Thread: suspension for a custom '66 T-bird

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Okay, after finishing the driveline, the suspension will need upgrading...
this 1966 Thunderbird is a long term project, so I'm not looking for a 5 minute solution here...the engine has already been beefed up and the driveline should add some grunt too!
This is what i would like to achieve;
a lowered ride by means of airride, half as much roll as the stock setup and a stiffer, more rigid behaviour of the total body...

probably will have to do more then just upgrade the suspension, but let's start there for now!

now, the stock setup had a front swaybar, but none at the back...I'm thinking i need a stiffer one at the front and a new one at the back, where there was none before?

how does airride upgrade your suspension, beside the smoother ride and lowering possibilities? and how is this to be combined with new swaybars?

the swaybars will probably have to be custom made, any advice on companies?

any ideas, comments, maybe solutions even?
thanx, greetz,
Tom

Tommie for the rear sway bar, might want to consider one off of one of the mid 70's Lincoln Town Cars. They were quite beefy and the ends were mounted to the lower control arms. Could probably make some new links and get one to work on your bird.

As for the air ride suspension, it gives the height adjustablity as you said. I have used both the bags and the "Shockwave" shock absorber type. I like them both and they are not that tought to mount. Refresh my memory, does your bird have leaf springs or coil springs on the rear now? Kenny D. builds a lot of cars with air ride suspension, he's the guy to ask about whose stuff is the best....

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Refresh my memory, does your bird have leaf springs or coil springs on the rear now? Kenny D. builds a lot of cars with air ride suspension, he's the guy to ask about whose stuff is the best....

leafsprings...and they are saggy

you know, i've been reading a bit about the math on swaybars lately, but i have no idea, nor can find any remarks on putting in a swaybar, where there was none before...

i know these parts are quite tricky as to oversteer/ understeer behaviour of the car...
I just want lesser bodyroll, so it sticks better to the pavement, but then again, i like to keep it lowrider-style, cause it suits the car! (a bit of both worlds, so to speak, just don't know if it is possible to have a stiffer ride and still keep the height adjustability??)

I'm certainly no expert on air ride, but I would say the only way to control body roll is to have four air control valves, one per corner, so that the air will not bleed back and forth under hard cornering. With a sway bar properly connected, it will work fine at any ride height. Many years ago, there used to be "Air Lift" bags for leaf spring cars, don't know if they are still around or not????

airride technologies has an air-over-leaf setup with their coolride program, a specific set is available for the 66 t-bird also, so I don't have to search hard there, to find the matching parts...
think I want the shockwaves in front though

just wondered about using airride AND upgraded swaybars at the same time...
guess that if i opt for a good set of swaybars, just the side to side roll for show (as those lowrider showcars do) will not work and that's just fine with me!

The sway bars would be a great addition to the car. Are you going to run separate valves for each corner so they don't bleed back and forth when cornering????

actually...that is good advice!
I was thinking of keeping up the performance idea in all the changes I'm planning to make, so yes, i think i will use valves on each corner!
it's kinda along the line of; "if I'm already at the point of spending big money on the complete airride suspension, i better do it right the first time and add some more hardware now I'm at it!"

valves at each corner...good point! didn't think of that!

Might want to check with Addco on sway bars.... they have a good selection of them.... Maybe about a 1.125 on the front and a .875 on the rear??? Big heavy car is going to need a big heavy bar. I would also recomend the polyurethene bushings for them.

Another thought would be the torsion bar type sway bars....ProZ has them on the back of his Camaro.... Look great and a large selection of bar diameters and end links..... Might check with him and see where he got his at.....