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Super clean and rust free Lesabre Limited.
Picked it up a couple of months ago and have been slowly fixing the minor things. I plan to put it on bags and some nice wheels. Along the lines of my Mercedes W140 and my TDI Passat
Today Finally the custom made bags are in!
Just need to decide on a management system and wheels. it will be a slow process for now as I prep for surgery but I am determined to get it done.
They are custom made in house from AirBagit in Nevada i gave them the info and asked for a shorter height at ride height and when aired out. Should be able to drop the Buick 7-9 inches from factory height when aired out
I still need to look into those f body shocks for the rear.
They don't keep anything in stock it's all custom made and they can do any car. Only thing is the body is not threaded so the only height adjustment is from air pressure. Unlike my Passat with Bag riders air suspension which I am able to adjust the height like a coilovers too.
Regardless of the adjust-ability, they look well built.
I'm just realizing it looks like the top bolt hole on the strut was intentionally slotted to accommodate the 00+ H-body knuckle, which would allow for a bunch of different brake upgrades.
95 SLE... a keeper. 241k miles. Low and Slow.
97 BMW 528i
98 Infiniti vq35'd i30: 13.3@104mph, 30MPG Hwy (RIP)
02 Jag X-type
03 BMW M5
05 Chevy Cobalt LS
07 Infiniti G35s 6MT (Sold)
07 Ducati Monster S2R 800 with DS1000 swap
83 Yamaha IT175K
72 Yamaha DS7: '74 RD250 swap, JL chambers
Yeah they definitely are the have some good weight to them. The bags themselves are nice and thick aswell if memory serves the bags have a 5 year warranty. Idk I'd have to recheck. The rear brackets are really thick.
Tomorrow I'm headed to the junk yard as I've found a 97 lesabre there and want some interior bits. But I need to take measurements for the rear shocks on an F body, or a Century do I can determine which route to go for a shorter shock.
Also I went to let the car warm up yesterday and I noticed my oil pressure gauge read 0 and that oil was dripping from the Passanger CV axle area. I haven't taken the wheel off yet but my guess is the Sender broke.
Update: I have ordered my Management system along with a tank and compressor. I am looking for some custom rear shocks and may look into 2004 rear Impreza coil overs and just remove the springs. Still undecided about wheel selection. Car is put away for the winter and I probably wont make any progress until it begins to warm up again.
SO this past weekend I 90% completed the suspension. I still need to do some wire tucking and sorting but the system is fully functional and working. I need to get different wheels and tires to go lower and modify the exhaust to not hit the ground when laying out. She looks so good. For the rear shocks I ended up running MONROE 801799 which when measured out where 2.5 inches shorter than my stock struts.
The front struts where easy I ended up using the strut bearings from the oem struts as the ones provided did not fit the top mounts
She definitely needs an alignment that's for sure. As far as the axles and sway bar goes there's no interference or binding. When aired up the axles seem perfectly fine. im able to air up to about 1 inch lower than stock in the front. and 2 inches above stock in the rear. Ride quality, its a little bouncy but not unbearable. Smoother than my brothers Mk4 Jetta on bags but not as smooth as my Mercedes or Passat on bags.
Routing wires through the firewall was awkward but inside was a breeze. I did have to drill holes for the airlines in the trunk but its perfectly fine and water tight. Running digital management makes things so much easier. All in all took two days to do on jackstands while underneath i was just in awe how clean the frame and suspension is lol
My axles never binded until I wound down my coilovers all the way up front. I think the front subframe was like an inch off the ground, but my drive train was already raised an inch by that point.
At my normal ride height, which was like a 4" drop, my outer CV boots kept popping off from the angle. I tried different clamps and pushing the small side of the boot outbord on the axle but ultimately raising the engine/trans an inch fixed that.
95 SLE... a keeper. 241k miles. Low and Slow.
97 BMW 528i
98 Infiniti vq35'd i30: 13.3@104mph, 30MPG Hwy (RIP)
02 Jag X-type
03 BMW M5
05 Chevy Cobalt LS
07 Infiniti G35s 6MT (Sold)
07 Ducati Monster S2R 800 with DS1000 swap
83 Yamaha IT175K
72 Yamaha DS7: '74 RD250 swap, JL chambers
So a few updates, the company that made the custom bags has gone out of business.
I have done more work to the Buick, I have retucked the wiring, changed out the top mounts and have adjusted the rear brackets and readjusted the exhaust to sit a bit higher and I am about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch to laying the subframe down on the ground. Changing the wheels and tires will get me there. I have also started to mock up a trunk set up for the tank and electronics. I have added two water traps to the system and trimmed some excess lines.
So close to tucking the stock 15s lol. I am thinking 18s or 19s is going to be the play.
Still got a ways to go on this but here is a mock up of the trunk setup. I need to get a new compressor check valve as the one I had cracked.
But all in all things are going good. Need to decide on wheels I'm thinking Work Emitz or something similar
I'm trying to go for a 9.5-10 wide at the very least on the rear. I need to dig out my wheel fitment tool also, I need to find either a replacement for the vacuum lines or custom make some I was looking into my high idle issue. I have found the lines have become very brittle and have started to leak.
Nice. I went 9/10 front/rear. On the rear, I just rolled the quarters. For the front I self clearanced the front liners and cut out and butt welded the unibody pinch seam area above the front wheels.
95 SLE... a keeper. 241k miles. Low and Slow.
97 BMW 528i
98 Infiniti vq35'd i30: 13.3@104mph, 30MPG Hwy (RIP)
02 Jag X-type
03 BMW M5
05 Chevy Cobalt LS
07 Infiniti G35s 6MT (Sold)
07 Ducati Monster S2R 800 with DS1000 swap
83 Yamaha IT175K
72 Yamaha DS7: '74 RD250 swap, JL chambers
Are you on 18s? The BBS in your link I mean. 18x10 rear? I wish I had more of a visual to go off on these cars but all I see are 22s or bigger. Aired out I am 21.9 inches ground to fender for the front, and 22.3 ground to fender on the rear this is with a 205/70r15 tire mind you. I'm hoping with the right tire and wheel combo to drop it another 3/4-1 inch which will let it rest on the frame when aired out.
Also apparently I inspired a YouTuber to bag a LeSabre as well. Said he seen my car on Facebook and finally pulled the trigger to do one. Although he did a 6th gen 89. So that's kinda cool. He chopped up some WRX bags and made custom top hats for his route. I believe he sits at around 23in ground to fender. And has a 1 1/4 rake. Looks dope.
Nice I can definitely use that info. Gotta do the coolant elbows now, the o ring one the intake manifold side has gone bad and is shooting out like old faithful. They where replaced but with the OEM plastic ones. I'm going to get the dorman metal ones and OEM rings. Went to the junkyard and found a 99 LeSabre Custom and a 96 SSE. I wonder how the Buick would look with the wing lol going to be redoing the front brakes, elbows, window motor and Vacuum lines (the Tee is discontinued so I'm going to have to figure that out) this week.
Got bored waiting for parts for the Buick and slapped the VWs wheels on. 20x9 ET 38 the cars fenders and quarters are sitting on wheelslips and tires. May go 18s or 19s.
I still need to do some wire tucking and sorting but the system is fully functional and working. I need to get different wheels and tires to go lower and modify the exhaust to not hit the ground when laying out. She looks so good. For the rear shocks I ended up running MONROE 801799 which when measured out where 2.5 inches shorter than my stock struts.
