Wednesday, July 24, 2019

1959 Buick Convertible - Customer Rides

1959 was a wild year for GM.  Each of their divisions had some of the most unique and eye-catching designs with miles of chrome, huge fins, and flowing lines.  And while they shared very few parts, you could tell from a glance that Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile were definitely cousins!



This '59 Buick convertible came to us for air suspension and a disc brake conversion.  The interior and trunk work had already been done, and fortunately we worked closely with those shops to ensure that we had ample room for the air management equipment.



The factory rear axle uses and enclosed driveshaft system, and our customer has plans to swap an LS-based engine into the car. So we converted the rear end to an open driveshaft with a Ford 9" axle and a custom parallel 4 link package.

Up front things were a bit easier- we installed one of our direct-fit suspension kits designed for the 59-60 Buick, and with a little bit of trimming to make room for the air bags it was a done deal.



Our customer chose Raceline billet wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot rubber- 22" in the rear and 20" up front.



The air suspension system in this car centers around an Air Lift Performance 3H controller with height sensors mounted at each corner.  Viair 485C compressors and FLO Airride air tanks round things out.  Everything is plumbed with 3/8" air line for a smooth but quick response at the press of a button.


This '59 is currently getting a bunch more work done- paint and body work, chrome, and that engine swap.  I'll be sure to post more when it's finished!

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