tim_S

Hi,

I am having my 90 C2 fitted with Bilstein sports shocks and H&R springs. The Garage doing the work tell me the rear shocks are wrong and dont fit! I have confirmed with the shock supplier that I have the correct rear shocks, part no B46-1735 for my car which was registered in oct 1990 and has a vin before the changeover.

My old shocks are part no 964 333 65700? I think.

The garage tell me that the new shock collar is too big and wont fit properly, are the doing something wrong?

Please can someone point me at the instructions for getting the rear shock to fit, so I can tell the garage what to do?

cheers
Tim

jimq

check which looks like your style
old style first (red) new style (white)

tim_S

Hi Jim,

Unfortunately I can't, the cars in the garage in bits. I will go down next week and find out what they think the issue is. They have told me that the new shocks are about 45mm longer at the shoulder than the old one and that the top mount wobbles about when fitted.

I guess i need to get some pictures of it all.

Tim

Heirsh

Top mount wobbling? Doesnt that mean it didnt tighten properly? Ran out of thread so the nut is tightening on the end of the thread?

I thought the difference was 22mm height (shoulder) between early and late version. Strange.

jimq

if the washer at the top is concave and one curved piece of rubber its old style. The new has a flat washer and a rib in the middle of the rubber part. Tell him to look at your old one.

tim_S

i havent seen what the issue is yet. I read that you need to cut down the bump stop or remove it altogether when fitting Bilsteins.

Would it all go together if they are trying to use the bumpstops? I dont know if there were any instructions in the box or not.

Im going to photograph it and hope that someone here will spot what the problem is.

Tim

agentpennypacker

Check the manufacture date on your car (should be on the DS door panel. This will tell for sure if you can't see it now (before Oct 90' is old style, correct?)

tim_S

Hi,

It turns out that my oct 1990 car has the later shocks on it and no one can work out why! The shock supplier had agreed to swap them, and by the time I spoke to the garage they had made some shims up and fitted the early bilsteins to the later mounts on my car.

The Garage are happy that this will be fine, will not cause me any issues in any way, and is safe.

I'm not so sure I shouldn't get the later shock shipped - does anyone hear know any reason why I shouldn't?

My car doesnt look like it's had any modifications, yet I though the later shock mounts will fit an earlier car, and its VIN is definitely and early car according to Bilstein.

Tim

jimq

If your build date is Oct 1990 isnt your car a 1991 model? Mine is Nov. 1990 and is a 1991 car with the new style shocks.

tim_S

Hi,

My car was registered in oct 1990, so I guess it was built some time before that. The VIN crossover is in the 400's according to Bilstein and my VIN is in the 200's so should have early shocks.

My only thought is that the crossover didnt happen when bilstein thought it did?

Tim

jimq

the build date is on the door jam. Mine was also earlier then the published TIP vin numbers. maybe its a TIP thing.

GMS

UK (and ROW) cars do not have a date sticker on the door jamb.

COUPE change over numbers are
Early type up to 96MS4 01467

or 96MS4 10518
Targa and cabrio are different numbers

The early shock number is 964 333 051 05

tim_S

not on my car!

my vin is 200 or so earlier, and the shocks are the later ones....

anyway, it's fixed now. I guess it will remain on lifes little mystery's!

or i've got two cars welded together!

Tim

GMS

Good that it's now fixed, have yet to see late shocks on a 1990 model year car.

L is 1990 M is 1991