That just looks completely wrong. Are you sure the cones are assembled correctly and the knuckle joints are in the arm right?

My front cones were compressed 2cm and the rear 1cm and they were 52 years old..
viewtopic.php?p=994361#p994361

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thanks everyone - the front end hilo conversion is done - back end when I have time - front is now a normal hand-width - perhaps 75 to 80mm from the tyre to the guard.
so, the change is about 100 to 125mm lower and the steering is now straight ahead rather than pigeon-toed.
Backend is still about 100 to 125mm high so it has a real nose down stance until I have time to do the hilo's - rear change is about 10 minutes per - nowhere near as hard.

I had trouble putting them in so getting the trumpets out was difficult - resorted to compressing the donut to release pressure on the trumpet and then cut them through with a bare hacksaw blade well above the top of the ball joint stem - surprised as it only took about 5 minutes per side to cut.

the right hilo was a pig to put in...the left literally fell in...must have been braver using the compressor.

NOTE - not helped by having brand new donuts with...imperial thread on the left / metric thread on the right!!! took me a while to work that one out as it was somewhat unexpected.

the mechanic who started the car before the strip said he did it with negative earth and it ran so I expect the polarity reversal was already done at some time.

In a couple of weeks the suspension will settle down just nicely. Mine went from 4 finger widths to 2 above the guards, readjusted the hi lows up a tad, just nice.

You should try fitting trumpets under SmoothAride cones. They must be an inch longer than standard cones
Brute force and ignorance one out in the end though

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Find a job you love and you will never have to go to work !

Rear done now too...bugger, had to take the tank out to get to the shocker top...if, when airborne, the only thing that holds the suspension in is the shocker, how can you lower the car without having the whole shooting match drop on the road? is this done with adjustable length shocks? puzzled.
the whole car is now sitting at a more normal height but I have the rear hilos at 'firm' when the swing arm is hanging so the whole mech doesn't threaten to land on the road...it could be a tad lower but I risk leaving it all behind if I manage to launch the car...am I wrong?

The mechanics of this confused me too. As soon as I took the load off the trumpet fell out, and the hi lows are shorter..

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http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=93352

If I'm carrying on like a pork-chop, I'm having a great time.

If I go very quiet there's a very good chance I broke something.

They don't make adjustable length shocks, only adjustable dampening. You can buy "lowered" shocks, which are shorter in overall length.

You either lower to be safe on std shocks, or buy some shorter shocks, or lower on std shocks and run the risk of the hilos falling out. Then again hopefully you're not getting airborne too much!

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Timmy makes a very good point. On my car regular height shocks bottom out on big bumps and doesn't allow for full range of travel when front suspension compresses. (Suspension can never hit top arm bumps too) On the other and when the suspension extends to maximum length there is plenty enough travel to allow quite a low wheel drop. (Bottom arm can hit the bottom arm bump stop)

Your car may (and sound like most likely) be different but I would check with an old full length shock vs lowered shock. They may vary by brand too

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

If you peek at my thread i have a standard shock extended next to a lowered adjustable shock. Full 3 inches shorter.

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If I'm carrying on like a pork-chop, I'm having a great time.

If I go very quiet there's a very good chance I broke something.

When installing hi lows recently, I wanted the low stance look of 2 fingers above the tyres. Adjusted the hi lows down to achieve this, but when the car was jacked up the hi lows became dislodged so had to raise the hi lows back up to 4 fingers above the tyres. The suspension doesn't get to this limit under normal driving conditions, even pot holes would not reach this limit. It's only when jacking up and the arm go the full travel.

So what I did was make some brackets and bolted them across each subframe arm. When jacked up the shockers come in contact with the arm and inhibit full travel of the arms. This may be a bit agricultural but it works for me.

thanks...I'm ok with the height now and the hilos can't fall out at full travel...yep, not planning to be airborne too much. I don't remember this being an issue when I did my clubby with steel springs and hilos...made a massive difference to the feel of the car...love it.

The front is actually now a tad low so will put 5mm into the front hilos which should lift it about 35mm which will be about right.

getting there...rear windscreen, parcel shelf, belts and back seats in...twin 1.25's in with a rare as rocking horse crap double air box...picking up the doors and bonnet tomorrow from the painter...on a deadline to have it ready for MATM on Nov 6th (apparently) though it will probably be a trailer queen.

have to say that windscreens are not my favourite item to fit.

I hate windscreens - can't bend my thumbs but the screens are in.

Help...anyone...my previous ripoff painter kept a few things and I've only just realised that the bonnet catch mechanism is missing...I've turned my messy shed upside down and can't find it...pressing for a Nov 6th deadline for Minis at the Mill (is it on?)

what's missing is ALA6992 (Bonnet catch slide assembly, mini 1960 to 1971) and the spring - from the Mini Spares Centre Australia catalog exploded drawings).

I know they aren't available new in Australia so it would have to come off a broken mini...can anyone help at short notice?

The build is nearly done and my aim is to be at MATM next sunday November 6th...at least I hope it's on as I can't find confirmation on the Hotbricks site...does anyone know for sure?

The 850 fired on the first turn after sitting for 3 years and a new set of twin 1.25s...but didn't cover itself with glory...it did, however cover the driveway with oil!
The old standard oil filter head leaked like a sieve and, not having any options, had to buy a billet race spin on head from Minisport...expensive, nice...and now the block oil line is too short! So, my mechanic is having to make a custom line as they don't appear to have them!

And, crap in the fuel tank transferred to the right carby bowl (yep, I know, shoulda had a filter) and caused the needle to jam and fuel to run all over the ground.
Added a filter, cleaned out the bowls with a syringe - lots of garbage - and will probably have to drain the tank later.

And, the new points kept slipping...had to use a secondhand set with a shorter tail.
And, the front roller bearings (new) are crappy so I must have made a mistake putting them in...new set coming up.

The car is finished enough for the weekend but will be a trailer queen until I sort out issues with the brakes and bearings...should be ok to get on and off the trailer at least.

thanks to everyone for their advice re the suspension etc.

looking good keith. hope i get to see it in the flesh. if i head over to MATM.

Went to Minis At The Mill 2016 on November 6th at Birdwood SA - about 130 cars, brilliant weather...had a great time though I had to chase 13 minis up the Gorge Road in my Mazda 6 Diesel with a trailer 2 feet wider than the car...kept up easily but really, really wanted to be in the Mini rather than towing it.
Met up with Alex (see his powder blue 850 Sport - luvverly) and Gavin from Mildura who hopes to bring his 64 850 to next year's show.
My 850 was barely working but took 2nd in the Restored Class which is very encouraging - now back on the jacks having twin leading shoe brakes fitted and the leaking radiator and head gasket attended to...and perhaps the twin 1.25" SUs back on the motor.
http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/keithgreen1/media/Lizzie%20the%20850/20161111_092909_zpsll3bmrfk.jpg.html?sort=2&o=75cya%20-%20Keith#/user/keithgreen1/media/Lizzie%20the%20850/20161106_150629_zpsubmwxxmx.jpg.html?sort=2&o=72cya%20-%20Keith&_suid=1480390954644048386461126924984