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Anyone here have air ride on their squarebird?

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  • SwitchBlade327
    Apprentice
    • Jan 1 2008
    • 60

    Anyone here have air ride on their squarebird?

    I'm gonna be putting air ride on mine pretty soon, and I'm curious as to how other approached the mounting of the bags.

    The front should e pretty straight forward like most cars I've done, but I've never done a car with leaf springs before, much less a uni-body with leafs.

    If anyone has any info, it'd be much appreciated!
  • SwitchBlade327
    Apprentice
    • Jan 1 2008
    • 60

    #2
    Does anyone at least have some good picture of the under-carriage of one of their cars? I won't be able to get mine on the lift until the weekend, and I need to figure out a plan of attack!

    Comment

    • YellowRose
      Super-Experienced


      • Jan 21 2008
      • 17188

      #3
      Anyone here have air ride on their squarebird?

      As I recall, Petrolhead (Alistair) in Auckland, NZ has air bagged his '62 Tbird. He sent me a picture of what it looked like sometime back. PM him and ask him how he came out on airbagging his Bird, and ask him to send you some pictures of it.

      Ray Clark - Squarebirds Administrator
      The Terminator..... VTCI #11178 ITC #6000 Yellow Mustang Registry (YMR) #12188
      Contact me via Private Message for my email address, or Call (Cell) 210-875-1411

      https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm
      Faye's Ovarian Cancer Memorial Website.
      https://faye.rayclark.info/index.html

      Comment

      • Petrolhead
        Experienced
        • Jul 2 2007
        • 403

        #4
        Hi

        I used Airride Shockwaves under the front of my '62, and used Airride Air over leaf for the rear, but modified the kit: we only used one leaf, and located the rear axle using forward control arms via brackets welded to a crossmember, and bolted to the leaf spring pad.

        Got it back from the paint shop yesterday, haven't driven it bagged so can't tell you just yet how it drives.

        some pics are here:



        If you need more info please PM me as Ray suggested

        here's pic taken just this morning, outside the paint shop. It's green suede (primer) base with green metalflake roof


        Good luck!

        regards

        Alistair
        Attached Files

        Comment

        • SwitchBlade327
          Apprentice
          • Jan 1 2008
          • 60

          #5
          Thats slick lookin'. I'd like to see some pictures of the rear setup if you have any, I'm trying to work out a way to do a 4-link to get a better range of movement, I'm not against air over leaf, but I'm using that as a last resort kind of thing. I'm still really interested in how you did yours though, I'd liek to see the crossmember & arms you made.

          Comment

          • YellowRose
            Super-Experienced


            • Jan 21 2008
            • 17188

            #6
            Anyone here have air ride on their squarebird?

            Hi Switchblade, I did a search on "air ride" for you and came up with more information from Alistair. He posted pictures of his rear end. You can see them here.



            More commentary and pix here.



            I hope this helps you..
            Last edited by YellowRose; January 7, 2009, 02:16 AM. Reason: Spacing

            Ray Clark - Squarebirds Administrator
            The Terminator..... VTCI #11178 ITC #6000 Yellow Mustang Registry (YMR) #12188
            Contact me via Private Message for my email address, or Call (Cell) 210-875-1411

            https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm
            Faye's Ovarian Cancer Memorial Website.
            https://faye.rayclark.info/index.html

            Comment

            • Petrolhead
              Experienced
              • Jul 2 2007
              • 403

              #7
              Originally posted by SwitchBlade327
              I'm still really interested in how you did yours though, I'd liek to see the crossmember & arms you made.
              No prob at all. The car's away getting acouple of things done to it, I will probbaly be there today and I'll take some datail shots while it's on the hoist, then post them here for you.

              yes, air over leaf is far from ideal, and I'm not sure how well mine will ride/handle. I wasn't able to go to the full four-bar setup at the time, but may do that later if the handling isn't satisfactory as I do a lot of miles in my cars. On Jan 20 we're off on a 2500km (around 1500mile) two-week cruise, so hopefully the '62 will go okay.

