You’re probably already aware that Nat has devised a custom rear suspension setup for the Gordon Murray Mk1, a fully independent arrangement inspired by Gordon’s own feedback and his admiration for the ‘Chapman strut’ type arrangement found at the back of the Lotus Elan E2. It’s a design not a million miles removed from the conventional MacPherson strut that’s largely become automotive industry standard over the course of the last 50 or so years.
While the design of the rear suspension assembly is a clean sheet design of Nat’s own creation, we have made use of key items of hardware from various OEM manufacturers, the full list running to Mk1 Focus RS CV joints, Mk1 Mondeo hubs and Land Rover Freelander uprights and bearings. The Mondeo hubs have been machined and ‘sleeved up’ so that they perfectly match the bore of the Freelander bearings, and the images of the assembly in situ give you a good idea of just how fine the tolerances involved actually are!
The reason for plumping for ‘off the shelf’ parts is ease of service and repair at later date; both can be ordered from any good motor factors and both have had countless hundreds of thousands of pounds invested in their initial development, meaning we can count on them to provide reliable service for many years.
As for the spacers shown here, don’t worry – they won’t be present when we hand the completed car over to Gordon, they’re merely in place to help us simulate the thickness of the rear discs during the mock-up phase.
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