Air bagged w108 - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

D&W · #16 07-08-2013, 12:54 PM

I used Accuair management with Slam Specialty and Airhouse 2 bags with custom brackets, no fabrication to car required, can swap back to springs when required no problems

Skippy · #17 07-10-2013, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyjones

i can tell you for a fact i don't give two $hits about anything you said.
my w114.

to the op, come over to stanceworks, we can help you bag your car.

How are the ride and handling? Much of my resistance to bagging comes from an article I read in Car Craft or Hot Rod some years ago in which they interviewed a number of classic car owners who had bagged their cars and regretted it because they could never get them to ride or handle the way they wanted. Has the knowledge base improved to the point that people are getting good results with airbag suspension? What I'm really getting at: Did it improve lap times?

Stretch · #18 07-10-2013, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skippy

How are the ride and handling? Much of my resistance to bagging comes from an article I read in Car Craft or Hot Rod some years ago in which they interviewed a number of classic car owners who had bagged their cars and regretted it because they could never get them to ride or handle the way they wanted. Has the knowledge base improved to the point that people are getting good results with airbag suspension? What I'm really getting at: Did it improve lap times?

I get the feeling that a lot of the products talked about are all about the look. I think they call it bling...

...what I'm interested in is something like the Range Rover air suspension with active / selectable handling and comfort control.

JMela · #19 07-10-2013, 11:53 AM

Quote:

to the op, come over to stanceworks, we can help you bag your car.

Or, any copy of "Minitruckin'" magazine circa 2000 will do.

dirtyharry · #20 07-10-2013, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyjones

i can tell you for a fact i don't give two $hits about anything you said.
my w114.

then don't turn to the forums to have people solve your problems for you when that complicated German technology falls apart. when you can barely replace your own oil filter cartridge. clearly that stanced W114 has more money in the suspension and paint then the car was worth initially. you think b/c you slapped some BBS's on it and put bags on it your cool? that's lame. that's not go fast(RACECAR), and that's not interesting at all. clearly what I wrote doesn't compute in your head, buy a Volkswagen...it'll make you happier.. or buy every ****ty lower class Mercedes you can afford and Stance it out.... doesn't mean you transcend car classes... doesn't make it important or worth anything..its an economy model..
but since Mercedes history isn't your forte...
I guess that doesn't matter...
and since history doesn't matter.. and esthetics are all that matters why not just Graft a Mercedes front end onto a beetle... then you've got the best of both worlds.. cheap readily available parts, RWD, and.... and.... an egg crate/honeycomb grille. then you can stance it on top of that.... whoahhhhhh what a spectacular thing it would be..

alabbasi · #21 07-10-2013, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirtyharry

since history doesn't matter.. and esthetics are all that matters why not just Graft a Mercedes front end onto a beetle..

No , that's already been done

And I know what you're thinking.... but it's been done on a mini too

Palolo · #22 07-11-2013, 03:50 AM

Great shots Al. I bet Dirty Harry is going all Gran Torino on the vee dub and mini forums for that sacrilege on those historic cars.

(Dirtyharry: I personally feel that 114s in particular need a little bit of sportiness or flair added to them, stock they seem a little, umm, tame. Or lack the styling gravitas of other MBs of that time. Slamming to the ground with ridiculous wheels isn't my cup of tea, but those cars (114s) typically get so little love that they go to the crusher at an even faster rate than 108s. If someone saves one from the scrappers, and chooses to turn it in to a German Honda Civic, that's their deal, but realize that it is the MB collector's community that shuns certain chassis and drives their values lower, so inevitably the cars end up with the kids who have a different idea of what the car should look like, and who also don't care much for ride, comfort or handling. I see them bouncing down smooth roads like it is buckboard and just chuckle to myself--one day they'll grow up and rag on that era's kids, too.)

I'm kinda enjoying the idea of replacing coil springs with some air ride technology, not to slam the car on the ground with a ridiculous set of wheels, but more for the adjustable ride quality. What's wrong with having a tunable spring? Spring rate is spring rate... If my car sits level at an inch over or under stock height, or if I can restore it to stock/level with four big Americans in it or just me in it, what's so wrong with that? It isn't as if MB didn't think air ride was good enough to put in the 6.3 flagship of that time.

