What is the ride height?

[tglancy]

I have read many posts on ride height but have not found a reference to go by.

Background:
1975 Spider, new control arms with bushings ball joints, tie rod ends.
New gas shocks all-round KYB Gas GR-2. I disconnected one and only noticed an 1/8 inch drop.
AND new shock towers. Ride height a half inch higher after replacement.
Wheel alignment done, springs set correctly top and bottom (checked and reset).

Present situation:
Front is about ½ inch higher in front.
Driver’s side about ½ inch lower than passenger side.
Driver side front is 25 ¼ to wheel well and rear is 24 ¾.
The car does appear to be pointing up at front and would like to see it reversed.

What I have learned:
Two factors will case the drivers side to be lower: full gas tank (on left); and weight of driver causing the springs to sage more on drivers side over time.
It arrears that somewhere around 1975 they used taller springs to make the front bumper meet US standards.

What I would like to know:
Does someone have a safe/simple way to compress the front springs?
What is the correct/original ride height for older and newer spiders?
If someone has changed the rear springs what is the new ride height?
(I suspect that the front springs were changed and the rears are 35 years old causing the rear to be lower)
What was the original front sway bar thickness, mine is .800 inches?

I am going to repost this under suspension/what is the ride height.

Thanks Terry Glancy Ottawa Canada