Customs Air Bags: The Case For And Against

9 years newer.
With suspension mods that reflect that same era.
"Modernized" to the early 50's is different than modernizing to today.

 

The wife's 56 wagon needs to sit like that

 

same here
I was contemplating that "CV" front for my f100
its just way too wide for my tastes. the wheel combo you have to use looks odd, the CV site didnt like me questioning this

I have an M2 set up not yet installed for my 49. The older I get the more I think I will just call Sid and do a drop axle. I love the way the old truck drove. I must be weird

 

I'm 55, and to my eye, all of these cars are too low. Some nice cars, but too low.

 

I'm building (well, I WAS until I built the '34) a '63 Riviera. It'll be my wife's car, and we'll be towing our 25' Spartan travel trailer and enclosed car trailer. Good enough for Tommy Ivo, good enough for me. I have a build thread somewhere here that I'll resurrect when I get back on it.
I won't mention what's in the spring pockets, nor under the hood, and it'll be a traditional mild custom. I guess, if I read Ryan's blog right, it fits as long as we don't focus on any "modern" hidden systems, although, if you want to quibble, air bag suspensions have been used in Detroit Iron since the late 50's.
I promise, no photos of it laying on the shop floor, nor the non- nailhead under the hood.

 

Thank you!

 

Uh, I think this statement needs some clarifying. While on the face of it it looks simple, you seem to be siding with the 'restorer' wing here, throwing imagination and innovation under the bus. Those are both very much a part of our 'history and roots'. And before anyone gets up in arms, let me express my view.

First, lumping Hot Rods and Customs together confuses things. If you're talking Rods, that's a fairly accurate statement; here, the mechanical aspects are in the forefront and the more exposed they are, the more this is true. I can't think of any Hot Rod that should need bags under any circumstances. And before anybody brings it up, the Ala Kart really isn't a Hot Rod; it's a custom, or if you want to be technical, a custom rod. The operative word is custom.

Customs have always been the repository for the weird. Things like bags, motorized bubble tops, stick steering, Jowett Jupiter or Maserati frames, Jag motors, the list of oddball parts (both automotive and 'other') that have been used during the 'traditional' era is probably nearly endless. Were these 'mainstream' choices? No, but in my view they're still traditional. Whether the component used was large or small, this is where the imagination and innovation existed and surely must be considered as traditional parts.

Now before all you 'purists' get up in arms, I'm not advocating a wide-open acceptance of anything goes; if the part 'blends in' for a traditional look, no harm, no foul. If it's not seen or obvious, why does it matter? Imagination should never be frowned upon, or we'll all end up driving 'cookie cutter' cars. There's already enough of that; at the risk of offending some here, take a look at all the '49-51 Mercs. The 'sameness' of most of these tends to get a bit boring. When is somebody going to build something in the vein of Winfield's 'Solar Scene' Merc, which like it or not, is a traditional build? Or Cushenberry's El Matador? I know there's some here who don't like these cars, but that's opinion, not a true traditional viewpoint. And you're going to see failures; there's certainly plenty of 'traditional' evidence of that.

Same thing goes for innovation; it shouldn't be a dirty word. One the great things about this site is the guys who while maybe don't go 'outside the box', do explore the seldom-visited corners of it. Sometimes it's a brand-new idea, sometimes it's a new twist on an old idea. Again, you're going to see failures and that's traditional too.

I understand that trying to please everyone is an impossible task, but the 'history and roots' isn't all there is to this; preserving the spirit is critical IMO or sterility will set in.

 

I agree about the too low as I mentioned earlier each and every one of these has been Photoshopped I'm almost certain...probably by a lay frame lover...but heres one of the benefits to the pneumatic systems and that is you can quickly adjust to suit whatever floats your boat. You probably can dial in a setting or several and save them...yeah this is were the old feel is rubbing off...sounds like you could control it with your cellphone.

@bigm highlights the complexities of getting things right the old way...I am sure that is a frustrating costly time consuming exercise...bad for you...shop guy's happy however...and if it still doesn't work repeat...more time, more dough and more frustration. For those that want a certain feel I do get that too. Another way of thinking is it was available back in the day but as eluded uncommon on vintage rides. But it probably rode similar. Also just remember you are surrounded in period vehicle even if the ride feel has changed.

The ride from these systems looks a little oingo boingo...I've seen them bouncing down the road. I am sure innovation is always happening to improve all aspects of this modern version of a vintage concept as we speak.

I truly believe scraping still happens even with pneumatic systems but you can adjust quickly to counter when situations arise.

I applaud the leinency to the technology here...and am more interested in the completed package looking Hamb friendly Traditional or Inspired Traditional.

Personally my opinion of this new technology is it no matter what is an Inspired version of past technology...as in it is not a duplicate/clone/reproduction of the vintage tech such as below.

That said I welcome discussion on topics such as these to bring worthy insights on past technologies that may have affected the evolution of Hotrod, Custom and Race...
without anger and attitude. This is relevant discussion...