I know I can't wait to ditch the coil spring over the rear axle. Now there's a piece of Benz history that is pretty crappy. Nowhere near the nivomat, and it is only optimal at one loaded weight. Sheesh. I really want an adjustable air/shock combo over the rear axle. That would really be tits. Bump up pressure when loaded, reduce pressure when empty, and retain optimal rear camber...

I understand the spirit of tradition, but there's definitely room for some improvement in various areas of the car, without desecration. People still fiddling with points in their distributors is a pet peeve of mine, when that's the most common failure point for older cars. Upgrade properly, folks...

Oh well... Now where's that Best Buy bargain bin special radio for my dash?? And stay off my darn lawn you kids!! I tell ya!

dirtyharry · #23 07-11-2013, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palolo

Great shots Al. I bet Dirty Harry is going all Gran Torino on the vee dub and mini forums for that sacrilege on those historic cars.

No, I don't care about that stuff at all..

and I'm mostly just a kid too, you gotta figure that the average age of a mercedes benz owner is like 45, that's twice my age.. I'm just saying out of respect for the company and the history of the cars it just shouldn't happen. great if they're saved from the crusher, bad if they're identity is confused for something they're not. because they( those stanced cars) are talked up like its all special. all over the net. I'm not so frustrated with the fact that it happens, just that people think air ride is something special and unique and should be put on everything with wheels. its a poor excuse for a real lack of interest in actual automobile culture. when they've clearly ignored all the other things that make the cars special.

Those are great shots AL, that's exactly what I was talking about.

Mike D · #24 07-11-2013, 10:46 AM

I believe part of the irritation is the post is in the "Vintage" section. If it were over in the "Body work" or "Detaining" area it would be better received.

As for myself, "It's your money and your car". Just don't park it beside my "vintage" '74 undergoing restoration. You know, the one with faded, peeling clear coat, cracked dash, repaired lower rocker panels painted primer gray which one of these days when it cools down I'm gonna color blend into the original color after I replace the windscreen seals.

alabbasi · #25 07-11-2013, 12:19 PM

I think that there's a bit of over reaction here. In looking at the car pictured in this thread, it's a good looking car and nicer then most /8's that I see on the road. Aside from the air bags which can be set at regular right height, it has Euro lights and BBS RA's which are period correct, and he gets better tire choices with his 16" wheels then anyone of us have if we're still using the 14" steels or bundts.

The first lowered /8 that I saw was about 20 years ago, in Amman Jordan and it looked a lot like this, except they used the longer bumpers from a 280E.

While this car sits a lot lower, it has air ride which is completely reversible and unlike cars with shortened springs, you can go down the road at regular ride height and save your underside.

Everyone has their pet peeves, wire wheels on W108's and R107's is mine. I've learned to bite my lip when I see them at car shows because it doesn't pay to criticize another persons effort.

I'm not going to be able to give them a change of heart, but they may give me a fat lip.

Adv_rider · #26 07-11-2013, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike D

I believe part of the irritation is too much sand in the vagina!...o

fixed

Mike D · #27 07-11-2013, 03:30 PM

Eeewwww! I never said that!

I suggest if you're going to edit a quoted post you should make it clear that you have altered the original post.

(although you did capture the intent)

Adv_rider · #28 07-11-2013, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike D

Eeewwww! I never said that!

I suggest if you're going to edit a quoted post you should make it clear that you have altered the original post.

(although you did capture the intent)

Sorry. I hope this is taken with humor.

Tomguy · #29 07-11-2013, 08:59 PM

My problem with that "Stanced" 114 is the tires / wheels look like they did this:
http://cdn.speedhunters.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/IMG_6525_copy.jpg

Obviously, riding on the sidewall like that, or with the sidewall at the opposite angle to how the tire is design and intended for safe proper use, is pretty foolish. I'd love to hear if I'm mistaken, but from that pic I see, the tires on that 114 are way too narrow for that rim and look like crap.

I've never been a fan of "Stanced" vehicles. I'd rather put my money into go-fast, not ride-low (or park-low as it may be). That camber just ruins the whole look IMO. If you're going to lower the ride, that's one thing, but when the camber makes the wheel look cock-eyed, that just looks hideous to me.

That having been said, "It's your car, do with it as you wish" - People would probably crucify me for saying this over on Allpar or some other vintage Mopar forums but if I won the lottery I'd love to get a 70 or 71 Cuda, pull the original engine, and put in a modern crate Hemi from the Mopar catalog.