Strano Parts/UMI parts review @ buttonwillow Raceway
04-17-2011, 10:52 PM
#1
Strano Parts/UMI parts review @ buttonwillow Raceway This thread is a little over due. I now have a whopping 3 open track days under my belt on various set-ups, all at Buttonwillow Raceway in CA. I have came a long way with my driving, and still have much to learn. That "disclaimer" being said, I do learn pretty fast and tent to be on the recieving end of point-bys. This last Saturday I was out with Speed Ventures running #25ccw. My car was on RAILS. Here is the short list:
2001 Camaro SS
Engine:
223* Synergy Motorsports spec'ed custom baby camshaft
edelbrock shorties
2.5" custom SS y-pipe
3" custom catback with small magnaflow dumped in stock location
ported TB
Underdrive pulley
Lid
3.73 gears
Suspension/brakes
Koni 4/4s (6f, 1/2 rears)
Strano springs
Strano sways
UMI weld in sub-frames
UMI cromoly panhard w/ rotojoints
UMI cromoly STB (haha, got to have a tow point right???)
STOCK old *** brakes with Kragan performance frictions up front, who knows what in the rear.
Motul fluid w/ technafit lines
Nitto NT01s 275/40/17s all around (seemed to like 36f/34r cold)
The above is the configuration I ran this weekend. The first 2 outtings I did not have the subframes or sways. NIGHT AND DAY. Car feels MUCH flatter and has less body roll. It does still feel heavy in the tighter corners but....its a heavy 4th gen
The car really does feel amazing. I am beyond hooked on road courses, improving lap times, perfecting lines,mastering turns, and modding the car to work better.
As mentioned, I was out running 25ccw. I went from a first session 2:18 to a final session run of 2.11.2xx! I was the second fastest in our run group to only a new grand sport vette on full slicks, with an old school driver who runs there once a month. He pulled a 2.10.xxx on his last session. Here are some pics and videos (as they get uploaded I'll add them and bump the thread).
This is the last session. Traffic was (obviously) much lighter than the rest of the day. I was seeing 130mph down that long back straight.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSmX6yNUUko[/youtube]
2001 Camaro SS
Engine:
223* Synergy Motorsports spec'ed custom baby camshaft
edelbrock shorties
2.5" custom SS y-pipe
3" custom catback with small magnaflow dumped in stock location
ported TB
Underdrive pulley
Lid
3.73 gears
Suspension/brakes
Koni 4/4s (6f, 1/2 rears)
Strano springs
Strano sways
UMI weld in sub-frames
UMI cromoly panhard w/ rotojoints
UMI cromoly STB (haha, got to have a tow point right???)
STOCK old *** brakes with Kragan performance frictions up front, who knows what in the rear.
Motul fluid w/ technafit lines
Nitto NT01s 275/40/17s all around (seemed to like 36f/34r cold)
The above is the configuration I ran this weekend. The first 2 outtings I did not have the subframes or sways. NIGHT AND DAY. Car feels MUCH flatter and has less body roll. It does still feel heavy in the tighter corners but....its a heavy 4th gen
The car really does feel amazing. I am beyond hooked on road courses, improving lap times, perfecting lines,mastering turns, and modding the car to work better. As mentioned, I was out running 25ccw. I went from a first session 2:18 to a final session run of 2.11.2xx! I was the second fastest in our run group to only a new grand sport vette on full slicks, with an old school driver who runs there once a month. He pulled a 2.10.xxx on his last session. Here are some pics and videos (as they get uploaded I'll add them and bump the thread).
This is the last session. Traffic was (obviously) much lighter than the rest of the day. I was seeing 130mph down that long back straight.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSmX6yNUUko[/youtube]
04-21-2011, 12:32 PM
#5
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Clockwise is scary going through Riverside..always feel like you can go faster, but your gut says no. Great job, your car definitely has more in it than a 2:11; but for your first time there, you should be happy 
25 CCW is one of my favorite configs too Really wish I could have made it, but unfortunately parts didn't arrive so the car is still on stands 
25 CCW is one of my favorite configs too Really wish I could have made it, but unfortunately parts didn't arrive so the car is still on stands 
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04-21-2011, 07:23 PM
#8
Maybe this is me being presumptive... but.
