sorry dude /s do not get the "BAGGED" thing.. sorry.. I only assume it's to get attention at car shows from people who don't know anything about hot rods, they see a car sitting on the ground, and therefore you get their attention. just my opinion.. that truck looks really, nice, but just "bagging-it" ..please help me understand..
I shorten the bed, wheelbase, frame, running boards, driveshaft, 9 inches. This was my 55 Ford w/ Olds Omega front end 56 Oldsmobile rear end.. 396, auto. took 4 3/4 inch out of body and hood, dropped front of hood, NOW, we are having fun !!!!! been there, done that. and looks proportioned..
It's all good. Everyone likes something different. The reason I like the bagged thing is if you lower your truck or car you are stuck at that height and can't go to low without limiting where you can drive. If you lower a truck like this your turning radius sucks because your tires rub on your fenders. With the bags you have lots of height options and can still drive anywhere if you jack it up. Going a 100 on the highway 2" off the ground is pretty sick and the ride quality from a good bag set up is amazing.
As a retired professional painter, LEAVE IT ALONE!!! Scotch Brite it with Maroon 7447 3M Scotchbrite and shoot it either shinny clear coat or a flattened clear coat. ONLY USE A HIGH END product for the clear. A Urethane two part system. Then just drive it!!!! Looking at the pictures, the 15K estimate would , more than likely be SHORT, as to work needed. I see a LOT of man hours in fixing all the welds and patches. To say nothing of getting the gaps right, straight, consistent and flat. I used to do those kind of high end restorations for a living, and the hours spent can get big, in a hurry. If YOU enjoy the truck as a good, dependable driver, that YOU can jump into and take off, with out worry, JUST CLEAR IT AS IS and drive the wheels off it. This would be the, in MY OLD CYNICAL MIND, the best and most economically sound thing to do. If YOU want to learn how to do bodywork, by all means take courses and do so. THAT is the only way that YOU can find out what YOU want to do. Also YOU will find out exactly what it takes for GOOD, QUALITY body and paint work. Quality body and paint work takes TIME, and SKILL, nothing more, nothing less! I emphasize "YOU", it is YOUR TRUCK!!! DON'T let anybody else tell you what to do or how you should do something to YOUR truck. "Opinions are VERY much like assholes, or bellybuttons EVERYBODY has ONE and they USUALLY STINK, too!" If you wish, give me a call and I can walk you through the whole stripping of paint, bodywork, panel alignment and finish painting process. I used to teach bodywork, painting and welding at our community college. 952-212-1118 [email protected] Gary I. Anderson on Facebook Your Pal, Gary
The ride quality, if built properly built, can exceed that of a modern car, even in the oldest of of cars. Think about it. Old car or truck, super comfortable ride. What good is a vehicle if it beats you up to ride in it? Plus, you can ride low, without ever having to worry about wrecking something like a bumper, fender, oil pan, trans pan, etc. Just push the button. Problem solved.
Well, that's true if the bag survives the accident. If it doesn't, your screwed! And I LIKE bagged cars. I have three (off topic) Lincolns that have factory bags on them. So I'm not knocking bags, just want you to realize what your in for. Best advice I can give you, get a spare compressor, and at least one each front and rear bag now so you'll have them when you need them. It'll make the inevitable repairs MUCH more pleasant! Also makes contemplated road trips a lot less stressful. Also, I HIGHLY recommend you install bump stops that support the suspension in the event a bag has a catastrophic failure at speed. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I have bagged over 200 cars. One compressor failure. Two bag failures, on a pro hopper car. Zero street failures. If you are experiencing failures, you built it wrong.
Hey! Met you at the Brauerhouse last Thursday. To anyone that has not see this truck in person, needs to. Its very cool and well done. I couldnt stop checking out the stance on this thing. Sick truck
Thanks! Anyone in the Chicagoland area should check out Thursday nights at the Brauerhouse in Lombard. Cold drinks cool cars and cool crowd. Lots of bikes cars and trucks .
Gimpy, I was reffering to the bag surviving the accident damage free, not wearing out. I have heard of a few shockwaves failing, but I think it was the metal strut part that failed, not the bag. Didn't see it personally, so I can't speak further on that. Personally, I think sitting is probably the biggest cause of bag failures, followed by moisture. I actually got 169,000 miles out of the first set on my Mark VIII (spent it's whole life in San Diego), and 120,000 on the set on my Mark VII, and the compressor failed on it (well, actually the vent valve seal inside the compressor) due (I think) to the high humidity in Hawaii. I'm still trying to decide between Shockwaves and Coil overs for the front of my Chevy II. Anyway, no disrespect was intended. I'm pro bag enough that I spent $3000.00 plus dollars replacing all the air suspension in the Mark VIII even though I could have put a strut conversion on it for around $500.00. Kurt (Blownfuel) Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Shockwaves suck. I have only removed them for pissed off people who got had. Leaks, breaks, ruptures. Super expensive, too! Stay away.
I'm sure what you say is right... Though the majority of bag installs I've seen were done wrong. Im far from a bag expert but I could see issues. Most systems leak, many systems eat bags. A few well done setups have impressed me. The rest.... have made me decide against bagging my toys.
Well there she is. Almost done. After all your guys advice I found a local body shop that let me disassemble my truck and work closely with them to get the finished product. I did most of the block sanding and some welding to readjust the hood and doors and the shop painted wet sanded and buffed. I am almost done with assembly and got to take my first ride yesterday. Driving a finished truck has a whole different feeling to it.
Nice job. I can not argue against shiny paint. You did nice work to get that hood looking like that in black.
If you are going to try to win top notch high dollar car shows with it, then worry about the gaps and shiny paint. If you just want to enjoy a really bad-ass looking vehicle and have a chick magnet, then it is sitting right in front of you! Get out there and drive the thing! I doubt that anyone driving past you in either direction, or that sees you drive by while sitting still, can see the gaps or even cares about them anyway. I know I have enjoyed seeing old cars/trucks on the highways and byways and have never said to myself....those gaps just aren't right! If you were to pull into the gas station where I was filling up, I would probably say "nice ride! did you do it yourself? you have a minute to open the hood?"
I like the truck before but now it looks great! When I was building mine I always looked at a pic of a red/black 2 tone chopped truck. I'm over in NW Indiana and always out in the truck if this snow would ever leave. I saw your Union home sign, my dad and I are both Union carpenters. Nice truck brother maybe we'll run into each other this summer.
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