rear suspension

[xuno_gil]

Hello everyone, so I have a 59 T-bird that I want to bad, i know the rear leaf springs are an issue but I have read somewhere that the option might exist of swaping in the components of an earlier bird, well i might have a 56 lincoln mark II that I can get as a parts car, does anyone know about the compatibility of that rear and and suspension parts as a swap for my 59 t-bird to be able to make the bags installation work better?
Any info on this would be helpful as well as if anyone know what all I would need and how much modification, thanks everyone!!!

[KULTULZ]

The 56 MARK has leaf spring suspension also.

If you are wanting to bag with full height options, look at the 58 BIRD rear suspension (coil- designed from factory for the period FORD AIR-RIDE SYSTEM).

If you are wanting just ride comfort, I am sure there is an aftermarket system designed for leaf springs.

BTW- The 58 BIRD control arms are also designed to bag (outboard front shocks).

[xuno_gil]

wow ok so your telling me the 58 has coil rear suspension instead of leaf springs? even though the 58 and 59 are just about the same? Yes I am looking to be able to control full ride height plus have the comfort.
It was my impression that the pre squarebird t-birds where the ones with the coil rear suspension, so it seams like I might be wrong then.
Can you tell me what are the vehicles I would be able to source the parts from, in top of the 58 thunderbird?
And once I find a donor will it be best to swap out the whole rear end to include suspension and axel or should I be able to to just take the suspension parts and modify them into my current axel and unibody frame? Thanks again

[RustyNCa]

wow ok so your telling me the 58 has coil rear suspension instead of leaf springs? even though the 58 and 59 are just about the same? Yes I am looking to be able to control full ride height plus have the comfort.
It was my impression that the pre squarebird t-birds where the ones with the coil rear suspension, so it seams like I might be wrong then.
Can you tell me what are the vehicles I would be able to source the parts from, in top of the 58 thunderbird?
And once I find a donor will it be best to swap out the whole rear end to include suspension and axel or should I be able to to just take the suspension parts and modify them into my current axel and unibody frame? Thanks again

Yep, the 58 has upper and lower control arms with coil springs, it was a one year only deal and my 58 has it. One problem with it, it has lots of bushings etc. and the rebuild kit is expensive. The other is it didn't come with a rear sway bar, and I still haven't come up with a way to add one, which it needs.

But I also have heard very few made it out the door with the air ride installed. Mine sure didn't.

And I should add Kultulz is talking about the front control arms being setup to run shocks either in the shock tower or outside the control arms, or I suppose if you wanted to both, or four shocks up front. I added a link to a photo of our 58 front end where you can see I ran the shock outboard. I didn't realize at first I had the option of outboard and inside the tower.

Regarding finding a donor if you don't have a 58, it would probably be easier to adapt what you have, or figure out a way to change to a bagged triangulated four link back there.

Here is a Ford advert about the Air Suspension in the 58....

[KULTULZ]

Edit!

The only documentation I have come across is the early release of AIRE-RIDE on a limited number of 58 FAIRLANE's. It was a huge failure. All high trim car lines were scheduled to receive it (option) but FORD put a halt to it.

The 58 BIRD suspension was specifically designed for air (it being an option - coil springs standard). The FAIRLANE used trailing arms and leaf springs.

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...did i say that?...

The 58 FORD used trailing arms with bags for their rear AIRE-RIDE.



This system might be easier to fabricate on a BIRD.

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Unless you have a complete donor (some brackets are welded to the rear end housing making it unique also), it would probably be easier and cheaper to fabricate a true four link for the rear suspension, especially if you want it to squat.

[RustyNCa]

The only documentation I have come across is the early release of AIRE-RIDE on a limited number of 58 FAIRLANE's. It was a huge failure. All high trim car lines were scheduled to receive it (option) but FORD put a halt to it.

The 58 BIRD suspension was specifically designed for air (it being an option - coil springs standard). The FAIRLANE used trailing arms and leaf springs.

Unless you have a complete donor (some brackets are welded to the rear end housing making it unique also), it would probably be easier and cheaper to fabricate a true four link for the rear suspension, especially if you want it to squat.

Yeah, I was reading over on the HAMB where some guys claim to have seen or worked on a 58 Bird with the air suspension installed(the first time I had ever heard of any being out there).

