[OPIES_OPEL_GT]

Air ride on a GT wow! huh. . . wish it was easier. does anyone know how I would go about putting air ride on the front of my GT, I know how I'm going to go about doing the rear. The problem I run into with the front is the use of the single leaf spring that runs left to right. I'm told 80's corvettes are setup like this too. someone told me to remove all but one of the springs from the leaf spring assembly. but I think that would provide for a disaster. My other option is to modernize the front suspension and fabricate a whole new front suspension assembly which would provide me with a headache more than anything. If anyone knows how to go about doing this or knows someone who has done it for this style of front suspension (even corvettes), let me know so that I may talk to them or hear any ideas that any of you who read this can come up with. Thanks for any help -Scott (Opie)

 

[GTJIM (R.I.P.)]

Scott, looks like none of us know what "air ride" is.
Are they some type of air suspension spring replacement that is adjustable for ride height??? Pics or a web address may help us! Always interesed in new stuff for use on GTs.

 

[soybean (R.I.P.)]

Are you you speaking of Air Shocks? If so, I belive it was Citroen, (sp?)sometime in the 70s, that you could control the ride height by using a button on the console to active an air compressor to raise or lower the height of the car, via air lines run to air skocks. If you could adapt it to an Opel, my thinking is maybe to lower it, as the speed increased?
Citroen also had a car that the headlights were connected to the steering control rods, that pivoted the headlights as you turned the steering wheel enabling you to see around corners better. They were banned by the Govt. for some reason or another after one or two years? Now some of the newer cars are touting the same thing. Go figure? Maybe someone else remembers them. It's been a long time ago 20+ years and I get CRS sometimes. Jarrell

 

[bear]

Jarrell, Citroens were not the first car to use moveable headlights, the Tucker was the innovator of that setup. They also had an pancake opposed 6 cylinder helicopter engine in the cars. A trick setup, because the engine was originally designed to run with the crankshaft vertical. If you get the chance and it comes back on cable television, it is an interesting story of one man's attempt to go against the big 3 way back in the early years of automotive history, and the back room dealings that caused the demise of a really good and safe car.

Also, the 1956 Packard Clipper had air suspension as standard equipment. I remember filling one up at my uncle's gas station, and being amazed that when the owner turned on the key, the rear end jacked itself up level, after being filled with 16 gallons of gas.

And my neighbor with a chopped 50 Mercury, has air shocks front and rear on his ride. He lowers it by dumping the air and lifts it by air compressor in his garage through a single schraeder valve fitting in the rear of the car.

 

[greensmurf20]

tucker was the innovator of many other things also, DISC BRAKES INCLUDED!!! that is a very interesting story, and i agree with ron, the cable special is a must see.

back on subject

i believe by air ride Opie is talking about a air bag setup. pump the bags up, and it can set at a normal ride height, let the air out of the bags, and it drops right onto the ground for shows and things of the such. kinda pricy setups.

 

[RallyBob]

They have car-specific setups for newer cars...pretty big $$$$.

I was recently pricing out some of the 'generic' do-it-yourself systems for my Sportwagon and they're still $1100-$1700 depending on the quality of compressor, fittings, and valves which raise/lower the car.

I'll stick with coil springs and racing shocks!

Bob

 

[OPIES_OPEL_GT]

Yes, I was talking about the air bags to raise and lower a car at your will. I figured out that to be able to do this for the rear I would have to run a 4 link suspension (nobody(the screen name)helped me out with this) and get rid of the panhard. but that still leaves the front. if anyone comes up with any ideas, you'll be sure to get all the credit for it, I just want to be able to do something different with my opel that few if any have done before. Open for ideas -Scott

 

[OrangPeEL]

Gravity&air vs. hydraulic&spring

Hey Scott-

I have 4corner factory air-ride in my Expy... great for level towing and off-road clearance... but air springs only "push/lift". Going down is ALL gravity... and "how far down" is limited by suspension.

I suspect you want to "drop"... and primarily for show. So, maybe you really want hydraulics... which can push and/or pull.

With air OR fluid, if you want GT to "turtle" (wheels/legs inside with belly on ground) then you'll need adequate pivot travel at all 4 corners... and that would be with something totally different than what's bolted there now... not to mention re-routing exhaust.

However, if you're content with just being VERRRY dropped while stopped, it may be more feasible using hydraulics to pull/hold GT body down INTO existing spring load (maybe just 1 cyl pulling down rear, & 2 more for each end of front leaf). Then, when released/moving, you'd retain drivability.

Gravity&air vs. hydraulic&spring - gee, just a MINOR consideration : I understand GT a-arms aren't too forgiving of "extracurricular" activity... so pulling on them may result in bending and permanent alignment issues.

JMTCW of rambling
-Dan

 

[nobody]

We had discussed the idea of using the bag idea inside the rear springs and air shocks for the front to raise it when needed. I had pointed out some of the geometry issues with a lowered car and that was the reason I recommended the 4 link in the back. The idea we tossed about was to lower the car using aftermarket springs and set the geometry for that height, then all you would need to do is be able to pump it up to clear things in the road. It's an interesting idea and is worth pursuing especially if the car is lowered any real amount. I know for a fact that a speed bump in my car means it is time to park it and walk as it will not clear some that are in town.

 

[soybean (R.I.P.)]

Wow Ron, Grant, I learn more new things every day. I'll do some reasearch on Tucker as it, he, sounds very interesting. You can teach an old dog new tricks. Jarrell