Lively13

Ok so i recently just got this car 3 months ago, and when i drive over in slight un-avoidable bump my rear end bounces a litle and the tire scrapes the wheel-well. So i told my mechanic and he said he used to throw air shocks on these types of cars. And it will lift the back a little giving it the edge im going for. He said parts and installation $200 and will mount the air hose behind the gas door so its hidden and easy access.

BTW thats with no one in the car when people are in the car.... JESUS!!

OPINIONS AND OPTIONS ETC!!

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

I'd suggest replacing the struts/shocks and perhaps springs. Who knows how old the current shocks/struts on your car are. If nothing else (and this isn't a fix), throw some fourthgen spring isolators on. They should raise the rear an inch or so.

You might consider a search on air shocks. You may quickly change your mind.

JamesC

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (15)

no to air shocks

and what wheels and tires are on the back of the car? i ask because stock wheels and size tires will not hit the wheel wells, even when the car bottoms out, so you much have something else on the car, and that is possibly most of the issue.

Lively13

1. I have done research and the only thing im getting is people that do like it and say its great and people who are just against it and never did it to there own vehicle. I personally like the way it looks and lifts the vehicle an extra 2-6 inches. IDK i do plan on replacing the struts too.

2. I dont know the size off hand. i will check in the morning and post it up. i do know that they are taller and much wider than stock. The rim is only 15 inch though.

firebird904

When I bought my old firebird it had air shocks on them and they were terrible. The ride just wasn't comfortable and the novelty of being able to raise and lower the back end gets old fast and IMO isn't worth losing ride quality. I would get some good replacement shocks/springs.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Air shocks look ridiculous. Cars with a fake rake look ridiculous. It looks stupid.

I woudlnt care except that you're forcing the car to support a portion of it's weight on the shock mounts, and that is also a bad idea.

One day you'll wise up, hopefully before your shock mounts come apart.

If you just want that "rake" look you're better off doing it the proper way by cutting the front springs and putting some big drag radials on the back.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

NO!!

Apart from the question of looking like a hilljack refugee from the 60s, or the ride quality, which are matters of personal preference, the real issue is that the place on the car body that the shocks bolt to, can't support the vehicle's weight. It's just a hole in the sheet metal of the floor pan. The shock will literally PUNCH the floor pan right out. Happens even WITHOUT air shocks, just from the normal stress of absorbing shocks.

Do it right. Replace the springs. Easier and more likely to succeed; and better yet, cheeeper.

89rs454

Get moog IROC springs 5665s rear they will raise that *** up quite a bit, just look at my picture 3 inches off the back lol. I'm ready to cut some spring because it looks stupid on these cars.

blue85305

no to air shocks, they ride like ****. and there are affordable options for stock replacement shocks.

Lively13

my Rear tire size is 255/60/15

89rs454

My rear size is 275s and mine don't stick out that far even with a 96 rear end, If i were you first i would get new wheels, then worry about shocks and springs. And the mud flaps have to go imo.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

That whole setup looks like cold yesterday's leftover a**.... nothing fits, and the wheels stick out in space as if there's some tire there but those are probably not even as wide as the stock IROC pizza-cutters.

Poseur all the way.

If it was me, I'd ditch the misfit wheels, get something wide, and go from there. The tires are basically wore out anyway so it's time you gotta do SOMETHING, might as well fix the mess rather than hacking the car to accommodate it.

And the mud flaps. {puuuuuuuuuuuuukkkkkkkkkkkke} I once beat a guy down a good $500 on a 78 Z28 that had .... those .... on it, because they made the car so ugly. Must have been in about 85 or 86. I took them off and sold the car for $200 more than THAT just because it wasn't so .... utt bucking fugly ... any more, afterwards. You REALLY should abolish those before you let the public see it.

I'm glad I'm not in a really bad mood, or I could possibly be harsh... but I'm being as gentle as possible.

Lively13

NO NO NO, i agree i dont like the flaps either, im going to take them off actually. However i dont have alot of cash at the moment so im doing what i can with what ive got.

Im not to good on tire sizes yet, but if 275's are wider than 255's, then why are mine wider?
Could the guy have put spacers maybe?

BTW before anyone disses the color (if you can see it behind the dirt) I am planning on going to a primer untill i can get a good paint job. I dont like the purple at all.

91 Droptop

I am guessing they are not stock rims, that is why they stick out so much, wrong spacing

Lively13

Ill take a pic within the hour and post it.

SDTransAM

iTrader: (5)

I had air shocks on my old '81. It had some when I bought it, they leaked, replaced them with new ones, and they leaked down after 3-4 days. My old '81 had the old school muscle car look, raised rear end with 295 tires. So that's why I wanted them, it was such a PITA to keep the air up, they always leaked down at the worst time.

Lively13

Rims that came with my car... dono if there stock or good or what, personally i think they look nice.

91 Droptop

Theres your problem, wrong back spacing, go to a junk yard and pick up a stock set of rims

Lively13

Good to know.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

No one is gonna pick on you about the color. They ARE gonna pick on you about rolling around with giant mudflaps, ridiculous wheels that sit out 3 feet on each side, having a dirty ride, and rolling around in primer.

All of those things by themselves are puke worthy.

For the love of god do NOT primer the car.


The proper way to get a rake is to lower the car and put big tires on the back. That's how it is done.

Lively13

How about a flat black untill i get to a paint shop? or should i just leave it like it is until i get enough cash to do it right?

Im taking the mudflaps off tomorrow lol, i didnt like them and i can see now that no one else does either lmao.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

As to wheels, may I suggest, take a look at stock C5 ones. The rears are 18" x 10" or so; the stock tires are 275/40-18 in the rear. They COMPLETELY FILL the fender well from the lip all the way in to the control arm bracket, and look REALLY MEATY from behind. With 2" adapters, they fit my car like they were meant to be there, with the suspension at roughly stock height, using Moog CC635 springs. If you look at your first pic for comparison, the tread goes from roughly the middle of the "Z" on the mud flap, to about an inch inboard of the inner edge of the flap. They miss the control arm braket by about 3/8" and the inner lip of the fender by about ¼" with Pirelli PZero Nero tires. And best of all, their appearance looks like they BELONG on the car, not like some alien spaceship parked next to it at Walmart and some parts fell off and got stuck to the car, the way most aftermarket wheels (including the ones in the pic :barf: ) look.

The purple might not be the best color in the world, but it beats primer. There aren't many things that look more like you'd need to change your hair style to look like Joe Dirt, than a primered car. Leave it like it is and just wax it.