FIAT 127 COILOVERS - MODIFIED VW GOLF MK..? NEED TIPS

  • Hi all,


    Now I have searched this forum and found a couple of comments regarding this and have searched online and have also asked Facebook page members who may have done this but the level of secrecy around these cars and modifications is like fort knox.


    I have 2 contacts to make me some coilover front suspension, both quotes are going to cost me ~$1600+


    I can import some but even they will cost me ~$1300+ after shipping and take 4-8 weeks to be made and arrive


    Now I have constantly seen comments regarding VW Golf coilovers being modified to suit the Mk1 1 Fiat 127.


    I have messaged guys to ask and they have said they would supply me with photos but never have.


    I have saved measurements on file on my work pc from Mk1 and Mk2 golf suspension bolt holes and spacing etc but still need info from someone who has fitted them to what is actually needed to be done, what version, what needs modifying.


    These can be found for me for around $150-250 per set of 4 (I can sell the rear to compensate/offset my fabrication costs) so much cheaper than the $1600+ extortion from the other 2 contacts.


    Has anyone fitted these earlier Golf coilovers to the front of their Mk1 Fiat 127 and if so WHAT exactly needs to be done to fit them?


    Does anyone have in depth knowledge here and any possible photos?


    Do they ride well?


    Currently I have temporarily modified my stock shocks by shortening them and resetting some Alfa 33 springs by another 65mm and it is quite laughable how rock hard the front is, I could sit on the corner and it won't compress, there is under 50mm of strut insert travel left, I need at least "some" compression and rebound :D compared to the feeling of having solid steel rods in the front as it is now.


    * ^^ These were always going to be a temporary front suspension setup just to get me to my fabricators and until coilovers were made etc but thought they would have been a little bit softer - I currently have to dodge every little bump in the road with them in as if the lower arm is welded to the chassis.

  • Well, the other possibility is to bring the original coil springs to a experienced spring builder who can treat them thermically in a proper way and compress them keeping a similar force rate as before.
    My personal experience with that ones are extremely limited, as not street legal in my country (CH).

  • Well, the other possibility is to bring the original coil springs to a experienced spring builder who can treat them thermically in a proper way and compress them keeping a similar force rate as before.
    My personal experience with that ones are extremely limited, as not street legal in my country (CH).

    This is exactly what I have done already as they are now.


    I took the front suspension out and took them to a specialist and then they reset the springs by resetting/compressing them 65mm and then shortened the shocks to suit.


    Overall the entire front is possibly already 70-90mm shorter than stock.


    The ride at the moment from the front is rough, like a go kart.


    I need to find out about these Golf coil-overs as I will save hundreds of dollars vs getting some made.

  • Forget it!

    It`s not as easy as you think and you have to get a lot of parts,to change and rebuild them.

    That will be okay in Italy,in Australia it`not easy to get those parts.

    The cheapest (and best!!) way maybe the expensive way!

    Take a look on the pics of 127-Peter and you will see.

    Hmmm ok,


    I was told by someone on a Facebook page who fitted them into their Mk1 that they merely did some welding to the bottom bracket and they fit right in? (this was translated though so could be incorrect? - this was also the guy who said he would send me photos of exactly what was needed to be done yet never sent me pics)


    I have also seen references from Marcus in this forum who owns the low Beige fiat and he also has suggested to other users to use Golf coil overs as this is what he has done. (they are old threads though so did not want to bump them)


    PS - I am not in Australia - I am in New Zealand

  • i bought some self made coil overs years ago.


    They were made from the orignal 127 shock absorber by welding a adjustable spring seat kit around it.

    The parts a quite cheap. But you will have to weld.


    In my case shock absorbers with changeable inserts were used.

    I think they removed the inserts while building it my kit.

    Else you would need to cool the shock absorber while welding.


    I never used it because its not street legal in Germany. New Zealand is more open in these things?

  • Well I don't get it!

    It seems that something isn't as it should be...


    Usually when spring-coils gets compressed by induction of heat, the force rate will reduce a little bit. As diameter and length of the steel didn't change, the normal consequence should be, that the coil gets a minimal lower force rate than before. The reason therefore is, the steel receives less torsion for the same way as before.


    But you're saying that they got rigid as a steel-bar!


    I guess, the problem aren't your spring coils, but in your shock struts. After compressing the spring coils you may need to modify the shock struts to garantee always a minimal preload of the spring even when the wheel is completely out-rebounded (like in the air). But if that modification isn't well done, then you may have problems with the piston who gets stucked inside the shock strut. That one should be able to bypass the oil inside the strut in a controlled manner. Hard for compressing and even much more harder pulling apart.

    Does the strut work properly?
    What kind of oil you got in?


    Unfortunately I don't have any knowledge abut the Golf MK1 spring for the 127... :(


    Following the comments

    greets
    Autolux

  • I never used it because its not street legal in Germany. New Zealand is more open in these things?

    As long as the spring is contained and has not been cut in any way is usually ok here, and being an uncommon vehicle they will not even know what is stock and what isn't as it has all been altered cleanly.


    Plus everyone has that one warrant of fitness guy that will slap a sticker on the car regardless ;)


    Coil-overs here need to be certified, that alone is $500 then along with that everything on the car will be gone over and recorded for that cert, this is not a major but usually a deterrent for a lot of vehicles here due to cost and hassle.

  • I have a feeling that there is just no more insert to compress.


    When the suspension was returned there was a maximum of 1.5"-2" strut insert travel left, then I guess if you add some weight on them from the car and possibly they are maxed out?


    I have no idea what oil is in them as I did not do the work, they were taken to a reputable suspension company that do a lot of this kind of resetting and shortening, from what I am aware they just cut down the insert and added some more thread.


    They did however caution me that there was almost no insert left.


    They are Osrav Topline Shocks


    The springs in them were not stock and were already ~1-2" lower than stock before getting them compressed another 65mm


    The front suspension was already firm but had movement.

  • If your inserts are in good condition, shortening the shafts might lead to the best suspension in terms of comfort.

    Stock reset springs with stock shortened inserts should in theory result in a ride close to stock but with little tolerance for bottoming out.

    If your driving style is slow and careful, this should work well.

  • If your inserts are in good condition, shortening the shafts might lead to the best suspension in terms of comfort.

    Stock reset springs with stock shortened inserts should in theory result in a ride close to stock but with little tolerance for bottoming out.

    If your driving style is slow and careful, this should work well.

    I have spoken to a local shock re-builder and he also suggested this, to cut down the original shock and add some Bilstein inserts but the quote would see me around $2000 for a pair :(


    I think I am just going to have to save up and order a front pair of these which is the cheapest I have been able to find anywhere, all my local prices are MORE than this price for 2 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/FIAT-…7806f1:g:RM4AAOSwBvNToHrO

  • I was talking about shortening the shafts of your stock inserts if they are in good shape.

    This would allow them to work in their proper range again.

    The shock inserts "have" been shortened to compensate for the compressing of the coils, they have had extra thread added and then cut down to suit, the springs are contained when the car is jacked up with no play, this is where the shock specialist warned me that their was only 1-2" of travel left in the inserts themselves.