FWIW, another option may be to have the guys at HotRods to **** setup a truck arm style suspension with bags for the bird. I have a couple friends running his stuff and they really like the ride, handling and ease of adapting to bags.

[xuno_gil]

another option may be to have the guys at HotRods to **** setup a truck arm style suspension with bags for the bird. I have a couple friends running his stuff and they really like the ride, handling and ease of adapting to bags.

RustyNCa- how much do you think something like this would put me back?

And KULTULZ, when you mentioned fabricating a true four link rear suspension would I be welding everything to the rear axel? I guess I'm wondering how much I'm going to be able to do since I don't have a frame to work with.

Thanks all

[KULTULZ]

There's a frame. You just have to strengthen it.

GOOGLE Four-Link Rear Suspension and you should get an idea of what is involved.

[RustyNCa]

RustyNCa- how much do you think something like this would put me back?

Thanks all

Well, His standard setups seem to run 2,000 and there is a stage II setup that is designed to handle 650 and up horsepower for 300 more(not sure why you wouldn't spend the extra 300 just in case). He doesn't have anything for the birds, so it would be custom, so probably more than that. But his system come with everything needed, brackets, shocks, etc. I do see that he has done a Lincoln Continental

The nice thing about the center drive truck arm setup is you are basically running what they run in the Winston Cup. I have been told, they launch really well at the strip, ride nice and corner really good.

I ran our gen 4 Camaro SS and some modified STI's in an autocross against a guy with a 64 or 65 Chevy II running his suspension system along with a Nationwide motor, well, he killed all of us.

I would guess you would be in a typical four link close to $800 before you started any fab work for the parts.

Note those dollars are before anything dealing with the bags.

If his stuff interests you, I would be happy to let him use one of my squarebirds for mock up. I have one of each year sitting in the backyard and he is about 10 minutes from my house....

[xuno_gil]

If his stuff interests you, I would be happy to let him use one of my squarebirds for mock up. I have one of each year sitting in the backyard and he is about 10 minutes from my house....

I might have to talk to them about it, it wont be for another month or two before I get to the T-bird as I have some other things in front of it but I'm definitely going to keep it in mind as and option, it will either be that or making it myself so I'll do some research till I get to it, you might hear from me in a month or so, we will see, thanks

[KULTULZ]

Excerpt From -AUTOMOTIVE MILEPOSTS - 1958 THUNDERBIRD-

Originally intended to accommodate Ford Aire Suspension, possibly as standard equipment, the new Bird was equipped with coil springs all around. The large towers needed to accommodate the air domes for the air system had been finalized as part of the design before the decision was made to cancel the air suspension system. It seems that a few early Ford models equipped with Ford Aire were creating customer service issues for dealers. Reports of Ford owners waiting in excess of 15 minutes with the car idling to "air up" the domes after overnight periods prompted Ford to cancel the option. This left the Thunderbird with unequal length A-arms with coil springs up front, and trailing link type coil springs in the rear with upper links on each side running almost parallel with the arms. Torque reacting links were added to eliminate wheel hop under acceleration, which they did. However, they CAUSED it on washboard surfaces. Handling characteristics were at times a bit sloppy due to the suspension design. MacPherson-strut front suspension was considered at one point, but shelved due to cost considerations.

[GTE427]

Excerpt From -AUTOMOTIVE MILEPOSTS - 1958 THUNDERBIRD-

Gary,

Take a look at post #8 in the following thread if you missed this one.

http://www.squarebirds.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5856&highlight=AIRE

[KULTULZ]

Yeah, I got that...

FORD released a separate shop manual for the 1958 FORD AIRE-RIDE. Do you have any other pages?

[GTE427]

Yeah, I got that...

Do you have any other pages?

Yes, thats a page from the manual you mentioned, about fifteen or so pages. On the shelf somewhere.

[KULTULZ]

And KULTULZ, when you mentioned fabricating a true four link rear suspension would I be welding everything to the rear axel? I guess I'm wondering how much I'm going to be able to do since I don't have a frame to work with.

Thanks all

I am thinking that a trailing arm suspension (FORD used such a system on it's 58 FORD AIRE-RIDE) would probably be the cheapest way out.

Here is an illustration-






Bags would go in place of the coil springs.

-REAR SUSPENSION TYPES TECH ARTICLE-