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1959-60 air ride

Started by Chad R. Oolman, March 16, 2010, 06:15:41 PM

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Chad R. Oolman

I am, in the process of restoring a 1959 Fleetwood 75 limousine with factory air suspension.  The system works great, has a wonderful ride, and makes the car unique.  Yesterday, one of the front air bags burst while I had the car in the "up" position washing the white wall tires.  I thought for sure someone was shooting at me.

I like having this suspension on the car, but it does make me nervous.  I have heard so many negative things about it, and now I am finding it almost impossible to find a replacement airbag.  Does no one make new ones?  What happens 10 or 15 years down the road when these start to deteriorate, they are rubber.

I need some advice / encouragement as to keeping the car original or switching over to springs, even though I hate to do that.  Also, I need a source for an airbag.  Mastermind in Califorina does not answer the phone or reply to emails, so that does not seem very reliable.

Any help would be appreciated!

Otto Skorzeny

New airbags were available until recently. I believe they were made by Firestone but it may have been Goodyear. It doesn't really matter since they aren't making them any more. Your only hope is to find good used ones or NOS both of which are very unlikely.

In the meantime I think you'll have to convert your suspension to a conventional setup. This same problem came up recently and the person had also tried contacting Mastermind to no avail. Who knows what's going on there?
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

rwchatham

Chad, give ma a call for some info if you like rwchathamemail addresses not permitted 313-399-4849

jimi

Let me encourage you to make the air ride work . My 60' Eldo Seville is on bags . It was re-built by the person who had the car before me . Mike at Mastermind , and Ray (who answered this post) have been invaluable . The bags were made by Firestone , and although hard to find , and expensive , they are findable . Once re-bagged , they last for years . The ride is fantastic .

eldo59

Keep the air ride.It really sets the car appart from the rest.My 59 seville still has it and I too get a bit nervous using 50+ year old technology but it works well.Your more likley to get stranded in a modern car with all the on board computers.I don't know how to help you get spare air bags.I need a rear one to make a complete spare set for myself.Maybe we should all get together and get firestone to make a small run of them for us.
Mauro Bonfitto

okccadman

I know of one Eldorado Brougham that has its original airbags replaced with slightly modified ones from an RV or truck application.
Jim Jordan CLC# 5374
Oklahoma City, OK

55 Series 62 Sedan
56 Series 62 Coupe
56 Fleetwood 75 Derham Limo
59 Fleetwood Sixty Special
66 Fleetwood Brougham
66 Superior Hearse/Ambulance
67 Fleetwood Sixty Special
68 Fleetwood Eldorado
76 Coupe de Ville d'Elegance
90 Brougham
92 Fleetwood Coupe
93 Allante
94 Fleetwood Brougham
02 Eldorado Commemorative Edition

76eldo

It's worth the effort to keep it on air ride.  Changing it over to springs is quite a lot of work, unless you have a parts car to take all the parts from.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

Chad R. Oolman

I have decided to leave it on the air bags, it does set the car apart and give a very nice ride.  My uncle / mechanic does not seem to be concerned with the lack of air bag availabilty.  As he pointed out, there are millions of cars and trucks on the road that use airbags in one form or another.

jimi

I'm in for a set of airbags (2 front and 2 rear) although I'm sure it's going to take a lot more than that . Perhaps if they did a run of 500 or a  thousand sets it would be worth the set up .

Jon Riley #13576

I have a 60 Coupe DeVille on air-ride.  I rebuilt the system 12 years a go and it is still holding up.  I replaced the air bags, lift valve, front leveling valve, and rebuilt the compressor - all parts from Mastermind.  At that time he(Mike) was very responsive, but I have not had any contact with him since.   His products were first rate but very expensive.

I'm glad that you are going to keep it original and not change to springs.    I wonder if we should start an air-ride chapter?

I also wonder what Firestone did with the tooling? 

Does anyone know what Buick guys are doing?

I would also be interested in purchasing another set.

