Air bags, resting it on the ground: ultimate posing?

I realize that different strokes for different folks is what makes hot rodding work, but I gotta ask--
Am I the only one that thinks the time, effort and expense of putting airbags on your vehicle, just so you can set it on the rockers when you park it, is retarded?

I know we all want our cars to look good, but I've always been of the opinion that a car should look...well, look good while it's driving. It should convey a feeling that makes you want to drive down the road in it. When you cruise by, people stop and look at the car, and you are cool because you are in that long, low custom. Or they don't want to mess with you, because the car is bad-ass and will blow their doors off.
Speed. Style. Performance. Cruising.
Even when a car is on the show field or in the parking lot, you look at it and right there, the way it sits, you envision it going down the road--cruising with ZZ-Top funking "I'm baaaaad....I'm Na-a-ation wi-i-i-eyed..." or the violent energy of G&N's "Welcome to the Jungle" as you look for the the next import, Mustang or Camaro to come your way. Chopped, frenched and lowered, or high and tight with a 6:71 and radiused wheel wells, it's all about getting from Point A to Point B in a way that makes others wish they were behind the wheel. Or at least riding shotgun.

But airbags and "setting it on the ground" is all about parking. There's absolutely nothing else it can do, but sit there in that one spot, until you raise it back up off the ground...to a level where you can actually make it look cool...going from Point A to Point B.
A lowered car is righteous, but it's righteous going down the road.

Am I alone on this?
-Brad

 

It's the "broken-down" or "I've busted my upper arms" look.....didn't ya know?

Ultimately, ALL cars at ANY show are about posing/peer approval to some degree.

 

Have you ever driven a lowered car? You drag on speed bumps,You drag on small animals , you drag on paint stripes on the road. Air bags are the best of both worlds you set low when you want to look good and you can raise the car to get those dead critters that were too tall to clear the crossmember.

 

But airbags and "setting it on the ground" is all about parking. There's absolutely nothing else it can do, but sit there in that one spot, until you raise it back up off the ground...Am I alone on this?
-Brad[/QUOTE]

You are missing a big part of why some people like air bags. I chose airbags not to just set my car on the ground. I like my car to sit low while I am driving it. But, having driven many a lowered car (without bags) I wanted the ability to raise it up quickly to avoid bothersome speedbumps and driveways. Not to mention that airbagged cars (when done right) are some of the best riding lowered cars that I have ever ridden it. It is not just about settin it on the ground..........


FONZI

 

Not only is the ride height easily adjustable, but the ride quality is superior to anything else. You can have a car only inches from the ground, but has the same soft suspension feel as a modern Cadillac while driving. Of course, laying it out when parked is just a bonus. Laying it out while driving is, well, sometimes a bonus until you drag the lower controls arms off like I did. All in good fun.

 

Yes I can see your point but you have to see mine and that is that there is nothing better than rolling down the rode and a soccer mom, or any one for that matter,pulling up next to you looking like what the hell are you supposed to be and you just looking over given the finger hittn a switch and lettin the sparks fly. Just to watch her reaction. that in its self is the shit.

 

HELL NO i use my bagges all the time for the "look" while crusin' hieght to get in and out of driveways to drag the back bumper for a kewl spark show and yes to "post up" at crusin's plus chicks dig it nuf said
RAYDAY

 

my car lays frame when i want it to. rolling down the road, i can keep it at 3 inches off the ground and have amazing ride quality. then, when needed, i can pump the fucker up high as hell and get in and out of the steepest driveways, or across the biggest speed bumps. the car looks good at all points. i've got the best of all worlds. posing??? if you say so.... but i built a car that isn't limited by much of anything the road can throw at me.

 

i understand where your comin from....but doesnt it look cool?

 

All my cars lay on the floor. I have a really good ride with all of them. Its all about the adjustability. I can be a taildragger and with the flip of a switch I can have old school rake, or if your tailgatin me your gonna have a shower of sparks like you never seen before. So if your gonna go through the trouble to bag it it might as well lay out. I know allot of people who go through allot of trouble me included to make sure it lays. not all people like it but I dont say your cars stoopid cuz it dont lay. Variety is what its all about, bags just give you more options. Ive bagged cars for people (that lay rocker or even door) and they never even hit the switches. Its just cool to know you can.

 

I think I'm with ya, Brad. Cars laying frame look too 21st Century to my eye. The time period most of us want to capture didn't have cars that low. It's cool, but in a mini truck way.

Mileage may vary here.

 

Why is that so important to you.

It means something to the person that built it that way.

There is a Street Rodder here in town that is furious with me for not keeping the Halibrands on my Truck shined up.

Same thing...

Dont like it?

Build something better...

 

You are entitled to your option.
Its your $$ and your ride.

We all build cars to suit our own tastes, if others dig it, cool, if not well as long as the owner likes it that’s all that matters.

