My LS hit bottom again !!

[Alfisto@domain.elided]

Need advice quick!!! History repeated ! For the second time in six months my 
94 LS bottomed out after right wheel went into a slight depression at the 
side of the road ( a narrow poorly maintained hill street) forcing the front 
to drop and the front exhaust pipe to hit a slightly raised manhole cover 
close to the depression. This in turn put a larger dent in the front of the 
exhaust and raised it up slightly so that the exhaust manifold warped and 
created a loud leak. This in turn has created a serious depression in me as 
the last one was expensive to repair and I had a hard time finding another 
manifold. Why is this happening? The rear of my car sits very high for some 
reason and the front is consequently quite low. There is a 4" gap between the 
top of my rear tire and the lip of the wheel well and slightly less than 2" 
in the front, using 195 x 65 x15" tires all at around 80% tread, and 30 lbs 
psi.
The clearance from the front air dam to street level is around 4 inches and 
the bottom of the exhaust pipe is around 3.5 inches, or an inch below the 
sump - which fortunately was not harmed.
As far as I know my engine mounts are fine although I doubt of they would 
cause the frontal sag and raised ass end (on the car - not me !). My front 
shocks appear to be fine but could they be shot ? Could weak springs cause it 
although again there is little or no bounce up front. Because of this 
situation I am ready to get rid of the car as it is too much of a handicap. I 
am unable to take it on rough roads or anywhere there are rocks or holes in 
the road surface, and have to go very slow over speedbumps. I have not seen 
another LS with a similar low front but than, I do not see too many anyway to 
compare with. kindly check yours and let me know the norm and your diagnoses 
of the problem, otherwise the car goes on the block !. If shocks or springs, 
then what front ones are recommended and who has best price. Likewise 02 
sensor (preferably OEM) and front rotors, so I can do all at once. Also is it 
ok to have the exhaust manifold which will now have a slight pushed in area 
at the top end, resurfaced at a machine shop - or will this affect the 
fitting of the exhaust pipe ?
Thanks in advance
Graham Arlen
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided