Hey Everyone, I am currently in the process of installing a xj6 front cross member in my 52 Chevy deluxe with r6 airbags. I am going to weld this unit in. I will be doing a Gambinos notch and 4 link in the future. I would like any tips on installing one of these and pics of anyone that is running one. I would love to see pics of Chevys that people have notched the frame to get it to lay flat. I was told this can be done and it is pretty easy. I should have just bought a mustang II but i got this jag for free so i figured what the hell i might as well use it and if i can get as low it should end up being cheaper. Any help, tips, or pics would be fantastic thanks everyone!!
Answer me this, How is having your car look like it is broken cool? I want someone to explain that in detail. Cars laid out on the ground usually look like someone broke the front suspension and the rear collapsed in the process and I fail to see why people thing that looks so great and it has never been explained to me why it "looks so great".
Not to sound like a smart ass, but that's kinda like asking someone to explain in detail why they like the color green. Some just like it and other don't. Personally, I love bagged cars. Not sure I could really explain why.
Yea I don't really have a good reason for liking it myself i just do. I am not a fan of mini trucks, muscle cars, or doolies bagged but i think these OLD chevys and mercs look the best on the ground with and without a chop just my 2 cents.
To me air bags are thebest of both worlds, you can give your car ma.y differant looks with the flip of a switch. Not to mention the great ride when installed correctly. I to lo e bagged cars. Dont look broken to me looks like you spent some coin and did some fabricating.
Uh....I was thinking about bagging my 54' and painting it green, flat green. Why? I don't know just to be different.
Just personal preference I suppose. No different than some people being into Gassers, and others liking completely original restored cars...... Personally I like em all, Nose high, laying frame, bone stock. They all have there own appeal, as long as they are being driven!!!
I've never understood the whole "laying frame" thing either, but I appreciate the fact other folks are into it and I appreciate any kind of well engineered custom/hot rod. I just don't get why it's cool. I guess I'm just more of a hot rod guy and less of a Custom guy. To me, form follows function and not the other way around. Although I agree that form and function are both important. Oh hell, I'm just spouting off. Sorry about that. I don't want to ruin your thread with that discussion. In any case, good luck with your Jag install and keep us posted. Pics are great. I would be interested in seeing how it comes out. I agree!
I dont get the laying frame thing either, especially considering if your car lays flat on the ground when its aired out what happens when you lose an airline or blow a bag on the highway? Look at classic examples of customs, like the Matranga merc, or moonglow, and they have a stance that goes with the overall flow of the car and makes them look like they are moving at speed when parked. An unchopped fleetline laying on the ground looks like an unchopped fleetline waiting for repair. Thats my opinion though and its your car so you can do whatever you want to it.
I agree. This guys question wasn't if you liked air bags or if you thoughtless it looked like a broken car layin frame. If you want the answers your looking for look to EXK or other suspension guys who have done this. Maybe shoot EXK a pm he was very helpfull to me.
Laying frame.......... Please don't get that phrase mixed in with the class of traditional Customs.Someone said they really dont get the laying frame look because they are more into hotrods instead of customs.I dont want that person to shy away from customs because he thinks that these days they all lay frame......because they don't. Oh ya..good luck with your frontend and please continue to spread the gospal of traditional Rods & Customs by doing threads about laying frame.
I can't say that I really like or dislike bagged cars. I do like to bag on bagged cars if that counts for anything. I guess if I really wanted to figure out how to make a car lay frame and it was too damned hard for me to figure out I might try one of two things. One woulld be to do a search using the search function at the top of the page as it has been covered extensivly on here more than once. The other may be to do a google search for a site that is dedicated to that type of car. I do have a tip though that may be helpful in the endovor, if you want it to lay frame make sure that no part of the body hangs below the frame. If not you will be laying body instead of frame. Laying body can be pretty hard on the paint.
OK, I don't get you guys here. I've been on this site for several years and have listened to the traditional verses nontraditional debate for post after post. So, I'm going to throw this one in here, since when did air bags become a traditional topic? Mention 4-bar here or Mustang II and they damned near throw you off the site, but air bags are OK, I don't get it.
OK air bags are not traditional. Some highend cars came stock with air assist but they were not considered as a method for the majority of the hotrod community as a way to make your car go up and down. Actually the Ala Kart used bags in the front coils. But it had no compressor, it was not an up and down thing. There were a few people that used hydraulics in the '50s but that was a way to overcome the ride height laws. You drove your car low and raised it if the cops got after you.
