Air Ride aka "bagged"

[HackJob]

has anyone ever seen this setup on an a body or have any info?

[Prospeeder]

Came stock on STE 6000's on the rear. So its definatly possible.

[HackJob]

I mean a setup like this, not a stock "helper spring" setup.

http://www.catalog.prohopper.com/images/AirBag_Kit_AK08_LG.png

[jeffreyclay]

This isn't what the Mexicans use to make the car jump over trash barrels is it? LOL
Honestly though, looks like a pretty sophisticated setup for level ride control.

[HackJob]

no lol your thinking of hydraulics, this is just for adjustable ride height.

[Geoaidan]

Apparently, it's possible.

https://www.hubgarage.com/mygarage/playloud/vehicles/1051

[SilentWing]

Not the same thing as hydros.... BUT if you DO want a car with hydros this guy's down to 4000....
http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/1282944950.html

Sorry, I know he did a good job and put alot of work into it, but I still get a kick out of it.

[CuttyC 3.3]

The kit in that picture looks really close to the right thing,,, I have looked into airbags a while ago.. I do remember that there was one or two complete kits for a-bodies but i forgot where i saw them..

They are out there tho- goin for about $2000 .. That kit there looks very similar except the one i was looking at had front air-struts / not bags ...

I really want to bag my cutty, but i always end up using the money on the engine or on my bass guitar xD xD But if u go for it man, post the process... I luv that kinda stuff

also,, were u goin for a fast-bag kit ? or a slower one ? Oo

[Geoaidan]

SilentWing,



Sorry, I know he did a good job and put alot of work into it, but I still get a kick out of it.

LOL, $10,000 dollars put into it, plus the value of the car.. Only not to be able to sell at $4k. That has gotta hurt... :eek:

That should be called "banged" :banghead:, not "bagged".

[SilentWing]

lol tell me about it, I almost feel bad for the guy because it's been up on craigslist for so long... but then I remember that I can hardly navigate through the celebrities because he puts about 5 posts up a day for it....

Seriously though HackJob, almost anything can be done with enough time effort and money, it all depends on your budget. I'd try to find that kit that Cutty saw for a's to make it alot easier on yourself, but if you do get it going post some pics of the finished project.

[Tonglebeak]

SilentWing,



LOL, $10,000 dollars put into it, plus the value of the car.. Only not to be able to sell at $4k. That has gotta hurt... :eek:

That should be called "banged" :banghead:, not "bagged".

Many people put tens of thousands of dollars in a car only to sell it later on for a much lower price. It's depreciation. Anyone who spends money on a car is going to lose it.

[CuttyC 3.3]

yes , putting a $3000 paintjob on a $900 car with murals of the virgin mary and dragons n stuff :/ Not the greatest idea x)

Believe it or not, but an airbag kit wont depreciate the value too much,, whoever is lookin to buy. I looked at a 70's lincoln that the old man had a slow-bag kit put on just so he culd haul a boat trailer and raise the car when needed. some ppl like them.

Hydraulics are totally diff and require alot more modifications. { im sure its what that celebrity has } they can leak, & end up destroying ur car if ur hopping it all over.

If you can do some of the work yourself, youll save a bit. For a complete airbag system it will prob be under $3000 installed{ kit costs $2000 } nothing has to be welded or fabricated wich helps alot,, unlike hydros.

I am set on puting one on my cutlass, but the l67 swap has to come first xD xD I think they are awesome, just kinda espensive { DO NOT GET A CHEAP SYSTEM !!} These cars look amazing with a drop job,, and handle alot better. I take mine up in the mountains tho to go fishing, so sumtimes i need to be raised up.. xD I look some more for that kit i saw, but u shuld talk to a local shop that does that stuff to see if they have any sources!

[CuttyC 3.3]

oh yeh ,, one more thing,,, if u do eventually bag ur car , its going to ride like a melted stick of butter over a tempur-pedic matress !!! xD xD { in otherwords,, amazing!! }

[Tonglebeak]

yes , putting a $3000 paintjob on a $900 car with murals of the virgin mary and dragons n stuff :/ Not the greatest idea

What's wrong with putting $3k into a $900 car? What if your engine+tranny went? Would you go put $20k into a new car since you don't want to "put $3k into a $900 car" or put the $3k into the car and get another 20-30 years of solid life out of it?

[CuttyC 3.3]

but to put it into a "non original" paintjob & crushed velvet seats, stuff that doesnt have to do with performance :) i dunno

[Tonglebeak]

What if you wanted different cosmetics? Would you go pour the money into a new car or just do it to one you have and save $$? :)

[Geoaidan]

Tonglebeak,


Many people put tens of thousands of dollars in a car only to sell it later on for a much lower price. It's depreciation. Anyone who spends money on a car is going to lose it.

That's true. But, there is a way to control the amount of depreciation. Like for example, if you had a $900 car. You spend $5,000 in making it perfect. Then sell it for $15k. There was this guy here that did something like that. You can spend money into a car, into something that someone else will buy.

Who wants a trunk that you barely can use because some idiot put a cylinder in the middle of it to make it open differently? Look at the picture of that car. That trunk is now worthless.

http://images.craigslist.org/3n93k13maZZZZZZZZZ97mb8f9991525911ec5.jpg

And the mural job. Not everybody likes stuff like that. If that guy had spent something like $1,000 on the paint job and chose a color that brings up the value of the car, without murals... Most likely they'll get a return for that money.

