[Healeys] 100 Girling shocks

[Peter Caldwell]

John,
         Good points. I am looking at this from the shock absorber 
view. The same bolt pattern that you speak of was also on MGTDs that 
were Girling originally, and probably some earlier MGs that I haven't 
seen. (not TCs or Ys)  Somebody, somewhere decided on that 
trapezoidal configuration and stuck to it through 1980 on Bs.
         Peter
=


At 03:03 AM 10/26/2008, John Harper wrote:

>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