Installing Air Bags On My '56 Buick

Yeah, I found the link to the shock application guide a little while ago. http://www.monroe.com/catalog/documents/08_MountingLengthSheet.pdf

They're 52 Roadmaster caps. I love the classic sombrero like styling. Nice Buick crest in the middle too.

Any insight on the heavy duty shocks in the back?

 

i am running stock rear shocks,it works ok, but i am going to shorten my rear mounts this winter, and i am not sure if it might bottoms up if i go any lower. (it might allready, I just drive the few days it doesnt rain find my wrenches when it gets cooold)

i really like the stance on your car, can't wait til i get the front done..

But i dont think you want any heavy dutu stuff in the rear, thinking how light the car is over the back axle. but might want something from a light truck with leaf springs to cover the rebounce.

 

Sorry for the lack of updates. I decided to repack my front bearings as they were making strange noises. Once I had the drums off, I saw that the wheels cylinders were leaking. The passenger side was drenched - I don't know if it was brake fluid or bearing grease though. I pulled the rears too, also leaking. I believe the car still has the original shoes and wheel cylinders (delco moraine). Anyway, waiting on parts now.

I also ordered 3/8" lines.. 1/2" are way too fast.

I'm having some charging issues. The display on the auto pilot controller never reads above 11v with the engine running. It gets worse when the compressor is on. I've even seen it go under 9v with the engine off. I'm hoping that it's the voltage regulator and not the generator. Has anyone had problems adding a 380c compressor to the stock electrical system?

Hopefully I'll have it tied up this weekend. I can barely find time to get anything done with my work schedule.

 

I wouldnt run the compressors off of a generator. I may be wrong. I would do the swap and run a high output alternator. I just got a 100 amp alt to pop in my merc when I do the bags. There is a guy on e-pay that sells chrome high out put alternators with matching voltage regulators for like 80$ check that out.

 

Hi
How is it going, i started on mounting bags up front now, do you have any pics of plating lower a arm, and shock relocation?

 

I don't have any pics yet, sorry. I'll make sure to take them when I blow everything apart to paint.

For the lower plate, I just drilled out the two inner rivets and used those holes to bolt the plate down. Really simple and really the only way to do the lower mount - cups just don't work here.

As for the shocks, for the upper mount, I used a shock relocation bracket off the inner frame in front of the a-arms. For the lower, I left a little ear on the lower plate to bolt the shock to.

I used MONROE 5839 shocks, but your application may vary.

 

Very cool! Nice job!!!!

 

updated;

http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloads/english/08_MountingLengthSheet.pdf

 

What are you guys spending for a simple air suspension these. I have a 56 special I'd like to do but haven't heard back from grunion on price

 

hey guys, i know this is an old thread, but i also have a 56 buick special, 4 door, and it got bagged last weekend, im wondering what all has to be done to make it lay out? mine is about 3 inches from the ground, and thats not doin it for me, i want it on the ground. any info will help, also, i saw the post on page one, but my bumpstops are already gone up front, we took em out when we bagged it, and its still pretty high, thank you for any help!

 

Do you have any pics of what you have so far? Did you fab it all yourself? Can you tell what you used for bags and plates?
Im going to go with a little larrys four play and napa 3/8 or 1/2 in lines

 

No pics, but just bag on bar in the rear with conti 2500 bags, front we used a cup kit from jw rod garage, where you cut them and weld them yourself, friends helped me with that part, for bags I used slam 7ss bags up front, but had to cut a lot of frame out for those not to rub, also using a little Larry's 4 play, ordered the blank version without the engraving on it.

As far as the cups, what they did was remove the spring and bumpstop, push the control arm all the way up, as if the car was laid out. Then they measured the distance from where the top and bottom plate would mount, where the spring used to be. Then take that measurement, subtract the height of the compressed bag, divide that number by two, and that's how tall each bag cup will need to be. My lower cups are not welded in yet, I could take some pics and measurements when I get to work on it next, hope this helps!

 

anyway you can post the pic of the suspension again I am unable to load them thanks