CTS-V Coilovers from LG Motorsports
 

As some of you know, I’ve been researching coilovers for the V for a long time.
I was about to pull the trigger on a KW Variant 3 when I met up with Louis & Moze of GSS/LG Motorsports.

Louis agreed to make a set of coilovers for my 2004 Cadillac CTS-V. Louis designed these CTSV Coilovers both for the street AND track.
Louis started with a set of Bilstein shocks as a foundation for the NEW V1 CTS-V Coilovers.
Attached are pictures of the prototype set and we’ll putting the V on the street this week and soon going to test at MSR Cresson.

I’m very excited with the development and can’t wait to get the V on street AND track.

There’ll be definitely MORE news to come in the upcoming days

Nice to see others are trying to make an alternative to the kw's. Does he have any rounded number of what these might cost?

Those are some serious brackets at the end of that shock - what is that, 1/4"???

I would never hesitate to use anything from LG, only best comes from there.

This is awesome news! We are really lacking in the coilover selection department.

I hope to meet Lou in about a month at the Spectre 341 Challenge, maybe he'll give me a good deal on ordering a set from his company. I wonder how much they cost?

Spring rates: I’ll check again

Price: I don’t know yet, Louis/Moze will be pricing.

The shocks we used on this prototype are non adjustable
…Louis told me once car is on the ground (today) and tested he plans to then add adjustable shocks to the mix.

….update….
Test drive just happened :-)
HOLY CRAP, huge difference!!!!
the V is SO MUCH more planted, firm but not harsh at all
NO NOISE, no brake dive even though we put on NEW Hawk DTC30’s pads in the front.
I did not want to get out of the car!!!
But they needed I back to align car and then corner balance it…

Interested in more details :)

Is that a brake duct in the first picture?

yes, but now your jumping ahead in the story...
and no pictures YET

--Jerry

Bravo!

Louis@GSS and Lou (LG) are the "Master Yoda's of GM". If there is a GM performance vehicle out there, they have done the R&D on making it BETTER and FASTER. :nod:

:usa:

I cant wait to hear a bit more about this... I need a better suspension then what i have so far.

How much? Thats what matters. Everyone already knows how awsome these probably are.

another question, how is the range on these bad boys? Do they go back up to stock height, above? How low do they take the car?

great postings guys..
these questions are being sent to Louis Gigliotti

IF I can get him away from working on his customers cars and in front of his computer, I'm sure he answer these questions...

Keep them coming.... :-)

That is a brake duct.... heh... spy pics.... hah!

These will lower the car as low as you can go, before mechanical limitations set in- IE the A-Arm binds in the rear, and the upper a-arm binds on the chassis in the front. There is still shock travel to be had, so they will go as low as you can get them to go.

Spring rates are in the 7xx/4xx range. These are prototypes, so rates may change when we get track time on it.

Pricing will be 1990$ initially if we can get 3 sets, and 2295 after the intro.

Louis

Are those pictures after the corner balance?

before corner balance...

--Jerry

I'll be keeping a very close eye on this kit. I have a leaking front FG2 and GM only sells full sets of 4 for $1600, so for a few hundred more I could have this sweet kit...very cool.

One thing I would want though would be spring rate options. Currently I run 750 lb/in front and 784 lb/in rear (it's a metric spring rate) and the reason I do that is so I can run much wider tires and not get rubbing because the super-stiff springs keep the car body from moving or squatting. When I had 650 lb/in springs in the rear, I would get some rubbing on the track, so I feel like I found the sweet spot for spring stiffness with the 784-800 lb springs based on the minimal rubbing and the weight of the car (and the great handling of course).

I know with a true coilover conversion in the rear, the new spring rates would need to be much less (due to the changed suspension geometry) to get the same desired stiffness, but I would want at least as stiff a ride as I have now. Would something like this be possible with this kit? Or maybe, you could offer a street spring kit and a stiff track spring kit?

that is a very good price for what looks like a killer set of FULL front and rear coils overs.

Should anyone want a test drive, please contact me directly. I live in the Dallas area.
LG Motorsports is located in Wylie.

