Bagged Baby Bird?

[Solo57Bird]

So, I have been looking at various different suspension setups for my 57' restoration and one out of curiosity is an air ride setup. Anyone ever bagged their 50's model Tbird? It seems to be big on the later square bird boats 60s-70s models, but me let me see your 50's bird bagged.
The one thing I am not sure of is the rear. Since we have a leaf spring in the back, they are calling to remove a few leafs from the stack and use a 2' lowering block. Talking with Eaton Detroit Spring they say adding a lowering black is a mistake. They can make the leaf spring higher or lower up to 3" if you wanted.

Anyway, show me some pics of your bagged baby bird and tell me about your experience and setup.

[ranchbird]

The only one I've seen on here is on page 6 of this section, the title is-My 1956 ford thunderbird, greetings from texas.

[55blacktie]

Air bags, like coilovers, take the place of leaf springs; you don't use both. However, you do retain leaf springs when using air shocks, not air bags.

Keep in mind that air bags and coilovers, unlike air shocks, are not direct bolt-on; they require substantial suspension/frame modifications for installation.

[Solo57Bird]

Yeah, I am looking at the option of removing the old sagging leaf springs and doing a 4-link suspension possibly, as it could be more cost effective then buying new springs and I would have more control over ride height.
The RideTech Shockwave mounts right to where the rear shock were.

[55blacktie]

Interesting, but at $970 just for the Shockwaves, how is it going to be cheaper than replacing leaf springs? It will be nice to adjust ride height, but what about ride quality? What do you intend to do with the front suspension?

[Solo57Bird]

I uhh, haven't really figured that out yet there Blacktie :)
For the front you would put on an AirTech Coolride air spring and shock, and that would run ya another $975 for just that.
All said and done, to fully bag your Tbird would run ya about a cool $4k to do and that's more than this ol' cowboy makes :)

Not sure.. I will probably just put on new old school coil springs from CASCO $59 each and new shocks $50 each for the front and some Gabreal air shocks in the back for $150 (they are better than the Monroe) and just live with that for a while to at least have the car drivable once I get the restoration done. which is far down the line. I just pulled the 312 Y block out and will be going through that while I clean out and sand the motor bay, rebuild the power steering, front disc brake conversion and brake power booster .. you know a weekend job :)

I cannot afford to just take my bird to a shop and say "here do all this for me" I have to do all the work myself and parts bit by bit

[55blacktie]

I think it's a matter of priorities. Some people would not only spend their last dime on their cars, they would also go into debt. Being retired, a car isn't important enough to me to go down that road; besides, I think my wife of 42 years might have something to say about it, like "DIVORCE!" Finishing my car won't be a life-changer, but a divorce would be.

If you are interested, send a PM, and I'll share what I've done to my 55 and what I intend to do.

Merry Christmas!