I need to find some performance/racing shocks for my 62 Tempest LeMans. I submitted a request to shox.com & included the specs for what I need, but they replied that they didn't have anything.
Who else can I contact and/or where can I search for shocks by size, or for that matter, is there a cross-reference that I can see if any other cars share the same shocks?
Thanks!
The guys at AFCO can put together just about anything you want - specify the body length, shaft length, mounting points top and bottom along with a variety of other options.
Thanks Keith.
Here's a couple other dumb questions. IIRC, certain types of shocks can be flipped & used inverted, while others can't - correct? The reason I ask is I've found some off-the shelf shocks from a '69 Tempest, that will fit my '62, but I'll need to invert them.
Oh, and why are adjustable "drag" shocks so much cheaper than other adjustables???
Because they go from soft to softer and usually have paper clip diameter shafts.
Generally, monotubes will work inverted or otherwise. Twintubes won't work inverted or on their side. (generally)
Depends on the internal design. Twin-tubes usually rely on gravity to keep the oil at the top and the fluid at the bottom. Not always, of course - the twin-tube AFCOs (they make both types) use a bag internally and can thus can be run in any orientation. You'll have to ask the manufacturer.
I'm using AFCO as an example not because of some belief in their inherent superiority, but because I know their shocks from personal experience and from long talks with their engineers. My GAZ shocks work inverted, but I have no idea what their internal construction is.
The QA1's I got for my latest project are available in all kinds of different lengths and they can supply different shaft ends. They also have a line of direct replacement adjustable shocks ('Stocker Stars') that might do what you want. http://www.qa1.net/ BTW, the coilovers are basically Carreras. They even have the Carrera sticker on them.
EDIT: My link turns out to be the same as 44's. 
^ Keith, do you have any experience with the bagged AFCO's? I'm curious about how reliable they are..... I've heard stories about poor temperature capability with bagged dampers (the bags don't seem to hold up at higher temps)
If you can find someone with an old shock absorber catalog, they could look up early Tempest shocks and figure out if they cross reference to some other car. I have an old Monroe catalog but unfortunately it doesn't list your car. As an example, I was able to use it to figure out my Bonneville uses the same front shocks as a 1967 Corvette so in my case upgrades will be easy. If there isn't a direct cross reference, the catalog should at least give the dimensions of the shock and then you can look for something that's close.
There's a recent thread on the PY forums on this subject: http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/showthread.php?t=563649
njansenv wrote:^ Keith, do you have any experience with the bagged AFCO's? I'm curious about how reliable they are..... I've heard stories about poor temperature capability with bagged dampers (the bags don't seem to hold up at higher temps)
I do. We sell a Miata-specific set of AFCOs at Flyin' Miata as our flagship shocks. Let me tell you, I've never dealt with a more helpful company when it comes to engineering a new product, which is why I'll happily recommend them.
Anyhow, the shocks we sell are from the T2 series. That's the bagged twin-tube setup. I've run them at Laguna Seca, I've run them at our local track and I ran them at the Targa.Newfoundland. The only reliability problem I've had was with an insufficiently supported bumpstop that allowed me to destroy the shaft seals on all four shocks at the Targa. Due to the non-pressurized design, the only problem with four leaking shocks was a slight loss in low-amplitude damping. They kept on taking the big hits on long stages. Our customers haven't had any problems with the internals either.
Here's something that might help - the entire Monroe shock line dimensions in a 55-page PDF. Once you've found something that fits, cross-reference the part number to find out what it's for, then look for high performance options for that vehicle. It's how I found the Mitsubishi Cordia shocks I ran on the back of my MG 
http://www.monroe.com/catalog/documents/08_MountingLengthSheet.pdf
Thanks for those links.
I looked through the Monroe guide, there isn't a shock listed that matches mine. The closest is a rear shock from a 69 Tempest, but I'd have to invert it.
For now, I'm going to see if the KYB Gas-Adjust for the 69 will work inverted. At less than $40-each it will let me get on the road & once I get a better idea of what I need to tune suspension wise, I'll have a better idea of what I want.
QA1 owns Carrera shocks, they are the same company. I will also vouch for QA1 shocks, I have a set on my Celica and am very impressed with the range of adjustment and the quality.
Don't waste your time and money with the Carreras from Ellis Engineering which I think the link above takes you to.
Read here
I just looked at his web site, It says he closed now.
Call the Koni Custom Shop in KY. The number is on the Koni-na.com web page, then work through the phone tree to the Custom Shop. Tell them Dr.Hess sent you via the GRM board. Besides a GRM Advertiser, they are great to deal with. Tell them what you want and they'll tell you what to buy and send it to them for mods if needed.
