But what happens when you hit a bump to use the total suspension travel? You bottom out the frame and maybe bend or brake something.
Also, my 56 sits ok to me in this scenario with just Aerostar springs and 2” blocks. However, I keep thinking of 3” blocks soon since I rarely haul 2 adults, 4 kids, and a full trunk anymore.
Don't fix something that is not broken. The car looks good as it sits. 3" blocks give the rear axle a lot of twisting leverage over the springs. That is OK if you don't have much power, or don't use what you power you have very often.
5-1/2-inch Channel -- The Chrysler Hemi helped lower the front with some weight-savers like aluminum radiator, intake manifold, water pump and tubular headers.
Lol…the “not much power” made me laugh since that is definitely what it has currently. However, I hope to fix that problem sometime in the near future.
I'm just saying what I've been told. I know not every air suspension leaks, but it's surprising how many air ride owners have told me that in the last two years. Keep in mind that air suspensions are not factory designed like the systems on big rigs like you mention. If a pump keeps up with leaks in the system, the driver of the car has less reason to actually fix the issues.
<---------- Aerostar coils/dropped uprights, c-notched a little up front. Rear is 4 inch block, lowered rear springs, with slightly modified perches/hangers, frame notched, floor relieved. I do run a set of air shocks, (no tank or compressor) with about 50 to 70 pounds normally, otherwise it would be a bit soft in back.
I've never quite understood why people agonize over the correct rim/tyre combination and then lower the car so much you can't see the wheels.
Nuttin if you got good springs! There were a couple of large fellows that lived a few miles from me, both are deceased now. Lomax and Fred were two LARGE men, about 6’2” and probably 500 lbs each, maybe more. One of their hands was double the size of mine, they had biceps larger than my thighs. They filled the front seat of their 64 Chevy 4 door, their dad sometimes rode with them, he was about 5’5” and probably weighed 110 lbs soaking wet, he had to sit in the back seat, no room in the front. If you saw the car with only one in it, it had a severe lean to the drivers side, with both in it, it would make any low rider proud! They were working men, they drove trucks and worked in the woods, and they loved their alcohol .Both were good friends to have, but I sure wouldn’t have wanted one of them mad at me! Last I saw the old Chevy was after Fred p***ed, it still sat low, like you had torched the springs.
Hello, Our history with lowering dealt with what was available at the time. It was either clamp the coils to get it where you wanted it in the front. Tried to ride around with the coils clamped was a frustrating matter as they would stay in the adjustment on flat roads, but the minute you went over a dip in the road or intersection, the coils flexed and things happened. One, the clamps fell off due to the coil flex. Two, one fell off and the other cramped the coil on the other side, creating a slightly off set look. Not good on both accounts. The first attempt was to follow other teenage trials of “cut at least 2 coils for a 2 inch drop.” After that, it looked good, but the front end was so low that something s****ed as we backed out of the driveway. So, it looked very low and now we had to get another set of coil springs. The side, under the door, chrome lakes pipes hit the ground first and then it was all over. So, those got removed. Another friend took those and put them on his normal height car. Now, he had the look of being slightly lower, due to the 2 inch lakes pipes sitting under the door. After the lakes pipes were taken off of the “lowered rake” cruiser… Finally, we decided to go with 1.5 inch drop in front thanks to our local neighborhood muffler guy who helped with the exact coil cut. That allowed the rake look that worked for being low, but did not s****e, except for the most extreme angle slopes. Drive in dips, the steep driveways of various parking lots, etc. Jnaki We did not have to lower the back as there were usually a couple of teenagers in the back and it lowered the whole car during drives. Sitting still, the rake was just fine. There were still the down tube exhaust outlets and that was fine. Low, but not s****ing. So, everything was legal for any measurement from the CHP or local law enforcement. Note: If there were such things as adjustable air bags or springs back then, we would have purchased them. It would have made the lowering for cool cruising simple and easy. But, that was 67 years ago. Today, if one wanted to get adjustments for what ever the situation, then that is the only way to go. For those that go to the extremes of lowering, that is their choice. We just liked the rake look and once the good position was found, then it was alright for all sorts of cruising. For us, excellent springs, shocks and suspension made for an excellent ride. There is nothing else... YRMV
I think the original theme for this thread was not to condemn "a well designed adjustable suspension". The stated "broken" look speaks for itself. Thanks everyone for showing me many great examples of cool ride heights and letting me know that I'm not alone in this crazy world. Tim
I chopped the coils a turn and a half and used two inch blocks in the back. The Exhaust is a little low and does drag if you are not careful where you drive. The car has a new owner as of a couple of weeks ago. We had a hard time getting it loaded on his trailer He called me a few days later and told me he was going to raise it up, it was lower than his 34 Cabriolet. I think it looked "just right"
Isn't someone gonna help that poor man? He can barely walk after driving that "chiropractors dream boat".
I had to reply to this one, as I actually have a photo of my old beater '57 Plymouth's front crossmember being overtaken by the gr*** in a field. It was just turned down torsion bars and blocks, and I drove it all over just like this. Keep an eye out for potholes and you're golden.
My Chrysler is low, but not that low. Same as the wagon, lowered via turned down torsion bars and blocks.
I would have serious doubts that your wagon could make it around the block at my place right now. The roads around here are seriously bad. Several streets there would not be enough road surface to dodge the pot holes, heaved up pavement, raised or sinking manhole covers, or even the 1 1/2" drop off from my driveway to the street level (that was at one time level, before the city redid the pavement in front of our home).
They're called old sayings for a reason. Some perfect examples of "low and slow"! Had nothing to do with horse power and everything to do with scrub line.
The Jalopy Journal
