This trick '69 features DuPont...
This trick '69 features DuPont Hot Hues paint, TMI custom carbon-fiber-look upholstery, and a Paxton NOVI supercharged Windsor underhood. We'll bring you a full feature in an upcoming issue now that the Air Ride suspension is complete. Stay tuned.
Afriend of ours has been burning the midnight oil on a '69 Mustang SportsRoof project. One of the main things he wanted was a suspension setup that could be adjusted to support changing load demands such as when the car is packed for a long road trip or when there are backseat passengers. We know that when a couple of people pile in the back of our classic Fords, the ride height changes and suspension travel is reduced.
To remedy this situation, many owners install regular air shocks. This is a bad idea because the shock mounting points were never designed to carry any additional load. The purpose of the factory shocks was to dampen the suspension movement only. If a pothole is encountered with the rear air shocks pumped up, there is a good possibility that the top of the shock will punch right through the upper mounting point-which is simply sheetmetal, after all-damaging the car and suddenly returning the extra load back onto the rear leaf springs.
After some research, we settled on the new air suspension system from Air Ride Technologies that works at all four corners of the vehicle. This setup is not a half-baked solution like regular air shocks, and the whole suspension can be adjusted from inside the car at the touch of a button. Dual on-board compressors and an air storage tank make it possible. In fact, the Air Ride system does away with the springs on the car entirely, replacing them with a carefully designed arrangement that can be adjusted at each corner of the car independently. At the back axle, the leaf springs are replaced by upper and lower trailing arms in a configuration similar to that found on many modern cars. The front suspension loses the coil springs, and the entire weight of the front end is supported by the Air Ride Technology air springs.
With the technical assistance of Jamie Reynolds, a complete installation was accomplished on the '69 Mustang in short order. The only tool we needed that isn't commonly found in a home garage was a welder for the upper trailing-arm-bracket installation on the rear axlehousing. But since you'll be removing the complete rear suspension, you can always truck your axlehousing to a job shop for the 10 minutes of welding required to mount the brackets.
Follow the installation sequence, and you'll see that the Air Ride.Technologies system is both innovative and straightforward.
| What Does It Cost? |
| Front Kit | $969 |
| Rear Kit | $1,995 |
| Compressor Kit | $1,299 |
| Total | $4,263 |
Here's the complete AirBAR...
Here's the complete AirBAR rear suspension for the '69 Mustang. The kit is PN ABAR20000 and retails for $1,995. The bracket or truss at the top of the photo attaches to the car using both the old rear shock mounting points and the new threaded U-bolts that are installed into the car's rear framerails. Also shown are the lower trailing arms and the shorter upper arms. All of the required mounting hardware is seen, as well as the two air spring assemblies.
Shown here is Air Ride's RidePro...
Shown here is Air Ride's RidePro e compressor system (PN ARC4100E, $1,299) which includes allfittings, an air tank, pressure sensors, solenoids, two compressors, and all of the needed wiring. The control unit shown mounts inside the car for finger-tip control while moving or stopped.
This photo shows the completed...
This photo shows the completed front end air spring from Air Ride's Shockwave line, as used in the '67-'70 Mustang (PN SKW1022, $969). The unit functions as both a spring and shock absorber. The small, black knob visible at the bottom of each air spring is an adjustment for damping characteristics. There are 12 settings, with No. 1 being the softest at the extreme counter-clockwise position. Start at three or four clicks and then fine-tune to your preference. Air Ride has Shockwave systems for many Fords, including '65-'66 Mustangs, Galaxies, and Thunderbirds.
On our car, the old suspension...
On our car, the old suspension has been completely removed following typical shop manual practices, and installation of the new Air Ride system can begin. All of the original components, including the upper shock bracket and its fasteners as well as the coil spring hat or isolator, can be discarded.
Installation begins with the...
Installation begins with the placement of this top plate, which will be the upper half of an assembly that will sandwich the top of the shock tower.
Here, the lower portion of...
Here, the lower portion of the air spring support is added to the underside of the shock tower. It is of heavy construction because this part carries the weight of the car while the upper plate serves only to keep everything in the correct position.
Now the Mustang shock tower...
Now the Mustang shock tower is ready to receive the new air spring assembly. It's a bulletproof arrangement. All of the required fasteners are included in the front Shockwave kit.
Before the air spring can...
Before the air spring can be put into the car, the required air fitting is installed. Although not in the instructions, Teflon tape has been used as a thread sealant to ensure there are no leaks when the job is done. Liquid Teflon sealant is an option as well.
Here, the front air springs...
Here, the front air springs are installed into the car. The lower cross-shaft on the air spring replaces the conventional spring perch found on the upper control arm in the stock configuration.