[Healeys] 100 Girling shocks

John Harper ah at jharper.demon.co.uk
Sun Oct 26 01:03:48 MST 2008


Peter

I find it hard to believe that there were many cars not fitted with 
Armstrong lever arm shock adsorbers. BMC might have tried to set up a 
second source or Girling might have tried to make available their own 
alternative replacements but I don't believe that any got onto the main 
production lines.

Our 'Big Healey' suspension started life on the Austin A40 Devon first 
described in Austin Service Journal Volume 16 December 1947.

If we leave out spring rates and valve settings it contuinued on through 
A40 Somerset A70 Hampshire and Hereford and A90 Atlantic finishing with 
the 100 BN1. As all will know it then continued slightly modified and 
beefed up on large BMC saloons and 'big Healeys'.

Thoughout all this long period there were no changes to the shock 
adsorber fixing positions and in theory any old or new Armastong lever 
arm from the above models could be fitted to other models. However the 
Armstrong Shock Adsorber went through numerous changes over this long 
period

The modifications that took place included the following but not 
necessarily a complete list and in precisely this order were

Square back
Sloaping back
Sloping back marked 'R'
Co-Axial Valves
Modified clamp bolt angles

Why I am going into all this detail is that with such a long run of 
Austin and BMC fitting Armstong Shock Adsorber I cannot see why there 
would be any need to fit a few cars with Girling models.

And finally if they were fitted I would expect these to be listed in the 
parts manuals. There is no record relating to any of the cars listed 
above that I can find.

Regards

>Who of you all have Girling front lever shocks on your Healey?  It is 
>all cast iron body with steel arms.
>
>Were the cars shipped with them? Or, were they replacements?

-- 
John Harper


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