cami Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 1958 Buick Airpoise replacement airbag parts and/or replacement spring suspension availablity and how toinstall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted June 4, 2023 Share Posted June 4, 2023 15 hours ago, cami said: 1958 Buick Airpoise replacement airbag parts and/or replacement spring suspension availablity and how toinstall I'm not sure exactly what you're seeking; if you want thoughtful, content-rich responses I'd recommend putting a bit more effort into your inquiry. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cami Posted June 4, 2023 Author Share Posted June 4, 2023 1958 Buick Needing information and part sources for converting Airpoise suspension system to standard coil suspension. OR information for sourcing replacement stock airbags for both front and rear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cami Posted June 5, 2023 Author Share Posted June 5, 2023 lancemb, I appreciate your suggestions on clarifying my inquiry. I have edited and reposted my inquiry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted June 5, 2023 Share Posted June 5, 2023 I would think with all the airbag units available today this would be a fairly easy and reliable fix/repair. Check street rod and low rider sources for all the bags and controls. I am not home or I would add some links. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted June 7, 2023 Share Posted June 7, 2023 @cami if you have a 58 with all of the original components, that is extremely rare. Every one I've seen was converted when the car was not more than a few years old probably because the system was so unreliable. For this reason, if you need anything to convert I think you'll have to get it off a parts car. If you remove the original components, don't throw them out. There are a few cars maybe that have been made to have functional air suspension but not sure how much of the system is original. I am not aware of any kits but I know it's been talked about. If such a thing does exist you'll probably want to look to Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cami Posted June 8, 2023 Author Share Posted June 8, 2023 lancemb, Yes, we have a gorgeous yellow 1958 Buick Limited bought out of an Auburn auction in 2017. It has original but inoperable airbags. A mechanic tried unsuccessfully to reseal and otherwise "fix" those bags. Then found 4 original bags of which only 2 were operable. The car then went into storage with steel spacers. We got it out in April for another try. Your suggestion to "look to Sweden" ie, Volvos looks promising. Other ideas shared on this forum offer new options as well. We are very busy with our business and it is hard to spare a mechanic for this project. Out next step is to take out a front and a rear airbag to reaquaint with what they look like and begin a search. Replacement with coil springs may have to be our solution in order to enjoy this Special automobile. Thanks for your suggestions and support! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cami Posted June 8, 2023 Author Share Posted June 8, 2023 barney eaton, Appreciate your input pointing us to the street rod/lowrider world. We've looked at sites such as opgi.com, carid.com and murraykustomrods.com. If you have a favorite source we would be pleased to know. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 If you bought the car in '17, haven't used it much. and got it out again, I think it could have a life of minimal, infrequent use. You may find yourself battling the maintenance of the original system and using it even less. Coil springs may be the best option for the repair. I still remember a fairly new '60 Cadillac that laid on its belly at the Pontiac dealer in town. I have sold a couple of cars I really liked because they were too demanding to maintain. At least they didn't require alimony. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted June 11, 2023 Share Posted June 11, 2023 (edited) @cami, my comment on Sweden was referring to the fact that there are probably more 58 Limiteds on the road in Scandinavia than in the U.S. They are nutty about them, and even reproduce some parts that aren't reproduced by U.S. companies. Your best bet will probably be to retrofit bags that are new from another application if you want to retain the Air Poise. Edited June 11, 2023 by lancemb (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted June 12, 2023 Share Posted June 12, 2023 I did a Google search using "suspension air bags" and got several hits. I would start with the dimensions of the originals. Then search for what you can find. Several have commented on just going to springs..... is that plug n play or will he still need to modify the mounts. I like the air bag approach as it is unique for that vehicle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted June 12, 2023 Share Posted June 12, 2023 I fully realize the rarity and such of the Air Poise system on Buicks and Cadillacs, plus the need to maintain the system as it was designed, BUT I also realize the difficulty of doing so. Anything they designed in the middle 1950s would certainly be extremely crude by even 1990s standards, no doubt. In the 1990s or so, Lincoln started to use air bags on the rear of Lincoln Town Cars, as their normal springing method. Seems like the smaller Continentals (Taurus platform) has a full air suspension under them, too. So those two applications might supply some parts possibilities for vehicles of similar weight capacities to your Buick. The Air Lift company, which was around in the later 1950s for add-on assist springing, is now mainly concerned with light-duty pickup truck rear suspensions. Even with some wireless remote controls with an on-board air compressor. While some of the low-rider vehicles (or similar) do use air bags to get "lane divider knocking off" low, many of the low riders we see use hydraulics rather than air bags. Perhaps RideTech might have some adaptable parts for your vehjicle? Mainly, what you will be searching for is the physical height of the bag, influated and empty. The manner in which it attaches to the lower control arm and then the body for its