Shock absorbers

[rsk289]

I'd very much like to fit Koni dampers to my leafspring 289 Kirkham. I've had a look at the Koni website, and sent emails to ask if they make or can supply the correct units, but with no luck and no response.
Does anyone know if these are available for a street 289 and, if so, what the ID or part numbers etc. might be?
Thanks,
Roger

[CSX3018]

Hello Roger
Koni shocks are no longer Available for AC Cobras!
Thomas Kirkham had made for my KMPS030 from Penske Racing Shocks
double adjustable aluminum in anodize Koni Orange .
I will post pictures of some Shocks.
Why don't post some picture of your Kirkham?

Richard H. Messersmith

KONI Shock 289 comp.
Front Rear
OAL 12” OAL 11 5/8”
Stroke 14” Stroke 15 1/5”

SPAX Shock 289 St.
Front Rear
OAL 10. 3/4” OAL 10.3/4”
Stroke 13. 1/2” Stroke 13.1/2”

[blue sky]

Roger,

Spax still makes shocks for a Mk 2 Cobra and should be readily available for you there. GO53 front, GO54 rear

AJ

[CSX3018]

[quote=blue sky;1247286]Roger,

Spax still makes shocks for a Mk 2 Cobra and should be readily available for you there. GO53 front, GO54 rear

Isn't that a coil ovr, not a leaf

[CSX3018]

CSX2136

[rsk289]

Thanks for the info, guys.
I've had Spax on several other cars over the years and they don't last long. I have Konis on my Cooper S and '68 Mustang, and have used them on countless other cars and they are just the best. Hence my wish to get some for the Cobra, but it seems I won't be able to. I have Gaz on there at the moment, so I'll have to stick with those. Shame!

[CSX3018]

Koni Orange Penske

[blue sky]

Richard,

Those Spax numbers are for leaf spring Mk2. I have a set. The front Spax shock will not fit a Mk1. You have to use an Ace shock. I don't believe Spax makes the Mk3 coil over shocks.

Roger,

I agree with you. Think Koni is much better. Heavier built. There are used ones to get that need rebuilt but some guys have complained about the rebuilding in the states since the original valving is no longer made and they swap over to a new type valve resulting in a less effective shock. I have never had this done so I can't confirm one way or another.

AJ

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by CSX3018

Koni Orange Penske

Those orange Penske shocks just need a shroud for the piston rod and a Koni sticker to look perfect.


I have Penske coil-over shocks on my 427 and they are superb.

Paul

[adricar1]

Roger i had a set made by proshocks, Penske where messing me about. The proshocks are a nice bit of kit and slightly cheaper. Made them in 3 days and shipped them to my freight forwarder in Chicago, i got them within the week , here in the uk.

[rsk289]

Thanks guys. I'd need to do a lot of research to find out what rates, etc. would be needed for a custom build. Also I seem to remember one of the mounting eyes is offset from the axis of the damper, but I can't check at the moment. I also do not want metal bush/rose jointed ends, I'm a rubber bush man(??!!).
I was, somewhat naively, hoping I could find Konis off-the-shelf somewhere. Adricar, could I ask what spec you gave Proshocks? - and are those for a leafspring r/p car?

This is the Gaz I have currently:

[blue sky]

Roger,

The lower bush of the rear shock is offset for its attachment to the chrome pin. If not, the shock performs a forward thrust into the upper front frame member. Are your front suspension pieces shown in your photo also from Kirkham? If they are I didn't realize that they were supplying original type pieces. Thought every thing now coming from them was alloy. Your suspension looks great.

AJ

[adricar1]

mine where rose jointed on the ends and inverted for a rear of the 427 hitech. i can get the specs if you need them , but if you speak with proshocks they can give you guide you.

also there a company in the uk that makes shocks to any spec protech shocks, if you are in the trade you get a reasonable discount.
if you have a problem pm me and i can order from either the usa or uk.

[1985 CCX]

I used Spax

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by blue sky

Roger,

The lower bush of the rear shock is offset for its attachment to the chrome pin. If not, the shock performs a forward thrust into the upper front frame member. Are your front suspension pieces shown in your photo also from Kirkham? If they are I didn't realize that they were supplying original type pieces. Thought every thing now coming from them was alloy. Your suspension looks great.

AJ

Hi AJ,

Thanks for the compliments! No, my car is not really what you'd call a 'real' Kirkham. I bought it through Gerry Hawkridge of Hawk Cars, who supplied all the suspension parts here in the UK. I thought Kirkham did offer the original setup as an option, but I may be wrong. There are a few minor mods to my car from original, such as the extra bracing for the wishbone mounts which were cantilevered on the originals (although I believe a lot of originals have had this modification). The biggest difference between mine and an original, which I think is a pragmatic change, is that my car's suspension is entirely UNF threaded as opposed to Whitworth. All the sizes are the same, the threads are just finer. Still not a metric thread in it anywhere, though!

Thanks for the note on the rear shocker, I have that offset on the rear Gaz shocks. I'll see how they stand up to use and go the custom route, painted orange, if necessary.

Roger

Oh, here's a pic of the rear, just for completeness:

[blue sky]

Roger

Your suspension mounts are as existed on the FIA cars I saw in the shop where I was working on mine. Seems to be a very logical modification. It all looks very nicely done. Keep up the good work and have fun.

AJ

[patty442]

I have several sets of brand spanking new Koni shocks which fit an original 427 CSX street, S/C or Competition Car. They are new and most are still wrapped in the Koni brown paper and never seen the light of day. They are dated as I remember somewhere between 1969 and 1972. One front and one rear of the lot have been sent to Koni for testing. They past with flying colors and I have the shock-o-gram which they produced during their cycling and testing. They will be available shortly for sale. I got them 40 years ago from Kensington Products , in New Jersey, the sole U.S. importer of Koni Shocks from Holland . And yes they have the original Rose joints in the lower rear mount, not supplied by Koni, but by me and come with adjusting collars. I will be including 4 additional wing shock decals with the set and a copy of the invoice from Kensington listing the parts (no prices) including the decal sheets to confirm their originality. Tell your CSX 3000 friends to stay tuned.

[GRUF78]

What are you going to charge for them?

GRUFF

[rsk289]

You wouldn't have a set of leafspring 289 ones kicking around, would you?