RE: [FWDLK] [Chrysler300] Shocks - Koni

["D'Aloise, Lawrence Jr." <ldaloise@xxxxxxxxxx>]

John,  I would be interested in the Koni's for my 300D convert.

 

Larry D'Aloise

 

From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of John
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 10:02 AM
To: Michael Moore
Cc: Alumcantandthd; FWDLK; Chrysler 300 Club Intl;
63-64chryslers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] [Chrysler300] Shocks - Koni

 

  

Hi Mike - 

I included you and your 300Hs in the "4-1/2" count of possible buyers
for these 
Koni shocks. 

I think there is not enough interest worldwide - so far it's me, you,
another 
person from the 300 Club Int'l, and possibly Rick from the Forwardlook
list (who 
didn't say how many). So, I have not asked the Koni rep anything further
than 
the initial availability question below - right now, there is no pricing
and no 
consideration to place these back into production..

The low interest in these shocks may just be the nature of the owner of
these 
cars - most drivers of these cars take them out on slow Sunday drives,
and have 
had them for many years, when there were nice runners available for four
weeks' 
pay. In 2011, for many folks, paying more than a modest dinner for two
out on 
the town for a set of four shocks is considered excessive - and is
reflected by 
the near-zero interest this is generating here.

Myself, I get out in the cut & thrust of I-95 in South Florida and have
to 
out-maneuver the media-estimated 30% of drivers who have NO car
insurance at 
all. The added control afforded by the $130-$140 KYBs have saved my butt
on many 
occasions - but there's room for improvement. I consider the KYBs good 
insurance, and for a one-time purchase, an excellent investment. And the
car is 
more pleasant and fun to drive - I can only imagine what the Konis would
be 
like. I would surely never go back to the stock-type shock absorber,
ever. 

I am copying this discussion over onto the Forwardlook list, and I
welcome 
anyone to bring it to the 1959 Plymouth list, the Christine clubs, or
any other 
related Mopar auto forum.

John

________________________________

John,
I wonder what price range they are considering. 

I paid $800 per car set for my Jaguars (6 shocks) . 
They made such a terrific difference that I would be willing to buy 2
sets if 
necessary. If they're thinking $100 each, I wonder how it would change
if we 
thought in terms of $200 each. 

I would gladly pay $800 for a set of Koni shocks designed by Koni for my
car.
I also wonder just where all the same shocks (as ours) were used
originally, 
and hopw many of those folks we could interest.
Mike Moore 

On Jul 25, 2011, at 9:13 PM, John wrote:

> CanMan & All!
> 
> I sent the email below to see if there is any interest in Koni shocks
for our 
> 1957-1964 Mopars. 
> 
> So far, not including ole CanMan, I have heard interest in the Koni
shocks 
> totaling four and a half car sets. Only 45.5 sets to go!! 
> 
> The Koni US factory representative said fifty CAR SETS would be the
minimum 
> amount required to have the factory in Holland make a production run. 
> 
> Konis are an adjustable, super-premium shock at a super-premium price,
used on 

> many expensive high-speed European sports cars because of their
superior 
>control 
>
> characteristics - a car set of four shocks for many cars often runs
$600 or 
> more. I know it is nearly impossible to convince someone who is used
to paying 

> $15/each for shocks that one could be worth 10x the price. Heck, even
the KYBs, 
>
> which I like very much and have on a couple of my early 60s Mopars and
other 
> cars, are beyond the pale for many at $30-$40 each - and they are
well-worth 
>the 
>
> price in improved handling. I find it a little irritating that the
KYBs are 
> made in the Far East, though, but they have proven to be a
long-lasting, 
> well-made product. At least the Konis are made in Holland. 
> 
> To tell the story in more detail, I've only had Koni shocks on one
car, a 1962 

> Morgan Plus/4. When I got the car in 1980, with well over 100,000
miles on it, 
>I 
>
> ordered Konis right away. Much to my surprise, when I cleaned off the
surface 
> rust on the old shocks, they too were Konis, with a 1964 date of
manufacture on 
>
> them! The new ones I installed hardly made a difference, and the old
ones still 
>
> had one more "click" of adjustment left on them to stiffen up the
rebound 
> action, even being 16 years old at the time. I was impressed, and
drove that 
> car 65,000 miles in my ownership, with never a concern about shocks. 
> 
> One thing that just came to mind - There are US manufacturers that are
making 
> high-performance shocks for the likes of Camaros, Mustangs, etc., - I
wonder if 
>
> any of them would take a look at a set of KYBs as an example, and come
up with 
>a 
>
> shock for us? Maybe there's a close fit that can be adapted - I'm
messing 
> around with a '72 Pinto wagon (who knows why?!), and installed KYBs
all around 
>- 
>
> I had read, and since confirmed, that 1980s Camaro rear shocks fit and
work 
>very 
>
> well on the rear of the Pinto.
> 
> Cheers.
> 
> John Spiers
> 
> ________________________________

> 
> How many do you have signed up, to get a set?
> 
> How soon is this gonna happen?
> 
> Thanks,,,,,,,,,,,,,
> 
> 
----------------------------------------------------------
> 
> To continue forward with this discussion about shock absorbers at the
300 Club 

