Steering, Suspension, & Brakes

Hi fellows... need some advice/ideas for a self inflicted wound.

During the body mods I made to 71-B, I decided to shove the light buckets back into the fender... trying for my Maserati 450/Ferrari 250 look to go with my Kamm rear end. Pics are in Photo section (MGB Don Bonar).

Fabricated the new deeper buckets (while car was still on the rotisserie) and thought they were really cool! At the same time I swapped out the 14" for 15" Healey 60 spoke wheels with 185/65 R.

AFTER I dropped the car to the ground, installed engine/trans ect. and test drove... found I had wheel rub on back of light body/bucket on full lock turns and steep entries to driveways etc. Damn!

Fabbed up some spacers for the lower spring buckets... but not enough relief without compromising the lower end of the springs from slipping out... bought new springs (assuming originals had weakened/failed... no luck.

Finally installed pre-owned air bags (think they might have been on the Roadmaster at one time) and it solved the immediate rubbing issue... but they have slow leaks so 48 hrs after drives, down to 30 psi and fire up the compressor in garage or pump in the trunk mounted portable. I don't really trust them for long multi-day runs or failure at high speeds.

I'd like to remove the bags for conventional springs but can't locate taller springs. Jegs (and many others) offer spring rubbers of various sizes and designs... do they work and do they screw up the overall handling or drive-ability? I don't autocross... just my road cruiser.

Your comments/Ideas? Thanks in advance
Bones

Don,
After years of testing I have found that the leakdown problem with the air bags is always in the plumbing. I have converted to AN/JIC hydraulic plumbing to resolve the problem, and plumbed the runs with 3/16" Ni-cop brake line, using #2 hose at the ends. (actually at the control arms I'm using 1/8" stainless hard line with a long coil about 1" diamter by 2" long to accommodate swingarm movement but hose will work as well) Be sure to use a quality compressor. I now have one out of a Jag with a relay to power up and a solenoid to bleed down. The system works well and has sat for a month without losing any pressure at all.

Sorry to hear about your interference. Could a tire size change help?

Jim