Replacement standard suspension ruined my NA's ride height

[Giles]

I bought a cheep 1989 NA with a view to fixing it up slowly and cheeply and keeping it pretty standard. When I found the shocks were gone I contacted a specialist MX5 parts place and got a set of second-hand shocks and springs. When I put them on, the car suddenly looked like it wanted to go off-roading. The ride height is considerably greater and I think it makes the car look odd and I don't think the height can be good for the performance.
I've heard that ride height increased in latter years of the NA and I was told the donor car was a latter year, but I don't think I can stand it the way it is now.
I'm keen to keep the car pretty standard. I don't want it any lower than it was before. I really liked it the way it was. I don't really want to spend much money fixing this problem.
I would just use the old springs on the new shocks except that I'm pretty sure one of the front springs was bung, due to the fact that the car used to be quite uneven in the front (or could this have been caused by something else?).

So here are my questions:
What do you think the best way to go about solving this problem is?
If I can find replacement standard springs, how can I tell they will not be tall, like my current ones?
Does anyone out there have some standard springs that they don't want, that I could purchase that they know aren't freakishly high?

[brownie]

Standard MX5's did sit quite high,It shouldn't matter too much what year the one's you bought were from,so long as it was a NA.
It is a bit of a tricky situation depending how mechanical you are,ie,are you happy to pull shocks and springs out swap them around and put them back in or do you have to pay some one to do it ?.
If you can do yourself and have a few spare hours i would try your old springs on the new shocks and see how you go.
Bit of a mine field will all sorts of idea's and opinions ,As i'm sure you will get

[Giles]

Thanks for your reply brownie.
Yes, I am happy to replace shocks and springs myself; I did that last time. I didn't have to take the springs off the shocks because I swapped the set, but I don't think that would be a problem, once I've got some spring compressors.
I think you might be right: I think I will try the old springs on the new shocks. I was just a bit concerned about the difference in ride height from side to side at the front that the car used to have with the old springs, but maybe it wasn't that bad anyway. I just measured the ride height and there is still a slight difference. Perhaps that's just the way it is. The right front side used to be more than 10mm lower than the left, I think. Now the difference isn't that much, but it is still a little lower on the right. Maybe actually that's normal. What do you think?

Here are my current ride height measurements as taken from the centre of the wheel to the top of the wheel arch, directly above the wheel centre:

LF = 367mm
RF = 361mm
LR = 384mm
RR = 382mm

On a uk forum someone has listed these figures as the range for standard suspension:

Front 328-377mm
Rear 346-395mm
Side to side 10mm
Front to rear difference 10-30mm

So I guess my car is within range, but on the high side (although I have no idea of the accuracy of those range numbers).

Am I worrying about nothing?
Should I worry about how different the left and right sides used to be if I'm going to put the old springs back on?

[Growler]

From what model did the springs and shocks come from?
There is a different spring set between the autos and manuals. (Auto's being slightly heavier).
Putting auto springs into a manual car does raise the ride height.
I don't know the different spring rates or spring heights off hand but I'm sure you can find that info online.

[Giles]

I don't know what model exactly the suspension came from. I vaguely remember that it might have come from a '94 model, but I don't know if it was a auto or a manual.
Mine is a manual, so I guess you could be right; springs from an auto could be the problem. I guess now, it's just a matter of solving the problem or deciding to live with it.
Thanks for your reply.

[brownie]

i,ve just check my Mazda factory workshop Manuel and those ranges look about right according to the book.
I have a set of Bilsteins with unknown brand progressive springs and that sits on the legal limit all round ,I would even suggest a wheel alignment once you do the springs and it will also tell you where some differences are,The book i have looks to have different heights depending on wheel alignment spec's.
It's always hard to tell if the struts you got were a matching set or had one or two replaced over time as well.
Swap the springs over and go from there ,In some cases depending on where you are some shock shops offer a free shock test on the car to tell how worn the shocks are ,might be worth while checking up maybe?

[flushmiater]

I have a set of lowering springs if you want them, pm me.