[Greg Reid]

My '66 sits high in the rear for my tastes...Car is not being driven but I kinda like to fix little things from time to time and this is one of the things that bugs me.
It has an OLD set of air shocks on the rear but they aren't attached to any air lines...rotted off years ago probably... A schraeder valve is visible in the trunk and again, nothing attached to it....anyway, is there any way to bleed them down or just how do they normally work?

[2cdavis3]

Hey Greg, If I remember correctly my old air shocks did not hold air if lines were disconnected or broken. (melted from exhaust)
Craig

[Greg Reid]

That makes sense that it would..In other words, let the air out of the valve to lower the shocks and vica versa.
That makes me think that if the shocks are at their lowest setting, the problem is probably the springs.
It did come with the ride and handling package if that means anything at all....

[b-man]

The '64 -'66 cars have rear springs that can be trimmed to lower the car since they're only pigtailed on the bottom end.

You can trim off 1/2 to 3/4 of a coil to get the car down lower without getting it too low. I do this using a fiber cutoff wheel on a die grinder. After cutting I heat the top coil of the spring a dull cherry red in only one spot 1/2 of a coil away from the cut end, then quickly turn the spring upside down to flatten the top coil on my driveway or garage floor so it will seat in the upper spring pocket on the frame. Let it air-cool by itself, don't quench it in water.

Put many street and highway miles on my '64 Tempest with the rear springs cut down by 3/4 of a coil, no issues.

Toss the old air shocks in the trash and install whichever brand of new rear shocks that you like. A pair of Air-Lift air bags that fit inside the coils are a nice thing if you'd like to add some load carrying capability and have the ability to adjust ride height a bit, mine would alter the ride height by 1-1/2" going from the 5 psi minimum to the 25 psi max.

[Greg Reid]

Sounds like a great solution Bart. Are you flattening the same end of the coil that you cut? To get it to lay flat?

[b-man]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Sounds like a great solution Bart. Are you flattening the same end of the coil that you cut? To get it to lay flat?

Yes Greg, exactly that.

[Pontirag]

Also dont forget to add the rubber insulators that went on the end of the upper end of the springs. makes for a quieter ride without so many rattles, squeeks and groans.

also on 73 and later cars there was a rubber insulator on the lower end of the spring sandwitched between the spring and the rear itself. add those for more quiet ride.

[Greg Reid]

Ok, thanks guys. Probably be some time before this thing is riding anywhere but I like to look at it sitting in the drive and I want it to look good when I'm looking at it.
I've been collecting parts and such for a while.
So far, I've collected a set of blue seatcovers (used), a set of rear seats, a '66 WT 389 from carb to pan (running), a '65 tripower setup, a Pete Serio rebuilt '66 shifter and stick, a good dashpad, a good instrument panel and some 15" steel wheels and poverty caps.
Should make for an interesting budget build when I get my '68 on the road.
Now, if I could just find a good used exhaust system in my neighborhood...oh yeah, and some shocks..lol

[HaloMedic]

I would address the front shocks / springs first, its a 45 yr old car, if these parts have not been replaced in the past the front is going to sag. just a thought

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by HaloMedic

I would address the front shocks / springs first, its a 45 yr old car, if these parts have not been replaced in the past the front is going to sag. just a thought

I can see your point but in this case, the back is definitely sitting up kinda high. The front has a pretty nice height already. The shocks all around are nice and firm.
As for the front end, I'm sure everything needs to be gone through.

[JTT99]

Looking at your picture it is obvious the springs are not stock because these cars are noted for drooping rears when stock. Since a PO put air shocks on I'm guessing they may have also altered the springs as well to get it up. Having been a "kid" of the 60's trust me getting the back up like that was the thing to do. Many times it was simply a case of putting rubber wedges into the coils (easiest), metal expansion spacers, or taking the springs out and putting spacers above the spring at the pocket. Check for either of these items because they are easy to remove. If they are the original springs you may want to think about replacing them because they are well sagged I am sure. Good luck.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by JTT99

Looking at your picture it is obvious the springs are not stock because these cars are noted for drooping rears when stock. Since a PO put air shocks on I'm guessing they may have also altered the springs as well to get it up. Having been a "kid" of the 60's trust me getting the back up like that was the thing to do. Many times it was simply a case of putting rubber wedges into the coils (easiest), metal expansion spacers, or taking the springs out and putting spacers above the spring at the pocket. Check for either of these items because they are easy to remove. If they are the original springs you may want to think about replacing them because they are well sagged I am sure. Good luck.

