Ride Height questions, Too high or too low? Options

[robkammer]

Hi teeners. Getting close to exorcising the demon air bubbles from the brakes and I notice something in driving around. The inside rearview mirror is worthless! All I can see is the pavement 20 feet back.
So, I'm thinking the front is too high or the rear is too low. The car has Koni coil overs on the rear and unknown struts on the front. The Konis are adjustable but only for damping, and they're over 15 years old.
The rear wheels have a significant amount of camber. I watched one of Ian's videos about installing rear coilovers and if I follow his rule of using a straightedge from the rocker panel the rear is too low.
However, I believe I could also lower the front pretty easily.
I'm new to the 914 world so all opinions and thoughts will be considered, absorbed, and used to bring the BB to the straight and level.
Thanks.
Oh, a photo is included.

[robkammer]

Thanks all, Any rec. on where I might find original factory bumper heights for the US spec 914? I would like to have a target to aim at when I start fiddlin with the setup.

[bbrock]

Thanks all, Any rec. on where I might find original factory bumper heights for the US spec 914? I would like to have a target to aim at when I start fiddlin with the setup.

The factory spec for adjusting the front height is to measure from the center of the wheel to the ground, and measure from the center of the torsion bar adjuster to ground. The difference between those two measurements should be 90 +/- 5mm. As @wonkipop said, there is no spec for the rear.

Now forget all that because it sticks the nose way up with the car looking like a snooty rally racer. When I did it, my car looked hideous. I brought the nose back down a little bit and adjusted the rear spring perches to level it out as measured from the jack point doughnuts to ground.

[Mark Henry]

Thanks all, Any rec. on where I might find original factory bumper heights for the US spec 914? I would like to have a target to aim at when I start fiddlin with the setup.

The factory spec for adjusting the front height is to measure from the center of the wheel to the ground, and measure from the center of the torsion bar adjuster to ground...

There's debate as to was this is where the factory wanted it or did they have to raise it slightly to be within USA/Canada DOT regulation height for the headlights.

[bbrock]

Thanks all, Any rec. on where I might find original factory bumper heights for the US spec 914? I would like to have a target to aim at when I start fiddlin with the setup.

The factory spec for adjusting the front height is to measure from the center of the wheel to the ground, and measure from the center of the torsion bar adjuster to ground...

There's debate as to was this is where the factory wanted it or did they have to raise it slightly to be within USA/Canada DOT regulation height for the headlights.

My only comment is that if it was the height they wanted it, they must have been drunk at the time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[wonkipop]

Thanks all, Any rec. on where I might find original factory bumper heights for the US spec 914? I would like to have a target to aim at when I start fiddlin with the setup.

The factory spec for adjusting the front height is to measure from the center of the wheel to the ground, and measure from the center of the torsion bar adjuster to ground...

There's debate as to was this is where the factory wanted it or did they have to raise it slightly to be within USA/Canada DOT regulation height for the headlights.

My only comment is that if it was the height they wanted it, they must have been drunk at the time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) def. a 12 can diagram (depth charges, not regular tins).


-----

three stories i heard back in late 80s.
1) headlight ht regs as above.
2) set up for understeer all the way to limit and beyond, due to fear of customers unable to control snap oversteer. bit of r. nader/corvair paranoia still around maybe at time? the 6s never looked in press photos to be nose up (might cast doubt on version 1). the 4s did look nose up in early photos. could have been at command of VW and their conservative engineers? vw would have had more control over the 4s coming out of the karmann works complete. the early 4s ran 155s standard, mighty skinny tyres?

and 3) was the bumper regs, esp so in relation to 73 models on with compression tits at front. but photos of earlier years of 4s also have the nose up attitude so....

i find the understeer one believable, you only got to look at how nose up 411/412s and superbeetles were. verging on ridiculous?


EDIT - just read through this thread.
interesting discussion on brake regulator (proportioning) valve in there.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=352999

could be that VW engineers also took a conservative view on panic stops and rear wheel lock up in poor road conditions with regard to mass market 914/4s.