> listserver:
> 
> Koni once made front and rear shocks to fit our cars.
> 
> I recall having read a thread on the Imperial Club's website. I found
it, and 
> here it is, complete with misspellings:
> 
> Tip from Philippe:
> Just a little story about shock absorbers, I think that it could help
you and 
> the Imperial owners. Last year I bought a 57 wrecked Crown (no
glasses, rust 
> everywhere, transmission < out >). This car was neglected since 1966
so all the 
>
> parts on it were never replaced with aftermarket parts ! Except one
thing : the 
>
> shock absorbers! Maybe the original < Oriflow > weren't as strong as
Chrysler 
> said! I was very surprised when I removed the shocks : they aren't <
made in 
> Brazil or Mexico > as actual sold by K....R or B......M. There are
KONI shocks, 
>
> a very reliable & famous make (more expensive also). But I don't know
if Koni 
> make them always. Summit has Koni shocks on his catalog. I give you
the 
> reference (as they are the same from 57 to 65) : Front : 80 C 1229
Rear : 82 
> 1066 Date of manufacturing : 11/64 If they are always manufactured,
buy them 
>and 
>
> don't buy $80.00 for four : I bought 4 gaz charged absorbers (from
kanter) : 
> after one year, one was leaking and one was jamed ! Mexico made ...
> >>Follow-up from Dietmar:
> >>>You are right- KONI is the worlds best qualitiy shock absorbers for
street 
>and 
>
> >>>race cars. They will serve You a 100 000 miles without any
complain. I use 
>them 
>
> >>>on my IMP 60 so this havy car dont swim nor incline in the curve, I
use KONI 
>an 
>
> >>>all sports car I have.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>---
> >>>
> 
> So I sent an email to Koni North America, inquiring about the above
mentioned 
> part numbers. Here is the reply:
> 
> From: "Mclaughlin, Paul - ITT Motion Technologies"
> 
> Haven't had those part#'s for years... I think u have to buy 50 cars
sets each 
>
> to get run made in Holland.
> 
> Paul McLaughlin
> Koni Shock Absorbers
> ITT Corporation
> Racing Technical Sales Rep.
> 1961A International Way
> Hebron, Ky. 41048
> 800-922-2616 option 6
> 
> ---
> 
> I checked on prices of Koni shocks. They are much more than the KYBs -
for 
> example, on Koni's website, a pair of front shocks for a 1970 Dodge
Challenger 

> lists for $320/pair (online price, $240) and the rear pair list for
$380 
>(online 
>
> price, $285). And they do go for upwards of $500/pair in some cases.
> 
> To make the minimum order, I think it would be difficult to convince a
total of 
>
> 50 people worldwide, between both 300 clubs, the Imperial Club, both
Christine 

> clubs, and all the members of the Forwardlook list, to drop $600 on a
set of 
> Koni shocks, when there are discussions of the KYBs being far too
expensive at 
>
> over $100/set . . . and I wouldn't drive another one of these cars
without at 
> least KYBs on it. The difference, to you who don't know, is like AM
radio 
> versus satellite radio. 
> 
> I personally would buy at least 2 sets of the Konis, after
experiencing the 
> profound difference of KYBs, and knowing the Konis are another quantum
leap 
> forward - I've only run them 65,000 miles on one car I've owned (a '62
Morgan 
> +4) and was very impressed. One important and interesting feature of
the Konis, 
>
> is that they are adjustable for firmness/softness in their rebound
action. 
> http://www.koni-na.com/comp.cfm
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> John Spiers
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> 
> There are some H.D. choices out there. Not many cheap one though.
> 
>http://www.amazon.com/Bilstein-Heavy-Duty-Shock-Absorber/dp/B001HIAMWU/
ref=au_pf_pfg_s?ie=UTF8&Model=300%7C2489&n=15684181&s=automotive&Make=Ch
rysler%7C39&Year=1970%7C1970&newCar=1&carId=001
>1
> 
> Bill Huff
> 
> At 7/21/201111:58 AM, Michael Moore wrote:
> >I installed those on my 300H and was grateful to get them.
> >I wish they were stiffer though.
> >Its almost as though there are no shocks on the car, but insofar as 
> >I know, that's all thats available.I wish Koni made a set to fit.
> >Mike Moore
> >300H
> >
> >
> >On Jul 21, 2011, at 8:41 AM, Tony Bevacqua wrote:
> >
> > > KYB shocks. KG4507 and KG 5511 are the correct ones. I just made a
> > > purchase for my 57 (shocks are correct for 1957 to 1964, I
believe).
> > > $116.32 for the 4 shocks, plus handling, etc.
> > > Tony
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> ] On
> > > Behalf Of Marshall Larson
> > > Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 8:26 AM
> > > To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> 
> > > Subject: [Chrysler300] Shocks.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions for an appropriate brand and model of shocks for a
G. I
> > > don't need anything exotic, just proper ride and to deal with the
radials
> > > that are on the car. All suggestions appreciated.
> > >
> > > MN Marshall
> > >

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