I'm well aquainted with the the 'jacked up' look, the rubber spring spacers, the twist-in metal ones, etc. . I was a kid in the 60s and 'came of age' in the '70s too.
I expect that this car not only has aftermarket springs but it probably had a pair of '60s with slots on it at some point. Never did like the look, especially on the pre-'68 A-bodies.
I know the rear has been replaced because it has a Chevy 12 bolt under it. If the rear was out, I expect that's when the springs were changed.
When I get to it, I'll take b-man's recommendations, cut the spring, replace the shocks and roll with it.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

My '66 sits high in the rear for my tastes...Car is not being driven but I kinda like to fix little things from time to time and this is one of the things that bugs me.
It has an OLD set of air shocks on the rear but they aren't attached to any air lines...rotted off years ago probably... A schraeder valve is visible in the trunk and again, nothing attached to it....anyway, is there any way to bleed them down or just how do they normally work?

If you are NOT driving it, leave it up, will collect less moisture .Drill a hole in the bottom of the front of the rocker panels. The windshield area vents drain down there, and the water is supposed to exit the rear of the rocker. Dont part on grass at night good looking car!

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

If you are NOT driving it, leave it up, will collect less moisture .Drill a hole in the bottom of the front of the rocker panels. The windshield area vents drain down there, and the water is supposed to exit the rear of the rocker. Dont part on grass at night good looking car!

That photo was taken where it was sitting when I bought it. It's now sitting on concrete or gravel depending on where I need space. Point taken though.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by JTT99

Looking at your picture it is obvious the springs are not stock because these cars are noted for drooping rears when stock. Since a PO put air shocks on I'm guessing they may have also altered the springs as well to get it up. Having been a "kid" of the 60's trust me getting the back up like that was the thing to do. Many times it was simply a case of putting rubber wedges into the coils (easiest), metal expansion spacers, or taking the springs out and putting spacers above the spring at the pocket. Check for either of these items because they are easy to remove. If they are the original springs you may want to think about replacing them because they are well sagged I am sure. Good luck.

You're sharp as a tack JTT99.
Here's what I found under my springs. Just never noticed them before I went to change the wheels and pull the drums while I was at it. Just like that, I noticed these 'things' under the springs.






As you said, easy to take out. Springs still had the old paper tags on them. Rubber insulators were not even cracked. This car is really in better shape than I first thought. It's been sitting for several years. It was in a bit of high water and has dried mud, sticks and leaves in almost every crevice so it just needed a GOOD cleaning up. After over 2 years, I'm finally getting to all that.

[428GTO70]

Oh yeah, Taking those booster spacers out will definitely bring you back down to earth. May even be lower than you'd like it to be now! lol
If it is too low now you could always cut that spacer to a different length and reinstall also.

[Greg Reid]

LOL...well, we shall see shortly.
I made everything look a little better anyway. Scraped some rust, rattle canned here and there. I read somewhere that Rally One equipped cars got red drums...Had some red paint so...Ok.
Here's pics of the tag too...had PX and the number.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by 428GTO70

Oh yeah, Taking those booster spacers out will definitely bring you back down to earth. May even be lower than you'd like it to be now! lol
If it is too low now you could always cut that spacer to a different length and reinstall also.

You were right and I did exactly as you suggested. I cut one of the boosters in half and put one on each side. That got me just about where I want it.
Eventually of course, new springs are in order because it was draggin' a$$ when I took them out completely..

[Formulabruce]

looks GRRRReat now!

[Greg Reid]

Thanks Bruce. You know, even though this car is a yard ornament and has been for years, the better I can make it look to me, the more inspired I am to do the next thing towards getting it on the road.