Just in case the illustration is looked at without worthy attention it is
Dated 1936 and has an outline of a fender which would hide the technology and is a passenger automobile.

​

 

If ever there was a case where Air ride was a fit, this car is it. No way in hell I'd let anything keep me from enjoying this car just like it sits here in this pic. I think too many on this site are turned off by air ride because of what they've seen in the way of super lowered out vehicles like the mini trucks. The oingie boingie thing is a scab hack that was very poorly done. Air springs take the place of conventional springs so shocks have to be relocated unless a shock thru air spring type set up is used. Many hackers don't even bother to put shocks on. Multiple settings, yes. Operate from your cell phone, yes. Automatic ride height/ weight compensation, yes. Take up truck space, no. All hidden from view, yes.

 

Thanks for clearing up things I have mentioned. I don't know much about the mechanical aspects of the technology. Shocks buffer the bounce both for springs and for bags get it...thanks again. Hack Jobs...yeah also known as cost cutting, corner cutting and potentially life threatening.

Shocks make me think back to that GM video someone posted early in the thread did they have shocks and even if they did that was R & D testing which is a part of automotive innovation. Test and adjust till final objective achieved.​

 

The majority of the custom cars up on the grass at Round Up this year are bagged cars... just sayin'

 

They are also welcome here with some discretion and this is good. We have talked about the everchanging landscape of the car culture reflected here many times and some adjustment is bound to happen but there is a fine line that will inevitability exist moving forward. Each and every year that goes by puts 1965 further away but that fine line will continue nosing forward alongside the other mutations of the car culture in a very dignified way.

 

I'm not an air bag guy either, but If I had to bag, it would only be in the rear.

 

My hardcore lowrider friends use to say "no bags, no switches, no fat bitches"

 

In the simplest terms, you are right- the HAMB is akin to a hard core restoration mindset. But what's being thrown under the bus is imagination and innovation beyond the build style of a certain era. Move beyond that era's style and this is just another hot rod website like many others out there. What makes the HAMB the HAMB is the realization that this place is not just about the look of the cars built then, but rather its about that era of the hobby overall.

 

Originally from East L A and the rule of thumb for lowering you car was: place a pack of Camel or Lucky Strike cigarettes on the street, if the bottom of the body panel touched the top of the pack, you were the cool. I'm 69 1/3

 

ebfabman, Be-friggin-eutiful!!!!!

Hey Jeff Nowell, how's THIS for no stance with bags? Love your work man but big ol' swing and a miss there.

 

Willy...Jeff was referring to bagged cars at their lowest point refered to as "laying frame" a descriptive phrase used by the crowd that bags vehicles......I also believe this is Ebfab's ride height pre bag status as it is in work...and it does highlight the fine line of low and too low its a very critical decision each individual has to make with the right pack of smokes......I like it too...I want one.

 

If we were just "hot rodding" we would have a fox body mustang with an LS motor, this site is for a limited time frame of hot rodding.

 

I installed hydraulics on my car 30 years ago. Many people ask me if it`s bagged. For some reason, deep down, I`m disappointed they think that. Then there`s some say I should bag it. There`s no way in heck I`m gonna pull the 427 to install an LS motor. I don`t understand people these days. It`s as modern as it`s gonna get.

 

Its Ryan's house . His rules .

 

Prime opportunity to post a link to ad!


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Air bags why not? to improve ride on heavily lowered suspension and save on countless repairs from all the hard banging, your kidneys will thank you,57Joe FoMoPar is a classic example, before bags were readily available there was Hydraulic suspension it has its limitations, the ride could become just as harsh,done my fair share of installing both , bags the way to go,some people may not like the sound when venting the suspension but that can be controlled with mufflers or mufflers with flow control for a slower and quieter operation

 

Very Kool thread. I agree with Ryan air bags are too much of a stress, I would worry what am I going to do if I'm driving my kustom down the highway at 70 mph and all of a sudden it lays frame. I understand most problems are caused by an installation error. (Sometimes stuff just happens) I was brought up to set up your suspension as low as you can and still be able to drive it. I drive my Merc a lot and I got myself into some situations that it would have been nice to raise it up. I enjoy dancing my Merc low and slow around town avoiding obstacles. Its and art to be able to do it and I catch my self driving the same way when I'm in my late model.
I try to park in grass when I attend a car show and most of the time I look just as low as a Merc that had been bagged. It's kool to tell people this is the way she drives down the road. Does it drag? Yes they are supposed to they are tail draggers....

 

They may have been confused by my post. Casters would be a bandaid at best. Air ride solves a lot of issues and provides much more than an up down thing. Only one battery is needed, the system is light weight and can be very compact. This is my ride and yes it is bagged on all four corners.

 

Rear bumper casters aren't traditional either, are they ...

 

Definitions seem to be extremely fluid on this thread. I was "told" in order to be traditional, several examples had to be shown, and it needed to be in general usage "back in the day".