upper mount. Plus the "design weight capacity" of each bag. It might be that some bags might be found which are shorter than the OEM bags were, in which case some solid alunimum spacers might be used to adapt them to the Buick chassis, while still maintaining the OEM wheel travel in the process. Doing an upgrade to modern height sensors and related valving might be the trick, though. That way, you could still maintain the original compressor as I suspect the newer compressors are powered by the car's electrical system. A "incognito" situation might be configured such that the existing air compressor was gutted, still looking completely operable, while hidden modern components ran the system instead. If executed well, it would not be noticed by a normal person, but somebody who knew about the system would look closer to check the authenticity of the system. If finding the hidden modern system, then they might desire proof the car was an original Air Poise car. Which is when the photograph album of the upgrades could come out of the trunk. In reality, this might be the best option to maintain the car with its original air suspension under it, all things considered. Just not the original air suspension . . . or the Air Poise as Buick might build it in modern times. With respect to the OEM air bags, use them ONLY for reference purposes. The rubber in them will be "as old as the car" and can most probably fail after installation. When that happnes, LOTS of money effectively wasted. The other side of the deal is that many of the air suspension systems failed or had durability issues, so they were removed and normal coil springs were fitted in their place. Which obvioiusly could hurt the ultimate value of the car. But a complete and well-executed modern air suspension upgrade might also make the car more valuable to a normal person who desires to drive the car, rather than it being a museum piece due to the flakiness of the OEM air suspension system. Personally, I feel that possibly adapting the Lincoln components might be a viable option for continued use of the vehicle. Then check with the RideTech people for their systems to adapt air suspsnion ("bagged") to existing coil spring vehicles. Just that you want to maintain normal ride height rather than otherwise. I also need to emphasize that if any of the OEM items are removed for the upgrade to the newer items, they MUST be saved and not disposed of . . . period! DO photograph and document them, too! IF and when you might desire to sell the vehicle, they need to be part of that sale, too. Sorry for the length. Hopefully I've mentioned some things which might be helpful. NTX5467 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cami Posted June 17, 2023 Author Share Posted June 17, 2023 NTX5467! We appreciate your well thought and excellent suggestions. We are still undecided about what to do. Restoring an AirPoise system because we are purists but more practically...as 60FlatTop noted...convert to coil and enjoy a fabulous car with a lot less maintenance. So Plan B is to convert to coil springs. We are looking for an experienced mechanic who has done these conversions on 1958 Buicks. One who will have knowledge of the parts and the procedures. We would like to talk with the mechanic and perhaps hire him to perform the conversion for us. Please let us know of any such persons out there! Thanks, Cami Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cami Posted June 17, 2023 Author Share Posted June 17, 2023 lancemb Thanks for clarifying the Sweden connection! Isn't that interesting that many have ended up and are prized by Scandinavians! We are still undecided about restoration or conversion. At this point we would like to find a mechanic who has experience in doing conversions on 1958 Buicks...knowledge of parts, procedures and perhaps even hire such a person to perform the conversion for us. Know of anyone? Thanks, Cami Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Here is an old topic to give you a hint: With a lead to a coil spring conversion perpetrator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cami Posted June 17, 2023 Author Share Posted June 17, 2023 BARNEY EATON Thanks for your input and opinion. We are still undecided but leaning toward conversion and at this point we would like to find a mechanic who has experience in doing conversions on 1958 Buicks...knowledge of parts, procedures and perhaps even hire such a person to perform the conversion for us. Know of anyone? Thanks, Cami Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1842 Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 My family had a 1958 Pontiac station wagon with the air suspension. The compressor seized up while we were in the Black Hills of South Dakota, this was the summer of 1960. The replacement compressor had to be ordered from Omaha and took 3 days to reach Hill City, SD. In the meantime, the local shop loaned us a 1937 Chevy to drive around in, I was only 3 and I have no memory of the loaner car. But I do remember the interior of that big station wagon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y-JobFan Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 On 6/8/2023 at 12:00 AM, cami said: lancemb, Yes, we have a gorgeous yellow 1958 Buick Limited bought out of an Auburn auction in 2017. It has original but inoperable airbags. A mechanic tried unsuccessfully to reseal and otherwise "fix" those bags. Then found 4 original bags of which only 2 were operable. The car then went into storage with steel spacers. We got it out in April for another try. Your suggestion to "look to Sweden" ie, Volvos looks promising. Other ideas shared on this forum offer new options as well. We are very busy with our business and it is hard to spare a mechanic for this project. Out next step is to take out a front and a rear airbag to reaquaint with what they look like and begin a search. Replacement with coil springs may have to be our solution in order to enjoy this Special automobile. Thanks for your suggestions and support! Surprised to see the yellow wheels on this stunning example Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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