Gday all i have a hz sandman looking into lowering it . Car has 15x7 front 245 / 60 tyres and 15x8 255/60 tyres . Just want it to look good but not rub / scrape wondering if anyone had similar setup . Could advise what friont springs reset leaf springs etc
cheers Luke
Leave standard, HZ's handle and ride better left alone - they were setup that way.
Originally Posted by HK1837
Ours was lowered, (yellow van) and almost scraped along the road, looked good, but handled badly. We raised it with new springs, and got used to the way it looked. Much better handling. Our red van is the same, and has original springs etc.
Cheers J
HZ Jasmine Yellow Windowless Sandman, now being driven everywhere and is finished!
HZ Madeira Red Windowless sandman now Sold to Bigrob
HX Mandarin Red Sandman Ute finished, and club registered
1979 HZ malachite windowless van with 308 5spd, all chromed up and shiny finished and named "The Player"
Married to RodneyHZ253
my van is lowered all around it looks good doesnt scrape but it can wonnder abit at high speeds hz are radial tunned and handle better left alone but you decide what you want
My daughter lowered her HQ with drop spindles from Castlemaine Rod Shop. If your careful with wheel offsets / widths should be no problem. Hers is manual steering and handles and rides pretty well. Maybe not as good as a HZ but close and much better than original. Can't put much weight on the tray though - about 400 - 500 Kilos and the tires rub over larger bumps. Maybe not such a problem with the ute / van, I suspect they have more clearance to the top of the wheel well
That is a HQ though, lowereing them actually helps. Later HX (6/77 on), HZ and WB are best left alone. Lowering any more than even an inch compromises the whole perfectly setup suspension and steering.
Car handles average as is ha ha thanks for advice everyone .Would mainly like back tyre to sit in guard bit more .
If a HZ handles average it is because something needs fixing. When they were new, if you hopped out of a HQ-HX into a HZ you'd swear it was a totally different car. Like chalk and cheese. They look heaps better at original ride height in my opinion, as long as you keep the original tyre diameter whether that be by use of 18" wheels and low profile tyres or smaller wheels with original size tyres. When they look silly is when smaller diameter tyres are used eg 245/50/14.
The drop spindles move the wheel up into the guard without changing the suspension settings. Not a cheap option but when we put them on the 1 tonner which was already lowered with Kings lowering springs we had to get standard ride height springs to lift the front back up. The Kings springs were not that bad but there was a bit of bump steer and the suspension would crash through over bigger bumps due to the reduction in suspension travel. All this was cured with the drop spindles and they come certified so you don't have any trouble with rego/roadworthy (in Victoria anyway).
I agree with HK though, they look better close to std ride height. Jessica had a different opinion though. With the Torque Thrust wheels it looks OK. Each to his own.
When Rod Hadfield owned the Rod Shop it was worth a trip up to Castlemaine just to look through his "Museum" - all the stuff he had built over the years. From a standard looking HR with a 350 Chev that looked factory to his Merlin powered 55 Chev and an amazing twin supercharged T. Heaps of photos all over the net if you want to check them out but you can't beat seeing them in the metal. Not sure if its still all there though. Met him a couple of times, a dead set gentleman, got time for anyone to talk. Living legend and what a life he's led.
Drop spindles sounds worth looking into . Nearly all suspension/steering components are new or rebuilt shouldnt say handles average . Van handles like a 34 year old car ha ha .
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