Jon Riley




eldo59

Yep,I think we should start an air ride chapter and share what knowlage we have of this primative system.There must be enough of us out there to have a small run of air bags made.
Mauro Bonfitto

rwchatham

There is someone right now that is working on doing a large batch of bags that should be ready by the end of summer.

76eldo

That's good to know.

I sold my 60 Eldorado to a big Cadillac enthusiast in Sweden, and found him an NOS set of front bags last year for $500.00 for the pair.  They do not come up for sale too often.  The repro bags will be a great help and everyone that has an air ride car will want some.

That Eldo was an all original 60,000 mile car and once the system pumped up ( in like 2 minutes) that car rode beautifully.  I was very impressed.

You guys should start a chapter, it sounds like a great idea.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

rwchatham

Brian, do you know the rules for starting a new chapter, we could call it the floating on a cloud air ride chapter.

Carfreak

Quote from: rwchatham on March 18, 2010, 08:59:06 PM

Brian, do you know the rules for starting a new chapter


The CLC Board of Directors has authorized the establishment of chapters of the club as a focus for members having a special interest in a particular model or type of Cadillac or LaSalle. Any group of ten or more active members of the CLC may make application to the board for permission to form a chapter of the club. Once established, chapters must:

Maintain a membership of at least ten members.
Publish a periodic newsletter (no specified frequency).
Distribute the chapter newsletter to the president, executive vice president, director for publications, and national membership secretary.
Submit a charter membership roster annually to the national membership secretary.
More information and appropriate forms may be obtained from Chapter Coordinator Bob Crimmins.

http://www.cadillaclasalleclub.org/chapters.shtml
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

David King (kz78hy)

If a new chapter were to be created, I suggest it include the '57 & 58's as well, since those were the 1st years of them.  Only Brougham's in '57, but in '58 it was an option on Regular Cadillac's.  The Brougham systems were completely different for the first and second years, but doing the same thing, holding up the car.

David
David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive

wingspread7

   I've got a '59 Coupe.   Providing air bags are again available, how hard is it to convert mine to air ride?   Was this a dealer conversion like cruise control and tri-power or are there other factory chassis mods.?   Also would this conflict in a numbers matching car?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Thanks,
                                                                                                                                                                Chuck

boomosby

 
wiingspread , you woudl have hell converting yours to air. the actual process isnt very hard, bolting and unbolting. but finding and locating all the parts would take a life time unless you foudn a complete parts car.

   guys i have a 58 fleetwood, with air ride. it is complete and a texas car so shoudl be very solid. i am thinking to replace the airlines, add some air flow control valves a extra compressor and updating to new late model fire stone bags. if i did that , will i not be able to enter the club?
bambale osby

35-709

Not be able to enter the club?  You can join even if you don't own ANY Cadillac, or if you modify it until it looks like a Lincoln.  I believe the only rule  (and you can even lie about THAT) is that you have an interest in Cadillacs.  The only time you might have a problem is if you want to have a highly modified Cadillac judged at a Cadillac Grand National, although you would still be welcome you would not be eligible for judging.   

You might ALSO like to join us over at the Modified Chapter of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club ----
http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/
Yes, the Cadillac & LaSalle Club has a Modified Chapter!
Geoff N.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

eldo59

Quote from: Geoff Newcombe #4719 on April 14, 2010, 07:14:47 PM
Not be able to enter the club?  You can join even if you don't own ANY Cadillac, or if you modify it until it looks like a Lincoln.  I believe the only rule  (and you can even lie about THAT) is that you have an interest in Cadillacs.  The only time you might have a problem is if you want to have a highly modified Cadillac judged at a Cadillac Grand National, although you would still be welcome you would not be eligible for judging.   

You might ALSO like to join us over at the Modified Chapter of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club ----
http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/
Yes, the Cadillac & LaSalle Club has a Modified Chapter!
Geoff N.
Geoff,maybe boomosby meant the air-ride club??
Mauro Bonfitto