And remember...... If you are going to lay frame always wear an innertube! Or you could end up with crotch rockets.
go start another thread for " bags or no bags" Any answer relating to the topic for Yanksta yet? Which is: "Hey Everyone, I am currently in the process of installing a xj6 front cross member in my 52 Chevy deluxe with r6 airbags. I am going to weld this unit in. I will be doing a Gambinos notch and 4 link in the future. I would like any tips on installing one of these and pics of anyone that is running one. I would love to see pics of Chevys that people have notched the frame to get it to lay flat. I was told this can be done and it is pretty easy. I should have just bought a mustang II but i got this jag for free so i figured what the hell i might as well use it and if i can get as low it should end up being cheaper. Any help, tips, or pics would be fantastic thanks everyone!!"
hey man you said it youre self i will do a gambino notch contact alex over here he got the right info an ideas for you good luck
OK I'll try and answer. There is no simple answer but I will try and answer it anyway because you so graciously asked, that and you being a new guy and all. First you look real hard at what you are about to do and think about it a lot. Determin what you need your suspension to do and how far it needs to travel to get the desired effect. You may need to pick up a tape measure but do not be afraid it is just a dumb tool and it can't really hurt you that bad unless you let it go in too fast and it cuts your finger. Now you will probably have to relocate or remove your bump stops to get the desired result, but you can figure that out when you are measureing things. Sometimes it is helpful to tack everything in place and use a jack to move your suspension through its range and look for problems with your original design. Once you have determined what your suspension has to do to get your car as low as you want it start building. Again you will probably have to check things more than once, so do not weld anything up solid until you have checked and made sure that what you are doing is not going to adversly effect the function of your car. It will help for you to know how much travel your particular air ride setup has as well as knowing the proper minumum or maximum operating pressures you need to operate in a safe fasion. A trick that I learned from an air ride specialist is that you should isolate one side of your new suspension from the other. If you don't when you drive it hard into a corner and you will at some point it will shift the air from one side to the other and cause it to handle poorley. Now as I suggested earlier do a damned search and get yourself some ideas. And buy yourself some flame resistant undies. If you are going to ask a question on a site that is based on traditional hot rods and customs, and ask a question that has very little to do with the base topic of the site you are just liable to get flamed a little. Good luck with your build
You're right. Point taken. Believe me, I've been around for a few years so I wasn't confusing the "laying frame" with "traditional" customs. I don't ever remember this "laying frame" deal back in the day. But, I relate it more to customs than hot rods (albeit, not trad customs). Don't worry, I don't shy away from customs. I love a beautiful car and nice workmanship, whatever it is. Now, I'm feeling bad for the OP. It wasn't my intent to throw this thread off track and I should have kept my mouth shut. My apologies. I hope you get your questions answered. It sounds interesting so keep us posted.
Thanks for everyone's opinions....I didn't realize airbags was such a sore subject on here it seems to me a ton of people have them. This site actually spurred me into wanting to air bag my car. Anyways I have learned alot and still do everyday here on the hamb. I will keep everyone posted!!!
Adjustable suspensions have been around for over 50 years. Can't see it under a full fendered 50s-60s car anyway. I did a Jag front and rear on a '52 with stock Jag springs, even sectioned the frame, didn't get the car very low. Aldixie did a Jag front on a '50 Chevy with airbags. Send him a P.M. Also, I recommend putting some bumpstops th keep it from actually laying on the ground as mentioned above. The hacks who did my car before I got it failed to do that.
Ridiculously low, just a whisper of daylight, scrubline be damned, cars are great. Flat on the ground doesn't do it for me. I like to drive 'em where they look best so adjustable suspension isn't really on my radar. Good luck just the same.
I will try and help with my limited experience but a ton of research on this very subject, as some one mentioned PM Aldixie which I did during my research. bagging the rear should be self explanatory.. alex did a great video thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=394429 the front jag is a little more work. for one you will not be able to turn the wheels aired all the way out as the jag is a little wider than stock 49-54 suspension. however parked you will be able to get pretty low, read this... if you get it installed bags should be easy http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451036&highlight=jag+ifs as with bagging any stock suspension make sure you mark the stock wheel centers as thats where you want the jag wheel to be. fab mounts for the air bag to sit in the stock top hat and bottom a arm. but what do i know... if a made a mistake someone please correct me.. good luck john
The only thing that I can think of would be you want to weld this one in and not rubber mount it. Theres also a good thread with putting a jag clip into an F100 done by a guy named matt, I know its not like ur car but you can get some ideas on how he mounted his to his frame. And then all the plumbing and steering info can give you ideas too. Hope this helped some.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=571296&highlight=f100+jag Above is the link to great thread for install jag. My f100 is in the shop now having 4 link step notch and jag front with bags all around. At first I was attempting to lay frame until I realized I needed a double drive shaft smaller tires or my wheels would stick out through the tubs which have already been moved to the top of the bed and I never considered what would happen if I did blow a bag out while driving. I decided to sit 2 inches off the ground to avoid all the possible problems. I was told by fabricator the jag front clip can lay frame no prob. I ordered the gambino 4 link kit and was told to go with parrellel 4 link instead so I did. I have some pics on my profile of how the rear was done and what the 4 link looks like. The jag clip is being installed right now and should be done in week or 2. Can't wait to not have bump steer have power steering and disk brakes To chime in on what this thread turned into I think it's your car or truck do what you like. I chose air bags so I could have the aggressive look by dropping it or I could put stuff in the bed and jack it up. Also did it for the ride quality which I haven't felt yet but I'm sure it beat flipped axle over spring pumpkin slamming into the bed while the front is throwing me all over the road when I hit bumps. Anyway hope to see pics of how your jag clip ends up and the gambino kit. But check out my 4 link I like it actually better the look at least.
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