L]

Hi Wally,

May I know is that the stock E30 spring or lowered E30 spring? Where can I buy the koni shock from?

Cheers,

[Wally]

Hi Wally,

May I know is that the stock E30 spring or lowered E30 spring? Where can I buy the koni shock from?

Cheers,

Its the very stock spring! You want the softest spring from the lot, whatever that is. Mine was (probably) from a '91 car.

Koni shocks (and all other makes) for the 411/412 are long out of production. I got lucky

Welcome to the forum!
May I then ask what your car looks like and what your plans are?

Greetings,
Walter

[VW411L]

Hi Wally,

Here is the link to my 411. I am think to lowered it.

http://www.nzveedubnuts.com/viewtopic.php?t=1587

Cheers,

[ubercrap]

Very nice! I didn't think that Type 4s were sold originally in New Zealand? I believe I read that some came to Australia and New Zealand via South Africa?

[Wally]

Hi Wally,

Here is the link to my 411. I am think to lowered it.

http://www.nzveedubnuts.com/viewtopic.php?t=1587

Cheers,

Your wheels made me smile, as I had those on very recently. Just look at the back of the rim: all data about size and manufactorer are there.
"Made in England by M.A.G. Industries" I had the 6Jx15 version, very light weight indeed (high magnesium content).

Old picture with MAG rims

Very nice early car you have there!

Greetings,
Walter

[VW411L]

Hi,

Thanks.

Your 2 doors type 4 look nice with those wheel on. The black detailed looks cool.

Cheers,
Roger

[VW411L]

Hi,

Do you have any photos of your type 4s?

They sold quite a few to New Zealand from 1969. They came from Germany. Later date from 1972 some wagon/estate came from Souh Africa. They are unpopular in New Zealand. In these days most of them been wrecked as a parts donor. I think they only has less then ten now. What a pity? They are quality built car - roomy, comfort, fast, solid and don't see them everyday.

Cheers,
Roger

[ubercrap]

I have a picture of the other one somewhere...The wagon is pretty nice, just finishing up a few things on it to make it a good driver, the Marathon Blue car is very complete and straight, and needs moderate repair, shouldn't be out of the question-soon baby, soon, I promise... The Harvest Gold car on the trailer is rusty as heck, I'm dismantling it right now. The other Harvest Gold car is missing the engine and wrecked in the rear but will receive structural parts from the previously mentioned car. The Texas Yellow car is wrecked in the front and rough all over and maybe will receive the front clip from the cut up car. I have one other Marathon blue car I have to pick up still, condition is somewhere between the parts car and the other Blue sedan.

[raygreenwood]

Parts whore! ..... .....Actually, i was almost as bad at one time. I had one main 412 I was working on, one spare I was comtemplating and parts from about 8.
Now I have but one (and lots of parts)......and it will be sweeeet when done. Theere are so many critical small things to create fromscratch that I had to limit myself to one very good specimin. Ray

[ubercrap]

These are just the cars, you haven't seen the parts! I've been letting some parts on ebay go to other people... I want to see more of these on the road. But, if I didn't pick up these particular cars and love them, I'm not sure there would have been anyone else? They will at least be stored indoors to prevent further serious deterioration.

[Bill K.]

Wally, I got a pair of those Koni shocks today. Other than the BWM E30 springs, will I need anything else to fit them on my '73? Are the upper strut mounts the same between '73 and '74?

[Wally]

Hey Bill,

It was nice meeting you here. Glad we got to take a ride in the 412S, although it was only a short one

Nice score on the Konis!! Where did you find them?
No, you don't really need anything else afaik. Do remember I have the asymmetrical top strut bolt/bearing housing spacing. I believe they are only there on 8-'73 -> models. Mine is 10-'73.

But no dispair, the Koni's (at least the ones I have) were actually made for the '72 and '73 models 412. The tube-like spacer you see on my pictures is actually to adapt them to '74 models as well

With the symmetrical struts you are on your own as far as making sure you don't have a loose spring when you insert the bmw spring, as I don't have these struts and don't know the exact differences, length and spacer-wise.

BTW: make sure you align the front end after you lower the car! I did mine last saterday and went from considerable toe-out to a nice toe-in. Straight line stability has been restored again

You're over your 9-hour jet-lag yet

Greetings,
Walter

[Bill K.]

Thanks for the hospitality Walter. It was very interesting meeting you and discussing all your projects. Next time I'll bring a real coat...

I got the shocks from the guy in Georgetown (Erich) who has all the T4's. I also picked up NOS ball joints, a rear sway bar, and some lenses.

I'll be converting to the late super asymmetrical strut mounts using the info here. Wally, did you adjust the Koni settings?

Should I be looking for BMW 325i or 318i springs?

Thanks,
Bill

[Wally]

Wally, did you adjust the Koni settings?

Should I be looking for BMW 325i or 318i springs?

Thanks,
Bill

Yeah, I use the softest setting (compress all in and then turn left all the way, then a quart or half a turn out again).

No, not the 6-cyl springs: probabbly too thick in coil diameter. Mine are from a '91 model 4-cyl IIRC, but use the smallest motor E30 4-cyl model you can find. 316 or s/th.
My set up is already pretty hard, so be carefull on the spring-thickness. 12.2 mm is original and also the spring coil diameter of the 4-cyl E30 springs. Mine had some white stripes painted on them.

Good for you that he wanted to sell those after all! I finally located some original, but complete 3-point automatic seat belts and a friend over here had some seperate NOS belts, so I am safe again

Regards,
Walter