RE: Milano/75 Lowering - Rear End

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

John Wright writes "My story, and I am sticking by it, is that the DOT 
specified bumper height exceeded the Milano/75 original design.  To design 
around this regulation, it was simpler to install springs that raised the 
rear of the car approx 2" to meet specs" and that with "'performance' springs 
from AR Ricambi - - The car sits lower and looks infinately happier in this 
mode. The drawbacks?  Well, as if clearance were not low enough already, I 
constantly am bottoming out in driveways and re-shaping my exhaust pipes.... 
But I love the look and handling and would strongly encourage the swap."

WADR, My doubt, and I am sticking to it, is whether USA bumper-Nazis or 
dot-Commies had anything to do with it. My (stock) Milano's rear bumper is 4" 
higher than my wife's (stock) 164's front bumper, and 7.5" higher than its 
own front bumper. Furthermore, D'Amico & Tabucchi's magnum opus has eleven 
photos of various iterations of the 75 in Euroguise, and they all show the US 
pose, with the tail high enough that a line projected from the door sills 
passes within an SRCH of the top of the rear wheel bolt circle, as it does on 
my US Milano. I suspect that Centro Stile did its design studies on paper and 
in clay, and after the form was finalized the car was raised, by Alfa's own 
engineers, to allow practical clearances for things like exhaust pipes. I 
agree that it looks awkward, but hey, it's an Alfa.

I remember once way back when the Corvette's rear suspension travel was 
reduced by a half inch to fit the styling. I prefer Alfa's priorities.

Cordially,

John H.

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