Technical How high?

[Antgiu]

Hello

We recently new owners of a 1965 500f - in red, so is obviously very quick!
As far as we know, for a 47 year, he is standard.

Looking at him from the side he seems to be sitting a bit high at the front.
Can anyone advise what the 'normal' height for the front and rear (floor or whole centre to wheel arch) would be?

Thanks
Anthony

 

[MattGibson]

Hi Anthony, some 500s have an extra leaf in the transverse leaf spring (6 leaves rather than 5), which accounts for some being raised at the front. Not sure on measurements though.

 

[tjmra]

Anthony,

I have a 6 leafer and it just so happens I have a dodgy photo that may help. (here's one I prepared earlier......)

The tyres are 145 / 70 /12's so thay are not quite standard. Gap is close to 4".

My car also has the nose up appearance, if you need, on the weekend I will take a proper shot from the side that shows this.

With this tyre and spring combo, there is no tyre rubbing on the inner guards. If you have one less spring I believe the inner guards have to be 'modified' slightly to avoid this.

We need some photos of your car please, helps us get our fix!

Regards

Joe R

 

[Antgiu]

Hi

Thanks for your replies.
Although Luigi is in the Uk, we are currently based in Belgium. last Saturday I went across to Fiat 500 Ricambi in Holland where I measured his cars that are for sale, had a chat with lots of helpful advice and spent some pennys/euro cents.....
As standard they all seem to be the same - approx 12" at the rear and 13" at the front (wheel centre to wheel arch). I also have a few things to check out.
Will do this when I fit the disc brake conversion.......
Will post som pictures when I get a chance to read how to do it...

Thanks
Anthony

 

[disgusted]

My solution is to have a fat person drive the car. It certainly works for me...

 

[Alfons1972]

I had the problem of my 500 being too high in the front for more than 10 years.
the only thing that helped was to uninstall the front spring, to disassemble and to clean it and to grease it well.
After mounting it again you have to adjust the track (front axle)...

there was a lot of paint and rust between the leafes...

I have been told that you should disassemble new springs too. They are not greased at all...

 

[berkeleyman]

I have always believed that leaf springs should not be greased at all as they rely on friction to a certain extent to work correctly?

 

[Antgiu]

Hi

Modern leaf springs aren't greased (like the Nissan navarra).
Modern springs a a lot more highly stressed than back in the 60s and the grease would just hold the dirt and grit between the leafs and act as a grinding paste which will potentially lead to a breakage.
I have no idea what the thinking in the 60s was about greasing leaf springs though

Anthony

 

[Alfons1972]

be sure: they have to be greased. and cleaned. Here in germany we have discussed that very often.
Probably you have to renew the grease every few years. But without any grease that spring is'n a spring...

 

[Antgiu]

Hi
Modern leaf springs are definitely not greased - I worked on the design of the Nissan navara....
However, on many older cars the leaf springs had grooves and hollow centre pins for the application of lubricant/grease.
I don't know what the original 'design intent' was for the 500. Lubricant will obviously reduce the self damping properties of the spring, but I imagine will make the spring smoother........