ith Jason Fonte’s 1959 Chevrolet Apache, the fire-scorched body of the truck was maintained with its historic character from the Paradise Fire in Northern California. But underneath, Fonte had the crew at Devious Customs in Riverside, California, completely transform the classic farm truck–style suspension into a modern show truck with a full Roadster Shop chassis that was kept in bare metal using a clear powdercoating to protect it. Naturally, a full air-ride suspension setup was called for and Fonte opted to upgrade it to the latest air management setup from AccuAir Suspension.

One of the standout features of the AccuAir e-Level+ system is its ability to provide an exceptional ride quality that is also consistent. Using their Height+ Leveling Sensors and intelligent algorithms, the Ride Monitor system will adjust the air suspension in real time, ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride, lessening bottoming out or scraping even if more weight is added to the truck or rough road conditions.

This level of control also allows you to tailor your suspension settings to several preset heights, from a low cruising ride height that matches your optimal suspension setup to a near-scraping low setting raised up to handle speed bumps, driveways, and sharp turns. And of course, a one-button, fully laid out setting.

Of course, the AccuAir system was installed with a few custom touches by Devious Customs, including a custom mount for the ECU and air manifold. Hard line copper tubing was chosen to connect the valves to a manifold under the bed. The eye-catching copper lines matched the overall look of the truck and engine parts underhood.

e-Level+ Air Management ECU

The brain of the operation is the e-Level+ ECU that controls all the air operations and height sensors. The self-contained, weatherproof unit and harness recently saw some upgrades, including a battery-saving feature that shuts the system off after 24 hours when not in use. Color LEDs can be picked and will display certain troubleshooting codes when needed. The system also will adjust to your set ride height when starting up your vehicle.

Plug-and-Play VU4 Air Manifold

The high-quality VU4 valve manifold eliminates the need to mount multiple solenoid valves throughout the air suspension system. It is a four-corner setup to individually control each airbag independently. The 200-psi capable manifold is a plug-and-play setup with 1/4-inch NPT fittings.

Height+ Height Sensors

The height sensors are the key component to the automatic leveling feature. The sensors measure the distance both directions from your suspension’s set ride height to map the distance between the truck and the pavement. That data is then transmitted to best adjust ride height based on your suspension level settings.

Touchpad+ Controller, App & Setup

Once everything is installed, the AccuAir e-Level+ system automatically calibrates itself and you are ready to roll. The plug-in Touchpad+ Controller or Bluetooth 5.0 phone app allows for the preset heights to be selected with just the tap of a button. Each corner can also be controlled independently.

Further protection to your vehicle’s electrical system was added to the controller with a colored LED indicating when your air compressor is running. This notification allows you to not only make sure your compressor isn’t having an issue but to know when you have enough air in your tanks to handle the pressure needed to cruise down the road.