Fortune Auto 500s arrived today!

[haste]

I emailed them with this question and was told on the standard springs it's a minimum 1" drop.

If you have stiffer springs it's not as much of a drop. I haven't had time to install mine yet but I'm on 8kF and 6kR and hoping for as minimal drop as possible

Thanks.

I guess I'll email them and ask how much it could cost to only have a 1/2" drop or stock height.

 

[ronmcdon]

this is probably not all that helpful, but with the Meister coilovers you can also get a swift spring option, like the FA 500's. with Swift, one can choose between 200mm to 180mm length springs. Would imagine 200mm to be closer to stock. Not sure if Fortune offers something comparable.

10mm is approx 0.394 in for reference

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^I wish that the Yellow Speed 'gravel rally' inverted front damper coil overs had an option for a shorter spring, in order to bring them down closer to the factory ride height instead of having to be at least 1.5" higher than factory ride height at their lowest functioning setting), while still retaining their function, and toughness/durability to handle big impacts.

 

[ronmcdon]

I'd love to see what wheels and tires one can fit with yellowspeed gravel coilovers and flares. be great if one could throw in a set of 17x10's in 255/40 haha

 

[haste]

Well, took the plunge. Spoke to Devin. He said their "off the shelf" coilovers are 1" lower than factory ride height at their highest setting.

They are able to build the coilovers to maintain factory ride height and still have the adjustability to drop 2" from stock height. I was actually VERY surprised there is no extra cost involved to keep stock ride height. I went with the Hypercoil springs, 7KG front spring rate and 4.2KG spring rate in the rear.
Lead time is 4-5 weeks. I can't wait!

 

[CSM]

Well, took the plunge. Spoke to Devin. He said their "off the shelf" coilovers are 1" lower than factory ride height at their highest setting.

They are able to build the coilovers to maintain factory ride height and still have the adjustability to drop 2" from stock height. I was actually VERY surprised there is no extra cost involved to keep stock ride height. I went with the Hypercoil springs, 7KG front spring rate and 4.2KG spring rate in the rear.
Lead time is 4-5 weeks. I can't wait!

Damn. That is AWESOME. I had a sneaking suspicion that they would accommodate such a request but never asked.

I am wondering if I should just sell my brand new in box FA500s and go with the custom built stock ride height setup. Sigh. Decisions decisions.

 

[Dpro]

hmm color me interested in FA500‘s totally was thinking MeisterR but you guys keep talking about the FA500 I suppose the right price would persuade me more

 

[ToastAutoX]

Damn. That is AWESOME. I had a sneaking suspicion that they would accommodate such a request but never asked.

I am wondering if I should just sell my brand new in box FA500s and go with the custom built stock ride height setup. Sigh. Decisions decisions.

I'm eager to read your impressions of the FA500s after the Bilstein B14s. Give us an update when all is said and done!

 

[haste]

hmm color me interested in FA500‘s totally was thinking MeisterR but you guys keep talking about the FA500 I suppose the right price would persuade me more

Yeah, not exactly cheap but this is my first set of coilovers ever and wanted to do it right.

I haven't personally ridden in a car with FAs but I have a coworker who had a friend with a Hyundai Genesis with FAs and he said it rode/drove really well. My coworker had BCs on his Genesis and he said the FAs were miles ahead in terms of comfort and handling. It was nice to hear from someone that had driven the same car to compare with.

 

[Pablo Pistoffo]

Yeah, not exactly cheap but this is my first set of coilovers ever and wanted to do it right.

I haven't personally ridden in a car with FAs but I have a coworker who had a friend with a Hyundai Genesis with FAs and he said it rode/drove really well. My coworker had BCs on his Genesis and he said the FAs were miles ahead in terms of comfort and handling. It was nice to hear from someone that had driven the same car to compare with.

I've been loving mine! The digressive valving didn't make much sense to me until I drove it at an event on crappy asphalt- definitely an "ah-ha!" moment.

