[Healeys] BMC competition parts SHOCKS

[Peter Caldwell]

Mitch did send me pictures.  They ARE Armstrong for sure.  I sent him 
a pic of a very similar shock for an MGB. The letters APCo appear on 
several hundred Armstrong shock covers we have here in house at the 
moment.  Armstrong Patents Co. Ltd being the correct name of the 
company in Beverly who manufactured lever shock absorbers, and many 
other hydraulic components.

We did 2 sets of these for a customer a number of years ago.   Here's 
what's interesting to us. I apologize if you've heard this before.

The early Healeys, BN1 through early BJ8, used the small bodied 
shocks part number 6076 designated DAS9 and having the mounting bolts 
3-5/16" on center.

The later BJ8s used a larger body shock part number 8188 designated 
DAS10 having mounting bolts on 4" centers.

The tapered hole in the arm on the early shocks 6076 has the larger 
diameter away from the body of the shock, such that the link would be 
inserted outboard of the shock. (very unusual configuration compared 
to most other Armstrong shocks)

The tapered hole for the larger 8188 is larger on the side of the arm 
closest to the shock body as the link would be inserted on the 
opposite side from the early shock.

The 100-S shocks that we've done, (Armstrong part number 7598 or 
6189-ADJ) both adjustable and non-adjustable, have the larger DAS10 
body casting BUT have the tapered hole facing as the early DAS9 
shock. THAT is what makes them different, and unlike almost any other 
Armstrong shock.

     If I recall, someone posted that the shock mounting holes were 
re-drilled and I believe reenforced on the race cars. They would have 
to have been re-drilled for the bolt spacing difference.

I suspect that the reason the casting of Mitch's adjustable shocks 
don't have Armstrong embossed is because they are a  very early 
iteration of what would be later marketed as Armstrong's "Adjustable 
22" series of lever shocks. I have the original literature and design 
data publication book from Armstrong, and some NOS examples.

Here is a link to an article in Safety Fast from August 1965 that 
describes the adjustable shock, and gives specific part numbers for 
the Healey range.

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/literature/pdf/safety_fast_aug65_shocks.pdf

I'd be very happy to discuss this further. I have lots of information.

Peter Caldwell

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At 01:16 PM 12/10/2013, Peter Caldwell wrote:
>AP could be the marks of Armstrong Patents   which is the real name 
>of the shock company.
>
>Mitch, send me a picture.  I've seen nearly every lever shock there is.
>
>         Peter C
>=====
>At 10:42 AM 12/10/2013, Peter Dzwig wrote:
>>As Mitch says, they aren't marked as Armstrong.
>>
>>They bear the letters "AP Co". AP were a parts company operating in the UK in
>>the 50s, 60s and until??? I have a feeling - and it is ONLY a dim 
>>recollection -
>>that they sold into the aftermarket. As far as I can find out it 
>>re-emerged in
>>Pristina in the early 2000s as a "socially owned" organisation. The company
>>still exists as a manufacturers of suspension kits for "hot" cars 
>>hatchbacks etc
>>etc in Germany.
>>
>>Anyone know anything else about AP and what happened to them?
>>
>>Peter