I really dig the “on the ground “ look, yes it took a lot of work to get my car to sit so low, but for me it was worth it.
You don’t like it, its cool ‘cuze it’s not your ride. But it makes me smile.

Because of my driveway I could not lower my car more then 3” from stock or I would not make it into my garage.
Not acceptable.
Bags to the rescue!

In closing, the last thing I want to see on a leadsled or custom is MOST of the rear tire!
But that’s me.

 

I agree to a point. I think it's a level of one-up-manship in a way. Timmy's car is lowered with blocks and cut coils and sits 3" off the ground. Bobby says "fuck Timmy, I'll slam my car to the ground". Obviously can't go any lower than that.

Parking is just as important cruising a lot of times too. There's a certain appeal to having a car that has so much curb appeal that guys envy you and girls wanna go for a ride. Fast cars are awesome, but let's face it, you gotta stop at some point to pick the girls up. That's where the look and the sound come into play. Primer and rattiness is fine, but when you have chrome and paint gleaming, and your stance is just right...you're money as hell and you know it. Air bags make much of this possible

 

the lower to the ground the closer to hell, thats where were all goin anyway
if its to low your to old
if sparks dont fly your to high
if it dont lay your gay
24 hour road reflector collector
if you aint draggin quit braggin
thats all I can think of right now. but theres none that say
high centered on speedbumps is cool
stuck in the driveway is neato
I think i just lost my muffler In that dip
or even better
average ride height is cool

 

Bobby says "fuck Timmy, I'll slam my car to the ground". Obviously can't go any lower than that.
Oh yes you can but lifting the wheels up while sitting on the ground is just showin off.

 

Flagrant, in your face, "LOOK AT ME," Cock-o'-the-Walk POSING is what CUSTOM CARS is all about, Moving or grooving.
However you strut your feathers is your own game.
It is a semi-humanized animal mating game you know.
There's no rules in the ritual, just who get's to go home with the prettiest or the most hen wins.

 

Actually it's French.

(some Citroen's can lift a wheel.)

 

well brad if you dont have baggs you dont know about the ride, all the lowerd cars i had before bags rode like crap.......

 

can i take a DS 23 Safari to the next hot rod show then...

 

I've had both, and I probably won't put bags on something I plan on puting miles on ever again. As good as they can be installed they still have problems. I never liked the fact that if you blow a line or bag, you're then sliding down the road. And I don't know how many times at a show I see a beautiful car up on jacks because something went wrong woth the airbags and the guy has to fix it to get it home.

As far as looks, I think a layed out ride looks awesome. On the other hand I respect the hardcore who drive em on the ground everyday without airbags, and I think a non bagged ride can look just as awesome. I won't call it posing because the engineering behind it CAN be impressive, and I can't blame someone for wanting the adjustability. Like I said, their just not for me.

 

If ya trick out the doors so they swing up and put a "Den-of-Iniquity" diamond tuck crushed velvet interior with five square feet of smoked mirrors and a bar in it....SURE!!!

Do they make dubs for cars with three lug nuts?

 

I'm with you Brad. I say get it as low as you can (and driveable) without bags, now that's cool. I don't think "bags" are traditional either, and don't think they were around in the 50's? But to each his own I guess, if it's your ride and you wanna bag it go ahead.

 

If the layed on the rockers look is Traditional, it's not a very old tradition. Back in the sixties I remember, the cars with hydros, didn't sit ON the ground. It looks cool, but it looks new style.

 

Getting stranded can't happen if the typical production car doesn't get the frame "C"d to lay frame.
They hit frame bumpers before they scrape.
The bitch still is if ya toss a tire tread and it takes out an air or hydraulic line, but it just as easily could take out a brake line, so, if you're destined to drown, you'll never hang.

In any case, you should carry an "emergency kit"
That's four foot-long hunks of 2x4 to put between frame and axle, to get ya home, or at least away from all the people laughing at ya at the diner....

I can see bags for ride quality, and getting out the driveway but for "different' it's not, in fact it's getting to be "normal" almost to the point of boring.

I think a real "Oh WOW" would be a pair of built in Gyros and roll on just one wheel, like in those Syd Mead illustrations of vehices of the future.

 

I think a real "Oh WOW" would be a pair of built in Gyros and roll on just one wheel, like in those Syd Mead illustrations of vehices of the future.

HUH? Ya mean like riding a unicycle holding a lamb filled pita sandwich?

 

Chevy's and Caddy's had them available in '57 on the '58 model line, but they only layed (close to) frame if they leaked down over night...

 

The Lower The better..when I can aford Bags I'm gettin em...The Yellow frame rails can be a Pain in the Ass..
This is Low and it's frigin killer!! Poncho's Old Bird is one of The Coolest T Birds I have ever seen and when it's sittin in The Dirt it looks Awesome..
Just my opinion...

 

thats good!