FINDHORN CARS Suspension and Brakes Options

To put the suspension options in perspective, a brief description of the construction of the Findhorn Cars is appropriate.

Traditionally cars were built with a chassis and body attached to the body. Then came monocoque cars, in which the body had beams incorporated into it to provide the strength that the chassis provided and indeed a lot more strength. The MGB was one of the first monocoque sports cars. This is its virtue and its downfall. It is good and stiff, but those compound sills are so rust prone.

Picture 23 – Standard Findhorn Cars Chassis – TO FOLLOW

Findhorn cars use a traditional chassis, but also a stiff glass fibre body from the bulkhead back. The chassis is triangulated forwards from the bulkhead. The result is bags of stiffness and few rattles and bangs. The body is completed with glass fibre wings and nose cone, whilst the bonnet panels are of aluminium.

Picture 24 –Findhorn Cars NG TF Tub – TO FOLLOW

MBG Suspension

The chassis is designed to receive the MGB front cross-member and the rear leaf springs. In fact everything can be bolted on remarkably simply.

So the primary suspension is standard MGB all round, with the exception of a Panhard rod at the back to try and keep the rear axle from hopping around under enthusiastic driving! This MGB set up has great merit, not least it works with dependable and predictable handling. The parts are readily available. So we are not about to change in for the 1800 cars.

The suspension can of course be up-graded with the many after market MGB kits that are widely available, in particular telescopic dampers.

“Coil-Over” Front Suspension

Primarily in the interests of aesthetics on the TC with its very visible wishbones, we offer tubular wishbones and a coil-over front suspension. The geometry remains MGB.

Independent Rear Suspension

The MGB rear suspension in the lighter Findhorn cars – TCs in particular – with powerful V8s, providing a far higher power to weight ratio, is out-classed. Our solution is a bespoke double wishbone suspension, which not only enables the cars to keep their wheels in firm contact with the road under power and cornering, but provides nice comfort too, on the Colin Chapman formula of soft suspension and accurate geometry. It works a treat.

In the main, the MGB brakes are entirely adequate for Findhorn cars.

There is a wide range of up-graded brakes which are suitable for the V8 engined cars. Further if the rubber bumper master cylinder is used, servo-assistance is available.

The MGB’s rear drum brakes are suitable for the NGTF.

The independent suspension of the V8 cars have disc brakes.