Can your custom car handle?
Back in the torched-spring 1950s, few people would have even thought to ask such a question. Cruisin' low and slow was all that mattered.
In the past couple decades, however, ride and handling have become increasingly important to custom enthusiasts who actually like to drive their cars farther than the local burger joint. As it turns out, the two characteristics are not necessarily mutually exclusive. These days there are many ways to craft a car that rides well, can handle in the corners, and sits low. Using air springs is one way to achieve those objectives.
Yeah, we know what you're thinking: Any car that's suspended on little pillows of air is sure to have squishy ride quality and is bound to plow around corners with all the grace of a cow on roller skates. We had the same attitude once. Some seat time in cars with air springs helped alter our perception, but it was Air Ride Technologies' Street Challenge that really opened our eyes to the strength and handling capabilities of modern air springs.
The first Street Challenge was held in 2004 at Putnam Park Road Course outside Indianapolis. Response was so positive that the folks at Air Ride put together a second gathering on August 31, 2005. The one-day, invitation-only event was designed as a way to show the automotive media just how well air spring-equipped vehicles can handle and how hard they can be pushed. Throughout the day we had the opportunity to drive or ride in a wide variety of vehicles owned by Air Ride, as well as cars from some of the country's most prominent builders.
Not only that, but Air Ride had three NASCAR drivers on hand. Boris Said, Steve Grissom, and Mike McLaughlin all put cars through paces that we street-going folks could only dream about. And let me tell you, there's no experience quite like riding shotgun in a blown '05 Mustang while Boris Said cranks it through a hard corner at speed.
To give a fair comparison, Air Ride had two cars-a '67 Camaro and '66 Nova-that were converted to air springs at the track so they could be tested both before and after. Both were set up with Air Ride's new bolt-in AirBar four-bar systems in the rear, along with air springs (Camaro) or ShockWaves (Nova) in front. Tire problems prevented the Nova from being thoroughly tested, but the Camaro improved its 420ft slalom-course test from 6.93 seconds (or 41.5mph) to 6.42 seconds (44.7mph). The change in performance was enough to impress NASCAR driver Boris Said.
"I was shocked," Said commented. "There was a huge difference in the handling. The car would just plant itself so much better. There wasn't the rollover that the traditional suspension had. I am a definite believer in the air suspension system now!"
In addition to changing perspectives about air suspensions, Air Ride's second Street Challenge proved to be just a fun day at the track, and gave us a chance to see and experience some really cool machinery in action. And you thought air springs could only make your car go up and down!