Ride height, handling, and mk1's - discussion

[gldgti]

right.

there seems to be a consensus about having your mk1 "too low" to handle well.

let me say that last night, i proved to myself that this is a myth.

i've driven mk1's since i learned to drive, and all of them handle well, no-matter what. BUT - each mk1 i've owned has always had suspension mods, and i've tried lots of things; to name but a few:

> standard struts with king springs
> standard struts with chopped king springs
> standard struts with chopped springs
> standard struts with spax springs
> uprated german struts with king, chopped king and spax springs
> koni struts with european springs
> biltein struts with euro springs
> hottuning coilovers.

and in addition to all of the above, i've tried them with and without aftermarket front mounted front swaybar, lower stress brace and rear swaybar too.

now, my gld used to hold enough corner speed to allow me to keep up with some quick cars on the open road through corners, and my current mk1 with a warmed 1600 never managed the sdame kind of corner speed as the old car did, until now.

the best combination of suspension i USED to have, was the spax springs, uprated struts and aftermarket swaybar. the car would roll over a little, but not much, and just gripped so hard. very even handling and would oversteer almost at will with the right hands on the steering wheel.

now, i have improved opn that with my ls, finally.

the LS is running hottunings, with aftermarket swaybar on the front. i've recently put in HD prothane bushings in hte front end, which seems to have allowed the coilovers to do their job properly - letting the wishbones move up and down with ease.

the car is low too - low enough that it "just" doesnt scrape with my 185/55/14's. the tyre's are just inside the arches at each corner.

now, i do appreciate the mechanics of suspension gemoetry, and i appreciate that the roll centre of the vehicle is now somewhat changed that the front wishbones are at such a steep andgle past horizontal. turn in is wonderful, and i'm running STOCK alignment - thats right, less than 0.5deg neg camber. there body roll is basically undetectable.... and this is now supposedly the end for handling - now, apparently, i should resign myself to driving slowly and not having a fast car around corners.... well, thats rubbish.

i can say that the car is now REAL fast. i mean, i was blown away by how composed, grippy and predictable the car is now.

thats my story. now, please reply if you have real, first hand experience to share.

please no one liner replies.