              Comment

              • Petrolhead
                Experienced
                • Jul 2 2007
                • 403

                #8
                Originally posted by YellowRose
                Hi Switchblade, I did a search on "air ride" for you and came up with more information from Alistair. I hope this helps you..
                Thanks Ray, you're a legend.
                Alistair

                Comment

                • SwitchBlade327
                  Apprentice
                  • Jan 1 2008
                  • 60

                  #9
                  If I could get my hands on a 58 Squarebird rear suspension, what would it take to swap it into my 59? I doubt I could get my hands on one around here, but someone brought it up to me and I hadn't even thought of the fact that the 58's had coils in the rear!

                  I guess I don't need the rear suspension from one, but some pictures of how the trailer arms/springs are mounted would go a long way into helping me figure this out.
                  Last edited by SwitchBlade327; January 8, 2009, 12:49 AM.

                  Comment

                  • YellowRose
                    Super-Experienced


                    • Jan 21 2008
                    • 17188

                    #10
                    Anyone here have air ride on their squarebird?

                    Thanks, Alistair!

                    Switchblade, you are right. The '58 has coil springs in the rear. You should be able to find what you are looking for from John Draxler of TbirdRanch at jdrax@tds.net Send him an email and tell him what you are looking for and see if he has it. He often has parts we are looking for off his parts cars.

                    Ray Clark - Squarebirds Administrator
                    The Terminator..... VTCI #11178 ITC #6000 Yellow Mustang Registry (YMR) #12188
                    Contact me via Private Message for my email address, or Call (Cell) 210-875-1411

                    https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm
                    Faye's Ovarian Cancer Memorial Website.
                    https://faye.rayclark.info/index.html

                    Comment

                    • SwitchBlade327
                      Apprentice
                      • Jan 1 2008
                      • 60

                      #11
                      Well, I doubt I'd really need the parts. If I just knew how the trailers arms were mounted to the body, and their length. I could fabricate the setup fairly easily. I've been trying to figure out how I would run trailer arms or a 4 link on this car for days now, not even thinking about the 58's already having it figured out for me!
                      The whole unibody thing has had me screwed up, if it was a regular framed chassis I'd already have it all planned out!

                      Comment

                      • YellowRose
                        Super-Experienced


                        • Jan 21 2008
                        • 17188

                        #12
                        Anyone here have air ride on their squarebird?

                        Okay on probably not needing the parts. John Draxler is a great guy with tons of information and knowledge. Tell him in an email what you are wanting to do, and what you need in the way of information, measurements, etc., and he might be able to come up with the information you need. He has been around Tbirds much of his life and is a very genial guy.

                        Ray Clark - Squarebirds Administrator
                        The Terminator..... VTCI #11178 ITC #6000 Yellow Mustang Registry (YMR) #12188
                        Contact me via Private Message for my email address, or Call (Cell) 210-875-1411

                        https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm
                        Faye's Ovarian Cancer Memorial Website.
                        https://faye.rayclark.info/index.html

                        Comment

                        • protourbird
                          Experienced
                          • Apr 29 2008
                          • 153

                          #13
                          In talking with AirRide in Indiana you could get everything you need with the latest control system and pump for about $4300.00. You could probably lower that cost by going to a different controller but I spoke with Tony and he worked out a kit for my 60. My budget is tied up with other things right now but I still hope to do the AirRide later.
                          sigpic
                          Jim

                          protourbird

                          Comment

                          • SwitchBlade327
                            Apprentice
                            • Jan 1 2008
                            • 60

                            #14
                            I know air ride makes good stuff, but they're way overpriced in my opinion. I have a buddy who hooks me up with airlift stuff, I'm getting a digital setup with an engine driven compressor that retails for around $2700 for less than half that...
                            I'm gonna get the car on the lift this weekend and brainstorm the air ride while I install new mufflers. I'm still hoping to come across more info & pictures of the 58's rear suspension setup though.

                            Comment

                            • Dan Leavens
                              Moderator / Administrator


                              • Oct 4 2006
                              • 6366

                              #15
                              Alistair that is going to be one cool looking Tbird, once all is done and cruisin down the road. Are you considering chroming the front end flap of the hood scoop for a little more accent??? I am doing that with my 60HT that is in having some other stuff being done over the winter.

                              Dano Calgary,Alberta Canada
                              Dano Calgary,Alberta Canada
                              Thunderbird Registry
                              58HT #33317
                              60 HT (Sold )

                              Comment

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