Shocking Shockers

[Chris P]

On the was home i uncounted a load of speed humps ( thanks to my satnav) even going over them very slowly I could tell the car was far from happy.

When I got home and parked up I had a distinct " list to the right" (when viewed from the rear) Investigations show that the N/S one is sticking in the down position.

I had already decided to renew the shockers anyway.....any suggestions? Spax seem rather expensive at over £400.

Anyone got any lying around?

[Rich Hanlon]

John Hervey seems to have the cheapest ones, fronts from $108/pair and rears from $175.

He does a complete 'easy rider 1' kit, all four shocks for $220, I doubt anyone can beat that for new parts.

[stunned_monkey]

You get what you pay for. At the other end of the scale, Protech are superb.

[Rich Hanlon]

What brand were/ are the originals?

[stunned_monkey]

Girling. NLA.

[Chris P]

What sort of money are Protech, Martin?

[stunned_monkey]

Hawsey's best to answer that but over £600 for the set IIRC. Lacquered bright aluminium though! Individually adjustable bump and rebound on the rear.

[Chris Hawes]

Thanks for the interest. Martin put me in touch with Protech and with them we developed a Protech solution for the DeLorean. So far besides my car there are two other cars out in the States that have gone for this unique setup.

£380 for singles all round plus £27 shipping to anywhere in the UK (this is a like for like setup compared to the Spax i.e. Single adjustment which controls and bounce and rebound in equal measure). One knob controls the damping for bounce (upstroke) and the other adjusts the damping on rebound (downstroke).

Protech ‘oil filled’ aluminium shocks (single adjustment at the rear + single adjustment at the front)

Photo below is of a pair of single adjustment fronts shocks.



or as per the photo below you can see the option of having twin adjustments on the rears. The Twin adjustable fronts (shorter shocks as per the photos below) were found to not be suitable due to clearance issues within stock lower control arms.





Protech ‘oil filled’ aluminium shocks (twin adjustment at the rear + single adjustment at the front)
£518 plus £27 shipping to anywhere in the UK

Each knob has 13 clicks. Handling is sublime and so far I've found 9 clicks of firmness at the front and 7 at the back (on each of the rear knobs) suit my preferred balance of a 'flowing' ride without crashing over potholes but the bonus of a firm enough ride to not ground out on bumpy roads. This is an impressive when you have the car sitting as low as how mine is set.

I really like being able to see the aluminium finish of the rear shocks from the rear of the car as they still look bright even when grubby.





Yes, there are cheaper shocks out there and I think all the others are gas filled where as Protech are oil filled which means an even more superior ride. I've done a good few years and miles on them and can justify the outlay as I use the car a lot and plan never to sell it :wink:

The optimum solution is the single adjustment shocks at the front and twin adjustments shocks at the rear.

[Chris Hawes]

On a side note I still have in the loft the original Girlings from the car front and back. All are in fine original shape (no leaks) so if you would prefer these PM and make me an offer.

[Chris Williams]

Quote:£380 for singles all round plus £27 shipping to anywhere in the UK (this is a like for like setup compared to the Spax i.e. Single adjustment which controls and bounce and rebound in equal measure). One knob controls the damping for bounce (upstroke) and the other adjusts the damping on rebound (downstroke).

That seems a very good price, they look a stronger option than the Spax at a very similar price. Would you mind putting all the pictures/prices/contact details in the parts/suspension section of the forum so people can see these when there looking for a x-ref?

Chris

[stunned_monkey]

Wow, I didn't realise they were getting so close in terms of price and performance at the same time as looking a LOT nicer. Why not try for an exclusivity deal, Chris :wink: :lol:

[Chris Williams]

Quote:Why not try for an exclusivity deal, Chris :wink: :lol:

Nah, the only stuff I have ever have had done was a; for my own car and then, b: to benefit the wider DeLorean community, not for profit or to knock anyone else's products. Simply to bring another product to the Delorean scene as it were. How other people choose to look on it or use it is up to them. It's a free market out there, if you wish to support your vendor who may have commissioned/tested them or financially support a DeLorean forum that's fine with me and I'm sure anyone else.
But yes I think I know which ones I would be buying with the price so close now.

Chris

[Guinney1971]

those Protech ones look a lot less chavvy then the Spax ones

[JamesRGUK]

Guinney1971 Wrote:those Protech ones look a lot less chavvy then the Spax ones

I have to agree, the bright yellow spax ones scream 'kit car' to me, but that's what I have on my car, it seemed the best deal/option at the time, I think I paid under £300 for the set, but I could be wrong.

As for the ride quality I don't feel I gained anything over the originals, I just don't think I drive it hard enough to really benefit from any super shock absorbers.

J

[Chris P]

Thanks for the info Chaps.. looking at my options now, I am only replacing them due to sticking and leaks, probably due to rust during its lay up ...on the beach!

On another subject entirely, just had a breakdown renewal from the AA, 2 regular cars plus DeLorean, Me and the Mrs. etc. Started at £166 ....bit of negotiation...Down to £90 !! Same cover, Result.....don't accept 1st price.