Yep it does indeed and I never noticed the shock absorber thing as I have not built a roadster up to a rolling chassis. I built a chassis to make the bodywork and that was all i was interested in. If I had intended to build a car and then come across the inch extended dampers then I would have wanted to know why as it doesn't do anything for the damper other than make it longer.

have i opened a can or worms here :)

No I don't think so all you did was ask a question.
As for my excuse....I never realised about the extended shock thing as never went as far as that when I made a chassis so I too would have asked questions as to why.
:)

Its a very good question and one im not qualified to answer either but I would have thought that as long as the shocks fit and can travel through theyre entire range without any issues then that would be fine.
I think its a case of what mr talon says and everyone has just accepted that everyone else uses them so we should too.
I beleive and may be wrong but the extension was put in to raise the ride height and keep the shock in its best position and was probably done instead of buying a new set to try.
after it was found to work it was left like it.
If I were to buy shocks as your suggesting without having seen them on another car id try and get sale or return on them then fit to the car without springs to check the suspension will go through its range without any problems.
if you go ahead ket us know the result so we can all get cheaper shocks
Ray:)

Not a Roadster I grant you but this is one I made a good few years ago using Sierra donor parts. The shock is mounted in the same position as the Roadster, well more or less. The damper is 13" open length and the wishbones are flat oval tubing holding up Sierra uprights. It's been in my LCB archive for 6 or 7 years hence the LCB border..hahahahaha

How does this compare to the Roadster? anyone got a close up picture?

Nope, just a complex subject that is not easily understod by the average Joe builder ( Read me ).

I would imagine that most folk, I include myself here, want to buy the book, build the car to the book, get it on the road & drive the well ballanced car that the Roaster is ;)

Just want to enjoy the dream just like the other people who have completed their builds :cool:

Or me Ronnie........I can and do talk a lot of horsedump at times:D Just wanted to know why an extended shock is being used when a 14" job will still work and be cheaper to boot.:)

It would be interesting to know the in's and out's of the theory behind the Roadster suspension,as Ronnie says buy the book,build the car,drive the dream ;) .

i do hope its not one of thoes supplyer spec things again it realy is odd that all the normal locost bits just dont fit the roadster why is that
arm bushes, shocks blah blah blah its even real hard to find a sierra thease days.
its geting to be expensive idea this haynes roadster build. :rolleyes:

i think im going to set up my own cottage industry just making one wierd bit for the roadster :)

Of course you could always buy the 13" open 9" closed shocks and make your own extensions if your handy with a lathe.
the extensions could be made for a lot less than the difference in prices you quote.
bear in mind though that the shocks that you are comparing to are custom made and not off the shelf.
Ray:)