I just signed up in that other part, here's my first question: I have a 53 Buick Roadmaster pickup truck. She's gonna be a little low in the rear when I put something back there to haul. Decades ago, I had some air bags: thick black rubber with a valve stem came out the side. Worked good. I've googled all around. I see air bags- they all look like they have an air fitting right in the middle of one end, can't see how that would work for me. Would air shocks be a good place to look? This car had those old knee action shocks which I lost years ago and kinda scabbed in some tube shocks. (Times was hard back then, no money or tools). Anyone have any advice I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
A little shy because I've already posted pics on a couple other forums. And she ain't too good looking yet:
It would look better with those rear doors filled in. But they open, and that's where you put your stuff down under the bed: toolbox, guitar, jugs of water, etc. You can reach back from the front and lock em. I been doing more air bag googling, haven't figgered anything out yet.
That up there above is what I've found. But I don't understand the air tube and fitting arrangement. Looks like line goes straight in from top or bottom. Maybe a 90 fitting, but I got no room there, it's where the spring bolts are, dead center top and bottom. Unless that little black spacer looking deal gives you a whole bunch of room?
Weld up those doors, move the rear about 8" forward and watch people try to figure out what it is. The stance looks good so why not air shocks. Haul something, air them up. Gonna cruise, let me out. Cool car! Love your mastercamino! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Let me ask a different question: has anybody had ahold of those red bags who could tell me a little something about the air line plumbing?
Cool project. Consider filling in the doors and then cut in a small lower door to access that storage area; like on an RV, except make them blend in with the body.
Air Lift still makes helper bags in many configurations. I plan on using them in an upcoming project. Contact them or a company like Summit Racing. They should be able to supply you with what you want. Air shocks work too.
Air shocks would be easy.....but make sure the shock mounts are secure. I put airshocks on my 36 truck at the Nats one year (year of the flood) and when I drove it, the added stress broke the crappy welds on the crossmember the P/O had popcorn welded in. The rod & repair shop at the nats welded the crossmember back in and no problem. Air up when you need the boost, let out when empty
I know this is almost sacrilegious but I'm curious anyway. Anyone ever tried air suspension (read as airbag, air spring, air shock etc.) on the FRONT of a beam-axle car; replacing the transverse spring with the air components? It's OK; I'm bracing myself for the scorn headed my way.
Heres my story on old time air bags. My Dad bought a new 55 Buick Special and had airbags installed when new as he planned a trip out west with the car loaded pretty heavy. They were the ones with the air valve on each bag. Fast forward to 67 when I got the car as my first legal driver. I had it on the rack at my auto shop tech school trying to figure out how to rig duals on it when some numnut put the air to one of the old air bags-BOOM!!! Damed near blew the car off the rack, scared the shit out of all of us and I slammed said numnut in the face and broke his nose. Turned out all it cost me for three days out of school was one old rotten air bag.
>>>Weld up those doors>>>It would look better with those rear doors filled in. >>> This gives me a problem. And the only solution. Is to leave it a more door!
I ran air shocks on the Pusher (my ol C-10) primarily for launch control. Mine ran forward of the axle and I could preload at the strip. But they had secondary benefits in that I could load the hell out of it and haul some chit. We hauled an old shop compressor up north one time that ol pig was so heavy tat we ended up with the shocks aired to the max. We ended up hauling an entire A (in pieces) back on that trip. That is what they are actually for is load control. There have been several cars here on the HAMB over the years that have used air front suspension. There is even a pretty fancy Barris truck that used bags and coils on the front. I read an article about the design and building of the truck and Barris said that he used coils just so he could use bags (show points ) personally if I was going to bag one in the front I would either set it up with coils and bags or just use a main leaf for a locator and bags. But I am way lazier then the Gimp. His front suspension is super trick ( as is the whole damned car/truck)
I've installed about 2,000,000 [approx] of those red bags in city snow plows to keep the front ends up. The plumbing is part of the kit and it consists of black plastic lines from each bag to a common black plastic fitting with a schrader valve in it like a tire valve. Takes a regular air chuck to fill. Put the fill-fitting anywhere that's convenient for you to reach with the air chuck. I know guys used one of them in the R. rear of coil spring cars to preload that corner when drag racing . I seldom had problems with them. The most common problem I had was guys running them deflated and the constant movement would wear a hole in the side wall. Even that was uncommon.
I have had good luck adding all manner of valve stem extenders to them, to get them to where they can be filled easily, too. The BIG truck supply houses have more than you can imagine for this. Just remember to use liquid thread sealant on the threads, and to take out the inner valve core.
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