Koni Vee coilovers

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I recently bought an old Autodynamics D-1, with help from Apexspeed, and am going through it since it's been modified and neglected. I found the rear shocks are Koni 80T 1669 and one of them has an extremely tight rebound. I am considering rebuild on both but apparently that's as expensive as buying new. The springs are good and the shocks are a bit rusty but it seems a shame to toss them. Also the rubber isolators are shot. I don't see a need for isolators but on these shocks they center the springs on the end plates. Does anyone have some input/recommendations?
If I could find some units that won't cost an arm and a leg I'd probably go for them.

[Hardingfv32]

1) You might have made an inexpensive car purchase but do not expect any restoration to continue that trend.

"They look like the early Koni rears made for FV. If so they should have a part # that starts wit 80T-1869. these were sesigned for Z bar cars and are not valved for zero roll. If they are Koni's they may be rebuildable or have some value to a person restoring an vintage calwell or lynx with z bar. Replacements are available from Pro Shocks or Carrera starting at aprox $125.00 for a straight valved shock. Next step would be a aluminum rebuildable and revalvable shock that could be valved to better suit a Zero roll system for apro $225.00 each. Single, double, and triple adjutable options exist from about $400 to $2000 each. I would be happy to talk to you about various options.
Butch 2008"

2) What exactly does 'tight' rebound mean? Could the other shock just as well be 'loose'?

3) What is your on track performance goals? How important are the shocks to meeting those goals?

Brian

[formula none]

1) You might have made an inexpensive car purchase but do not expect any restoration to continue that trend.

"They look like the early Koni rears made for FV. If so they should have a part # that starts wit 80T-1869. these were sesigned for Z bar cars and are not valved for zero roll. If they are Koni's they may be rebuildable or have some value to a person restoring an vintage calwell or lynx with z bar. Replacements are available from Pro Shocks or Carrera starting at aprox $125.00 for a straight valved shock. Next step would be a aluminum rebuildable and revalvable shock that could be valved to better suit a Zero roll system for apro $225.00 each. Single, double, and triple adjutable options exist from about $400 to $2000 each. I would be happy to talk to you about various options.
Butch 2008"

2) What exactly does 'tight' rebound mean? Could the other shock just as well be 'loose'?

3) What is your on track performance goals? How important are the shocks to meeting those goals?

Brian

Thanks for your input. I'm not fully restoring the car, just making it trackworthy again, and I'm well on the way to that. It's already highly modified, far from original. I find it really easy to work on compared to street cars and also easier than the airplanes I work on. Much cheaper than planes too!
Tight means I can't pull it out at all. I had to hang about 40 pounds on it and it takesabout 1 minute to creep out. The other shock rebounds much easier, perhaps 40lbs over 2 seconds. I've tried the adjustment but it didn't help much.
I still have a Z bar rear suspension.
Truechioce quoted me about $200 each for rebuild, depending on parts needed.
I will check out Proshocks and Carrera too.
Brad

[mdwracer]

You may not be adjusting it properly... setting to the stiffest rebound makes it nearly impossible to pull open. You must fully compress the shock and it will click into an adjustment mode and while holding it into that...turn the body in relation to top mount.
I have several sets of new old stock from 1975 still on shelf and thats how they operate. Rebuilding/revalving is not a bad option as they probably should be made softer overall. (my opinion is the 80T 1669 was too stiff)
Mike

[Mark_Silverberg]

You have the following options

- Rear Carrera 3243 - now QA1 55 Series

- Rebuild the 80T-1669 this can be done by true sports or Koni themselves.

- Buy a specially valved Koni 80 2650 SPA1 through Fred Clark at Caracal cars -this is valved to the original 80T-1669 specs. This is the most expensive alternative.

- Use a Koni 30-5325 shock which is is close to the to the lower end of the 80T-1669 rebound adjustment.

The QA1 shock and Koni 30-5325 will require coil over kits as they are not a threaded body.

The Koni coil over kits have been difficult to find as of late so if you decide to go in that direction make sure you can find the kit before you get the shock.

[formula none]

Gentlemen, thanks for your input.
I went back and tried to engage the adjusters on both shocks and cannot find any engagement. They bottom onto the upper fitting jam nut before any potential adjuster contact. They both spin freely in both direction. I'm wondering if the adjusters have been removed on these shocks?
It looks like my best choice is to have these shocks rebuilt. The Carreras need the coilover kit and the other options cost more. Truechoice quoted about $195 a side so I'll probably use them.
If the 80T 1669's were too strong in rebound maybe not having adjusters is a good way to soften them.

[pacratt]

Contact Fred Clark at http://caracalcars.com/
He's a Penske dealer...PLUS he has a shock dyno & can probably help you out with what you already have.
Glenn

[mdwracer]

Take the upper jambnut loose and remove the upper eyelet and lay both bumpstops aside...install jamb nut up shaft where the eyelet only can be put back on with around two threads...tighten jamb nut. Collapse shock and find the detent and adjust...(total range of adjustment is two turns) try full soft and full hard max ranges and open / close shock in each max range...you will see the difference. If all that works, then take jamb nut back loose, reinstall bump stops and FULLY screw eylet back on to a bottom out point and resecure the jambnut, reinstall spring.

I just tried to adjust one of mine (brand new unit) and got the same results until I did the above method to find the click in detent...

Mike Winebrenner

[formula none]

Take the upper jambnut loose and remove the upper eyelet and lay both bumpstops aside...install jamb nut up shaft where the eyelet only can be put back on with around two threads...tighten jamb nut. Collapse shock and find the detent and adjust...(total range of adjustment is two turns) try full soft and full hard max ranges and open / close shock in each max range...you will see the difference. If all that works, then take jamb nut back loose, reinstall bump stops and FULLY screw eylet back on to a bottom out point and resecure the jambnut, reinstall spring.

I just tried to adjust one of mine (brand new unit) and got the same results until I did the above method to find the click in detent...

Mike Winebrenner

That's what I get for following the Koni video. It infers than the shafts don't need to be down very far. I removed the upper fitting and jam nut and was finally able to engage the adjusters. Exactly 2 turns but..........no difference in rebound. So I sent them out for rebuild.

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Got a call from Truechoiceyesterday, shocks are done and on their way back. Very quick service. Their rep told me the shock oil was so deteriorated that it was more like tar and full of particles, definitely good to have them done. This was probably my best option as getting another set would cost at least as much and I would have had a big hassle finding the right fit.
Thanks to all who offered there advice!

[sabre1fv]

Don't know if you might be interested, but I have a good sized box of components for those old Koni shocks that I want to get rid of: bodies, pistons, foot valves in a couple of flavors and a lot of misc other parts.

-Jim