 

[shouldbeasy]

hmm color me interested in FA500‘s totally was thinking MeisterR but you guys keep talking about the FA500 I suppose the right price would persuade me more

I heard used sets come up occasionally....

Yeah, not exactly cheap but this is my first set of coilovers ever and wanted to do it right.

I haven't personally ridden in a car with FAs but I have a coworker who had a friend with a Hyundai Genesis with FAs and he said it rode/drove really well. My coworker had BCs on his Genesis and he said the FAs were miles ahead in terms of comfort and handling. It was nice to hear from someone that had driven the same car to compare with.

Glad you've got something close to stock height sorted!

I swear I put on 5" with the Yellowspeed coilover set.

 

[CSM]

I am planning on installing my set this weekend! My schedule opened up a lot. Will try to report back on impressions after the install. I'll be doing my own alignment too since I'm comfortable with my plates from Tenhulzen now (aligned a friends Fiesta last weekend).

 

[haste]

I am planning on installing my set this weekend! My schedule opened up a lot. Will try to report back on impressions after the install. I'll be doing my own alignment too since I'm comfortable with my plates from Tenhulzen now (aligned a friends Fiesta last weekend).

Nice. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.

My order has now been confirmed. =D

Just put a deposit down. I will complete the purchase when I pick them up in person and inspect them.

 

[Pablo Pistoffo]

Nice. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.

My order has now been confirmed. =D

Just put a deposit down. I will complete the purchase when I pick them up in person and inspect them.

View attachment 38835

Have you talked with Fortune, M-Sport Fan? This might be just the ticket for you.

 

[CSM]

Have you talked with Fortune, M-Sport Fan? This might be just the ticket for you.

@M-Sport fan that's what I was thinking as this is truly a high performance coilover with stock ride height.

 

[M-Sport fan]

These are now DEFINITELY on my short list, along with the Panda stage rally modded Silver Neomaxes (which they claim they can build for me with higher rate, shorter than their gravel rally ride height springs, and enough threading/travel on the front dampers, and rear height ajusters, to go from ~.50" lower than factory ride height to about an inch higher than factory).
In other words, a sort of rough/broken TARMAC rally setup.

I also have a call in to Reiger Suspension USA who are claiming to be able to build me the very same as above in their much more affordable (but they did not quote me an actual PRICE yet, LOL) single adjustable damper series (rebound only, like Koni Sport yellows), vs. their stratospherically priced, 3 way adjustable, R2 rally coil over kits.

My only concern at all, is just how 'tough' are these when subjected to hard, VIOLENT sharp impacts.
Like the many 'baby's head' rocks imbedded into rally stage roads, as well as ruts, deep holes and compressions which are much more likely to cause damage/damper piston 'blowout' than any curbing on a road course, even at much lower speeds than most hit those on said road courses.

I realize that I am one of the only ones on this whole site (or even in this whole country) with those concerns, save for maybe JDG, who drives at even higher speeds on rallycross courses than I do down the gravel rally stage roads, and a few others on here.

Are the 500s inverted for the front dampers?

 

[Pablo Pistoffo]

These are now DEFINITELY on my short list, along with the Panda stage rally modded Silver Neomaxes (which they claim they can build for me with higher rate, shorter than their gravel rally ride height springs, and enough threading/travel on the front dampers, and rear height ajusters, to go from ~.50" lower than factory ride height to about an inch higher than factory).
In other words, a sort of rough/broken TARMAC rally setup.

I also have a call in to Reiger Suspension USA who are claiming to be able to build me the very same as above in their much more affordable (but they did not quote me an actual PRICE yet, LOL) single adjustable damper series (rebound only, like Koni Sport yellows), vs. their stratospherically priced, 3 way adjustable, R2 rally coil over kits.

My only concern at all, is just how 'tough' are these when subjected to hard, VIOLENT sharp impacts.
Like the many 'baby's head' rocks imbedded into rally stage roads, as well as ruts, deep holes and compressions which are much more likely to cause damage/damper piston 'blowout' than any curbing on a road course, even at much lower speeds than most hit those on said road courses.

