Generation III External Engine - Next mod : Finish suspension or stall??

Hey guys...


I'll be returning from Afghanistan in a little over two months. Just picked up my 3rd fbody about a month ago, 2nd ls1 car. Its a '99 LPM trans am. Bone stock at the moment and waiting for me to get home and spend some cash on her.

I have already ordered TSP 1 3/4'' headers, TSP catted Y, SLP LM1, and 6LE corsa clones for exhaust. Also ordered SLP lid and am currrently looking for an ls6 intake and will be getting my TB ported. Most likely by Silver Ghost as he did the TB on my '99 SS.

I will also be ordering koni 4/4 sport shocks, strano springs, strano hollow sway bars, and UMI double adjustable LCA's with relo brackets.

Car will be getting tuned by Speed Inc.

After these mods I have about $1,000 left to play with. I am stuck between the following options :

1. Finish up the rear suspension. UMI 3 point SFC's, UMI double adjustable panhard bar, and UMI tubular torque with and relo bracket.

2. I'm sure I will be more than happy with those suspension mods already. So rather than finish the suspension, wait for now and finish it up next year. Instead, order a Yank SS3600 stall and a trans cooler to go with it.

The car will be my daily driver and only mode of transportation. The majority of my racing has been done at the drag strip or on the street previously. This will still be where a large part of my time is spent, but I am looking at getting into some SCCA autocross and some road racing as well.


What do you guys think? All comments and suggestions are more than welcome!

I did my stall first and now can keep the car straight of the line so im having to do all my suspension id at least get sfc and the stall

Well if I get the stall, I will have to wait a couple of months for the SFC. But I will already have LCA's with relos, shocks, and springs.

I'm a fan of doing the suspension. The stall will help you launch those few times you need to, the suspension will help you all the time AND on launch.

I was originally leaning towards just doing all of the suspension. However, I am getting my tune done at Speed Inc which is back home. Ill only be home on post deployment leave for a month and I would like to have the stall on at the time of the tune. That is why I have been thinking about just finishing the suspension next year and getting the stall now.


I suppose I could always just get my shift points adjusted later on...

I suppose the question I would ask myself in this situation is "what can I do that would be the most fun for the month I have?"

There isn't a question which one will be more fun. The stall will be just plain fun for pretty much every occasion. Be it laying 30 feet of rubber on the road or if you take it to the track or anything in between, the stall will put a smile on your face for a very long time. :burn:
And good choice on the SS3600. One hell of a converter!

I'm a fan of doing the suspension. The stall will help you launch those few times you need to, the suspension will help you all the time AND on launch.

Spoken like someone who prefers manuals! ;)

if youre interested in road racing suspension is a better choice though i dont know how your car would feel with a stock stall.

I would do the stall, trans cooler, and UMI adj. phb at the same time. Then do the rest of the suspension later.

Its great to ask advise but in the end its your car and you have to live with it. I have a 99Z small cam, full bolt-ons, vig 4500 w/cooler/trans-go kit ,full spohn rear susp. ,qa1 adj . fronts w/no swaybar. Best #s 11.66 et 115mph 1.57 60' oh moser12 w/373s IMO stall will add to traction problems and may be adverse for roadracing , torq-arm and gears are probably a better choice. Just my 2 cents!!

Get these first: koni 4/4 sport shocks, strano springs, and UMI double adjustable LCA's, trans/trq arm relo bracket, UMI 2 point SFC's (you'll avoid any possible exhaust clearance issues, and IMO 3pt is overkill, since 2pts work great!).

Now get you 3600 TC, and cooler!

Get these LAST: UMI double adjustable panhard bar, LCA relo brackets, UMI adj. TA, Strano sway bars, all about $924.

Spoken like someone who prefers manuals! ;)

Guilty as charged. I know what autos are capable of (:hail:), but I do love rowing. :drive:

But I really do think suspension is a more well rounded upgrade than a stall...

For Autocross or road race, a higher stall TC may be more of a hindrance than anything. With what amounts to a 3-speed tranny, for performance purposes, A4 LS1 cars are already a handful, when you get into the gas coming off a turn, and the car decides it's time to downshift. I haven't used my Camaro in that capacity, but have had a couple hairy/embarassing moments just passing people on the street and I'm just tuned with a stock TC.

A manual tranny is obviously the best choice for racing of this type, but if you're going to do it with an A4, I think the stock stall is a better choice, and will let you run faster overall.

EDIT:
I just reread your original post. Please ignore my above post as it is 100% wrong!

Consider a watts link as your next move. It will make for a better ride AND a better road racer.