Ride height - rear end.. can this be right?

[hallgeir]

Hello! This is what my GT looks like from side view. I think the rear end is much too high above the ground compared to the front. Shouldn`t it be nearly level? When I lift the rear end, the body moves 2 cm (centimeter) before the tires also leaves the ground. That can`t be right, can it? The coil springs seems to be the old stock ones. The shocks are nearly new, was there when I got the car. I`ve noticed that the shocks are almost fully extended when the car stands on the ground empty. The rear end suspension feels also very hard, when I try to push down the rear end by hand, it almost doesn`t move at all. Does anybody have the measurements like them on the image and/or the lenght of the coil spring when it is out of the car? Or any idea what it can be, unless it`s normal? The previous owner had noticed, but didn`t care. So not much help there. The tires are 165x13

Hallgeir

[opelgt73]

You probably have some non stock springs on the back. Maybe they were from a wagon, which uses stiffer springs.

Also the front is or has been lowered. If you can take a picture of both the front leaf spring setup, and the rear springs.

[hallgeir]

Thanks, I`ll try to get some pictures, might take a while....

[okgt]

My vote is the wrong springs in back with the wrong shocks ie. too short which would explain the wheels coming off the ground when the body is lifted.
The front appears to be lowered as well as loaded with some of the weight from the rear being lifted.

[hallgeir]

Yes, you are probably right. I also thought about both wrong springs and shocks. But another thought I have is that the shocks are close to the limit of their movement because of wrong springs, either too stiff or too long, maybe both. Therefor the tire lifts of ground so soon. I remember both my ascona a and b had to be lifted a long way up before the wheel came of the ground. The previous owner told me that he had changed the front spring, but he thought the front was too low both before and after. So maybe he did care a bit after all. About the front a least. He didn`t do anything to the rear springs. Well, maybe things will level up a bit when the back end comes down to where it is supposed to be. Here are some pictures. Hope it is possible to see what you are looking for..

[hallgeir]

One more..

[jordan]

Those do not look like original springs, they don't look like they taper which a progressive spring should. And the guage looks too large.

[namba209]

One thing I noticed missing in the pics of the rear springs, is the seats for the springs, at least the upper ones. If those are the correct springs, the top coil will be flat and the corresponding seat will sit flat against the frame. The bottom coil will not be flat and will sit in a recess in the spring seat. I agree with Jordan, they look to be too large a diameter and not progressive wound.

[opeldean]

a gt stock spring is 12mm in diameter in the middle
it has 8 full turns

[markandson]

Stock spring is 4 1/2" in diameter and 12" long uncompressed. Wagon spring is 4 3/4" in diameter and 13" uncompressed. It looks like the front spring has only 2 leaves, if so it is probably an old Opels Unlimited 2" lowering spring.

[GTJIM]

Yep, Both ends of your GT have non-standard springs. It has been "Jacked" (up) at the rear and "Slammed" (down) at the front.

Lowering the rear is easiest as the rear springs will come out by just unbolting the shock absorbers and panhard rod then raising ( with a floor jack) the body at the rear till the springs can be removed. Have a look around your car yards for some springs nearer the standard specifications that Dean listed here and that should lower the rear a bit. Don't forget to fit the rubber spacers/seats above the springs.

Raising the front involves lots more effort as the removal of the front spring is a major job. Check to see if there is a rubber block each side, above the spring, held on by the inner lower wishbone bolts ( "A-arm - suspension arm or what ever -- the outer end of the front spring is attached to it as is the lower end of the shock absorber).

You may be able to raise the front a bit by fitting a rubber block above the spring in the centre of the front cross member - right in the middle of the car....

[jeff denton]

In the photos the rear springs look really stiff, by description of trying to bounce the car they definitely are... I want them to try in my car!
I find that Tempo front springs can by fitted, are about as stiff as the wagon spring. Hallgeir, try just cutting coils off your springs and see if that helps your ride height without making the ride too harsh. It's worth a try.

[opelenvy]

The stock GT front spring has three leaves. OGTS sells a two leaf intermediate spring that lowers the front end 1.5". I think there is also a sport front spring that is 2 leaves that lowers the front 2".
I have a two leaf in my GT and have cut the rears to lower the back as well. OGTS sells the poly spring hats for the coils.

[hallgeir]

Oookey..... yes..... well, thank you very much to all of you. I certainly know now that it shouldn`t be like this. I really liked your lowered GT George, think it looks great with that height, so maybe I should let the front end be like it is. The rear springs I`ll get rid of I think. They are much to stiff, I will constantly worry about my teeth falling out if I have those springs. Opel GT Suselbeek has (yes, I will try them again) both standard coil springs and coil springs that will lower the car 50 mm (2"). The front spring has 2 leaves, yes, so then it`s probably lowered about 2". So I think I`ll go for the lower springs at the rear too. The price is the same: 152 EUR for a set of two. Thank you again. Maybe some day I`ve learned enough to guide someone else too...

Hallgeir

[kwilford]

You might have a front spring from a 1.1 GT, as they were two-leaves. Unfortunately the spring rate is lower, so while it lowers the front, it will also tend to bottom out more and not be as "firm and responsive" as a proper sport spring.

[hallgeir]

well... well... well... I sure hope it is not. Thanks for the info. Will have to investigate.

Hallgeir

[GTJIM]

What year is your GT? If the VIN number on the dash or alloy plate under the hood starts with "93" then it may have once had a 1969/70 1.1 litre motor....

[hallgeir]

It is a -69, I was told. The number is: 941671024.

[GTJIM]

The "94" tells us that it was originally a 1.9 litre engine and the following number is a 1969 serial number - and quite an early one too.

# 1638918 has been confirmed as leaving the Opel Factory in January, 1969 and yours is later than this. Remember the actual serial numbers for GTs and Kadetts was contiguous so that it is not a simple matter of subtracting numbers to see how many of any particular body style were made.

[hallgeir]

Thank you very much everyone for all your help!
And Jim, where do you get all the info from? Experience? Books?

Hallgeir

[GTJIM]

Originally Posted by hallgeir Thank you very much everyone for all your help! And Jim, where do you get all the info from? Experience? Books? Hallgeir

I just an old hot rodder who has mucked around with stock car racing and engine modifications for over forty years. Lots of my information about Opels has been gained while working on my GT and assisting others on-line here.
Nobody and I have had some marathon on-line sessions while his motor was rebuilt into the fire-breathing monster it is today.
I have an extensive library of books collected over the years too.
This site has been as valuable to me as it is to everyone else!