I realize that I am one of the only ones on this whole site (or even in this whole country) with those concerns, save for maybe JDG, who drives at even higher speeds on rallycross courses than I do down the gravel rally stage roads, and a few others on here.

Are the 500s inverted for the front dampers?

Nope, they are upright.
Have you considered the Bilstein R1 (I think it was R1) suspension? I talked for a bit with O.D.D. Racing a year or so ago, you can use the Bilstein inverted system with a standard Fiesta knuckle (slightly different geometry than the ST), and those come with both gravel and tarmac springs. I believe they were fixed ride height.
I didn't go through with that setup, because the knuckle swap wouldn't be SCCA compliant for my class- I was hoping to have a dual use Rallycross/Autocross car. ODD had some great info and it would probably be a great setup for your needs.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Nope, they are upright.
Have you considered the Bilstein R1 (I think it was R1) suspension? I talked for a bit with O.D.D. Racing a year or so ago, you can use the Bilstein inverted system with a standard Fiesta knuckle (slightly different geometry than the ST), and those come with both gravel and tarmac springs. I believe they were fixed ride height.
I didn't go through with that setup, because the knuckle swap wouldn't be SCCA compliant for my class- I was hoping to have a dual use Rallycross/Autocross car. ODD had some great info and it would probably be a great setup for your needs.

I was considering those originally, as I knew about them a LONG time ago, but the knuckle conversion, and the fact that they are NOT rebuildable at all, turned me off to them.

Close to $3500 for the full setup, and 'disposable' does not cut it for me.

But I will admit, they are very 'bombproof' as there is a PNW crew out of Dirt Fish campaigning a '16 FiST with the R1 setup installed, in the Limited 2 wheel drive class in ARA rallies, and they could not destroy that suspension on some really harsh gravel rallies.

 

[ronmcdon]

hmm color me interested in FA500‘s totally was thinking MeisterR but you guys keep talking about the FA500 I suppose the right price would persuade me more

I hate to say this, but if I had to do this all over again would go for FA instead of Meister if even for customer service and ease of getting parts. Trying to get custom springs from Meister is like pulling teeth. Last I inquired about custom springs Jerrick (Miester) now saying Swift has no springs in stock at all. Total headache to work with them.

 

[Dpro]

I hate to say this, but if I had to do this all over again would go for FA instead of Meister if even for customer service and ease of getting parts. Trying to get custom springs from Meister is like pulling teeth. Last I inquired about custom springs Jerrick (Miester) now saying Swift has no springs in stock at all. Total headache to work with them.

All my friends that got Meister R’s as far as I know did not get Swift springs. I would also say that I would not be suprised if Fortune Auto had Swifts on the Shelf because they started selling Swifts as an option to their springs years ago in the 240sx world.

Also Fortune Auto is a U.S. based company that used to manufacture in Taiwan still get there parts made there and assemble here.
Now Meister R is a UK company with a smaller footprint here than Fortune Auto. They do some assembly here as well but have not been in the states for very long in comparison.

Given all of that I would give Jerrick a break. Everyone I know that has dealt with him has had nothing but praise.

We are in the a Pandemic when manufacturing has been thrown off Ron at Whoosh even mentioned to me yesterday that I was really lucky I got my S280 when I did.

It seems Turbo Technics is running into supply problems and not being able to build enough product because of Covid.

I think you need to step back and realize these are just not normal times. I would not be surprised either if FA might be running into a problem getting some ratings of Swift Springs as well.
Unless they have stocked up.

This is not me stepping in to defend them as much as stepping to say that things are whack all over right now.

Even in the music business shit is all back ordered . Cables runs that used to be ready in a week are taking a few months. I ordered a mixer from Tascam in beginning of Feb through Vintage king and I have nothing yet.


We are dealing with a car that does not have a large aftermarket presence here its not bad but in relation to how the 240sx aftermarket used to be or the Miata not the same.