I know Louis is planning a day at the track @ MSR within a month or so...
.....that will be VERY interesting.....

--Jerry

We can run 50lb springs to 2000 lb springs, so yes, custom rates are not a problem. Cost wont change, but the order will be custom and lead time will change.

Louis

The dampers will be revalved according to whatever the spring rates will be for a specific client/purchaser? I'd like to see info about the brake ducts.

Damn, I wish I could afford these, but my 402 ci is more important. Haaa.

Nice, jerry I'm getting some new shoes for the V tomorrow but nothing special (prolly 245/45/18s) and will be down to jump on the track for the first time.. id also love to got for a spin around the track with you next time you go! Just email/text me the date and I will make sure to keep my schedule free for the weekend...

I would be interested, My GC with 600/650 I feel can be a bit stiffer, plus I know my FG2s arent going to last forever...

Just curious, The price point seems to be the same as the kw's. What are the benefits of running these instead of the variant 3s?

^These are actual coilovers in the rear for one.

I did not know the kws were not. interesting... im no suspension expert but what would the advantages be of running a coil over in the back too? Would there be fab involved to fit them? Any links I can read to school me in the different types of suspension? pardon the newb questions

Yeah. Just because they are "true" by definitition doesn't mean they are better. Can we get a more straight up answer on this?

I'm waiting to order V3s and tires until I hear something on this. I don't like that they are only 1 way adjustable whereas the KWs are 2. This is the most important area to upgrade on the car in my book. I'd like to have a real "pitch" on them, other than that they fit the definition of "coilover" better. I don't care what the dictionary says, dag nabbit.

I do not have an answer to
"how these LG Motorsports coilovers compare to KW Var 3"
I did not drive a KW Var 3 CTS-V, I do know that I like LG's
I believe you should email Louis or Moze directly, they would know for sure
moze@gssspeedshop.com

I do know that LG has been making coilovers for years for both street and race Vettes,
and they are not "posers", they race what they sell.

My offer still stands I live in the DFW area should someone want to come out to see my V. PM directly....

I will definantly be looking into this in the near future. irun the LG adjustables on my FRC Corvette and love them. They are great folks to deal with. Been running LG stuff since i had my 98 Z28 and their stuff is quality.

They dont really answer email very well, I was trying for a month to get an order in, I had a couple correspondences with them but never could get it done...

Jerrycecco - how are these holding up for you? I need new shocks and I think I am going to go with coilovers. I like the idea of these better than the KW3s. Did you get a chance to do any more track days on them?

I own this car now and can tell you the coilovers are holding up good! The car drives great for daily driving and handles like it's on rails. By far way better than stock shocks. I really have no complaints.

Thanks for the update. I will be in touch with Louis.

Knowing what you know, would you go with the same spring rate you have, or would you change it?

I know nothing! But it does ride good and handles great. That's all that matters really for me I just wanted a 4dr family wagon with some speed

I was pretty happy with the setup, it was balanced on the tires he had.

Let me know when you're ready, I have a few sets going together.

Louis

Although I have no doubt that it handles better than stock, if you bought the car second hand with the coil-overs already installed, how do you know how well the stock shocks handled?

The V1 never came in a wagon.

And after all that time, mulling over which suspension set-up to go with and then finally settling on one, he sold it? Seems a bit of a shame...

First of all this is not the first v I have driven!! and I can tell you it's better than stock. and second 4dr wagon is a figure of speech

I think "family wagon" was intended just as an expression. I would imagine 98silver knows the car he's driving is not a station wagon.

This man speaks the truth :cheers: overall I am not a track racer but have driven a few v's and I can tell a big difference. The body roll is a minimum and just the rebound and compression the shock travel does feel not as sloppy as stock. The two other v's I have driven have felt a lot softer.
Just maybe the other two examples were bad but who knows. All that matters is I am happy with my second hand purchase!

many people seem to mod the v1 then move on...what did he replace the v with?

Can you PM some price info or link to these? Didn't see them on the site.

Yep, wonder if we can still get the intro pricing...hrm....

any estimate on availability?? I read through the thread pretty quickly so sorry if i missed it. I would like to pull the trigger on coils asap!