Same thing with the wheels. Not everybody likes little wheels or shocks that make cars bounce. You trash a car like that, you're going to lose money.

http://images.craigslist.org/3k53p33l9ZZZZZZZZZ97m7802b8ff15491c10.jpg

But if you spent money in making it a high performance machine, looks good, is tasteful, and not "ghettoized", then good chance, you'll get most of your money back, maybe even make a profit.

It's like doing a remodel of a house. You want to remodel it, and do it well, so that after you're done with it, it can be sold. That guy wasn't thinking of the future. That guy spent $10k then realized he didn't want it anymore. Ooops. Now nobody wants it.



Cutty,


Believe it or not, but an airbag kit wont depreciate the value too much,, whoever is lookin to buy. I looked at a 70's lincoln that the old man had a slow-bag kit put on just so he culd haul a boat trailer and raise the car when needed. some ppl like them.

That makes sense. Nothing wrong with putting a slow bag kit on a car. I had a Lincoln Town Car with air shocks, it was the nicest ride you'll ever have. :D



George

[CuttyC 3.3]

http://www.airbagit.com/product-p/fbs-old-40-kit3.htm

Well i think this is the one i was looking at ... This one is really sweet because its all prewired, and the whole system comes enclosed in this sweet box... & the whole thing looks pretty well built... Chek the site for your model of car,, you can build ur own kit or buy these complete ones... ill look for a few more !!!

And Geoaidan u are totally correct,,, there is a very limited market with cars like the one above, and they still dont bring in much.. Yes! this took alot of hardwork & money to do this, but it doesnt appeal to everyone. { oy yeh,, not only does the trunk not open properly, but is stuffed full of hydraulic pumps and batteries } totally worthless :/

Air bags in my opinion are much more practical beacause they are not messy, take up less space, cost less, last longer, & i just think they are cool,, but to each his own =D

[Geoaidan]

Awesome. The price's pretty high, though.

I'd think it'd be cheaper to either go to a junkyard and find a car with air ride suspension or buy a cheap car and retrofit the air suspension into the a-body car? (Requires fabricating skills)

There are some Cadillac Devilles with air ride. The weight is about the same as an a-body car. If I were to do this, I'd buy a cheap Cadillac Deville or something and take the air ride suspension out... Put in regular suspension (maybe even use the one from my current ride) in the Caddy, sell the car for the same price I paid for it.

Then install the air ride into my ride. What a good way to save money. :D

[CuttyC 3.3]

xD i know the things arent cheap,, thats why i dont have one yet. This one is more for fun than practical use,, can go front bak , side to side. Only fabrication is drilling some holes, maybe a bit of welding for shok absorbers in the back. not too much tho. no parts to be cannibalized or mok-ups.

Its just all in what the user wants, if i didnt hav school expenses i culd hav all this stuf but ,, eh. Id prob get this one tho if i culd, u can choose between fast or slow delivery, and f,b or f,b,s,s. And besides, they are polished metal looking { come on } thats awesome :D :D hahah

[Geoaidan]

Cutty,


Air bags in my opinion are much more practical because they are not messy, take up less space, cost less, last longer, & i just think they are cool,, but to each his own =D

I'm with ya on that for sure. :rock: As for what you said above about the cost, same here. I am seriously considering doing an air ride job one of these days. It'll be worth it. (I'll leave the trunk alone, I promise. :lol:)


G

[HackJob]

thanks for all the help guys, I dont have my 6000 anymore because it was having issues and I had no money and I still dont but im working on that right now. I was just trying to research for a possible near future project and I have a photshopped pic of my old wagon "laying frame" and I just thought it looks kickass.

[HackJob]

Here is the photoshopped pic of my old wagon.

http://i36.tinypic.com/33ccc1x.jpg

[Geoaidan]

Hackjob,

I think that it'd look ok if you changed the paint, removed the trim, removed the roof rack, changed the mirrors, tint the windows, and etc.. Leaving it stock and low-ride it actually makes it look like your shocks are blown to the ground. Just my honest opinion.

[HackJob]

you really think it looks bad? lol I like the look its all good though, you are right about the chrome trim atleast its a bit excessive.

[CamoDeafie]

actually..2 tone it with silver and black, or whatever color is inside the car, with tasteful third color pinstriping, polished wheels, or satin silver wheels, maybe 16 inches of pontiac wheels.......then it might look much better.....black out the trim, two tone it from the trim to bottom, OR go from the fender edge/blackout trim and go below from that....that might do you quite a bit better......

[Geoaidan]

^I'm with Camo on that^

For me, at least anyway, when someone wants to do a lowrider, they should make it obvious that it's a lowrider. When you have a stock car that's slammed to the ground, it might seem that the shocks are gone. But when the car has been customized a little bit- say, like the 2 tone paint that Camo suggested- it'd be obvious that it was intentional, and that there's nothing wrong with the shocks.

[HackJob]

I think they will know the shocks arent blown when I lift it up and down with a touch of button...

[Geoaidan]

LOL, So I suppose every time somebody gives you a funny look, you'll press that button and grin. :D

[Prospeeder]

I say get some 16 inch transport rims/STE Tint the windows, And lower it a few inches and it would look freakin sick.

[SilentWing]

Agreed, especially with a paint job as clean as that