1600 HF Rear springs

[Wheatley473]

Happy Christmas everyone

I’m working on the rear suspending of my S2, HF. It’s 1972 model.

The rear springs looked pretty short when I took them apart very rusty, so I did some research and had a new set made by Jones springs in the midlands. I did try to get new replacement set through Cavalitto, but they didn’t have any. I bought the interleaving, bushes and clips form them however, and sent them to the Jones springs.

The new set have arrived, and the are the same shape as the originals, Jones  had a set of my old springs and the data from the concise manual. They had made a set before so it wasn’t completely new to them.

However, I’ve since discovered from both some old discussions on here and for a chat with Andrew Cliffe that getting new set made may not necessarily have been the best solution. The steel is different and can upset the handling being too stiff.

Has any one had any resent experience of replacing/renovating  S2 rear springs for an HF?

My concern is they maybe too stiff nor work as well as original spec springs. The new set aren’t tapered, for example.

Also, would the leaves for an S1 set fit ( not the top leaf with the bushes obviously) into S2 set of springs? Are they the same spec. I think they make the car lower. Am I correct?

Nick