"Car feels MUCH flatter and has less body roll. It does still feel heavy in the tighter corners but....its a heavy 4th gen The car really does feel amazing...... went from a first session 2:18 to a final session run of 2.11.2xx! I was the second fastest in our run group to only a new grand sport vette on full slicks, with an old school driver who runs there once a month. He pulled a 2.10.xxx on his last session."
Not too bad I think for a newbie on a track? Seems pretty happy to me.
"Car feels MUCH flatter and has less body roll. It does still feel heavy in the tighter corners but....its a heavy 4th gen The car really does feel amazing...... went from a first session 2:18 to a final session run of 2.11.2xx! I was the second fastest in our run group to only a new grand sport vette on full slicks, with an old school driver who runs there once a month. He pulled a 2.10.xxx on his last session."
Not too bad I think for a newbie on a track? Seems pretty happy to me.
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
18 SCCA National Championships in house, many more for our customers prove we know our stuff.Talk is cheap, results matter.
Check out our KONI prices, our Master Cylinder Brace, and new Xtracker Hub/wheel bearing upgrade kits!
04-21-2011, 11:59 PM
#9
Sorry I wasn't more clear! I am very happy with the current mods. Although my car appears somewhat stock, and only sounds cammed to the LS1 savvy ear, I was getting asked allllll day, "what's that thing got done to it???? Can't be stock is it??" It really did well. I have two more videos to post up.... one shows me passing a gt3 and ACR Viper 
04-22-2011, 02:49 PM
#12
Gotcha. I doun't doubt the vette could bus length my Camaro. Its not very highly modified, makes no more than 370whp or so, full weight, STOCK brakes and pads. I was just surprised by the comment that "I definitly had more in it"! Sure, maybe a little, but not too much. I was cookin' pretty good for my current set-ups potential IMO. I don't think the perfect line would have yeilded much better than a 2:09 or so.
04-22-2011, 03:44 PM
#13
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Gotcha. I doun't doubt the vette could bus length my Camaro. Its not very highly modified, makes no more than 370whp or so, full weight, STOCK brakes and pads. I was just surprised by the comment that "I definitly had more in it"! Sure, maybe a little, but not too much. I was cookin' pretty good for my current set-ups potential IMO. I don't think the perfect line would have yeilded much better than a 2:09 or so.
04-22-2011, 06:20 PM
#15
Auto on th, road course??? No. No fade. I have ss lines and motul fluid bled after each track day. Not too much fade believe it or not. I coast /brake WAY early though.... but they are still very impressive for stock junk with kragan performance friction pads! New vids going up shortly!
04-22-2011, 11:25 PM
#18
I wish I had the exact ones.....but here is what I remember
~-0.75* Camber (maxxed stock suspension)
5.5 caster
and I forget the toe but I want to say it has a smidge one way or the other.
NEW VIDEOS!!!
4th session. Some pretty good driving once the LT1 car lets me pass at ~7:00mins in. I also do work on an ACR viper at ~16:00mins (with obviously a novice driver). At some point some bone head in a Miata trys to let me pass on the inside of a turn but fails to slow down at all and pinches me down into a way early apex at high speed on a 100+mph turn. I nearly understeered into him! I was ready to kill him when we got in the pits but my buddy cooled me down
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHHAykqCMgA&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]
~-0.75* Camber (maxxed stock suspension)
5.5 caster
and I forget the toe but I want to say it has a smidge one way or the other.
NEW VIDEOS!!!
4th session. Some pretty good driving once the LT1 car lets me pass at ~7:00mins in. I also do work on an ACR viper at ~16:00mins (with obviously a novice driver). At some point some bone head in a Miata trys to let me pass on the inside of a turn but fails to slow down at all and pinches me down into a way early apex at high speed on a 100+mph turn. I nearly understeered into him! I was ready to kill him when we got in the pits but my buddy cooled me down
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHHAykqCMgA&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]
