MBC Racing

iTrader: (3)

I already have a HIGHLY modded 00 z28 that I used to AX prior to it blowing up last month. Now i bought a track ***** 00 SS and am trying to find out the differences between it and a Z. From what i can tell, it has the stock decarbon shocks, so from what I looked up it has the same springs as the Z28 too since no bilstiens...????? Obious things I see is hood, wing, slp dual/dual exhaust, 17" wheels. Rear bar is 19mm. I didn't measure the front yet.... thought it may be same as Z28 since rear was 19mm and I thought that the rear was supposed to be 21mm if it got the handling package???

I plan to run the car in a class that the Z28 was supposed to run and just take the point hit for the larger wheels and exhaust. Z is in a lower class to start but begins with a 3 point hit bone stock. I think that is the only difference on my particular car. SS is in faster class with no initial point hit. Since it has minimal mods right now, I am better off to take the extra points and be in the top end of the slower class than be in the low end of points in the faster class.

Am I missing something or are my ***-sumptions correct?

I plan to run it with stock suspension and then start swapping my parts from the other car to this one. (konis, 600# front springs, 175# rears, maybe the sway bars.....) I want to get a base line and then see if I go faster as I swap parts over. I only can take a total of 17 points, so I need to pick and choose wisely to stay in the modified class this time. Going to do it right with this car and talk to Sam BEFORE modding instead of trying to convert a drag car to an AX car.

The other car is going back to being a low 11sec drag/street car. Now I get to do both and have fun!

Thanks!

Major_Lee_Slow

iTrader: (1)

The base SS suspension is the 1LE suspension less the Koni DA's. Basically all the suspension bushings are different, the frt sway bar is bigger, 32 vs 30, the rear bar is the same on LS-1 cars (it was 21mm on 1LE LT1 Cars), and the spring rates are higher on the SS vs. the Z28.

If you want specifics, I have the GM trim level sheet at home and can post it.

MBC Racing

iTrader: (3)

ya, if you got it please post.

I had to replace the rear LCA and panhard since they were bent in a collision and the bushings and p/n on the arms were the same. I used the ones that came stock on my Z.

I want to make sure that I am not cheating by not declaring stuff I should take a point hit for. Eventually, I will be replacing most of the SS stuff with aftermarket anyway, but for now would like to know what I really have if I am questioned.

I thought the springs were only different if you got the Konis..... at least that is what I read... we all know how that goes which is why I posed the question here.
thanks!

MBC Racing

iTrader: (3)

anybody confirm the springs? I found another thread that said 98-99 SS and ws6 got 1LE and 00-02 SS WS6 got same as z28.

Which is correct?????

Major_Lee_Slow

iTrader: (1)

Wow, I just went thru my files and found that not only do I have the 1998 Chevy and Pontiac F-Car Uplevel Chassis Tuning Chart from GM, but I also have the SLP Aftermarket Suspension Package List. Very Cool.

The only problem is is that the GM list is 4 pages of p/n's which includes everything from the engine crossmember (which BTW, there are 3 GM P/N's on for the Base Z28, another for the B4C Police Package and a thrid for the Vert), to the Top Shock mount P/N.

So it looks like I'll have to copy this from paper to excel and then I'll post it up on my website. It'll take me a few days to get around to it, but I will get it done.

LS1vazquez

I was under the impression that there were no real differences in the suspension of the SS vs. the Z28 unless you started putting on the SLP options.

Major_Lee_Slow

iTrader: (1)

That's a popular misconception. The base SS suspension is the 1LE suspension less the Koni's. Pretty cool huh?

LS1W66

Stock springs rates are 292/114 for Z's, Formula's and Trans Am's
WS6 and SS (1LE) rates are 360/130-180

Also the 1LE springs were dropped from the Pkgs in mid 2000 (Jan) so all later cars will have the regular V8 springs.

MBC Racing

iTrader: (3)

So, since mine is a 2000, it may or may not have the 1LE springs....
Car has lots of miles, so how can I tell what springs it has?

What about the bushings? I pulled the rear LCAs and swapped them with the stockers from my Z (SS one was bent). Parts had the same GM part number on them. Bushing also had a pink stripe on both the SS and Z28 arms. Not sure if the stripe is just a quality check or something identifying durometer.....


Thanks

Tdawg

not true, when i ordered my 02, they offered the 1LE package on with the koni double adjustables. i ordered that and on the upgrade list it lists it right on there. would there be any difference between the 2000 1LE package and the 02 1LE package?

MBC Racing

iTrader: (3)

boy oh boy..... there sure is a lot of conflicting info on this subject......

So far, since I have a 00 SS, I am going to have to "assume" that the only difference between mine and a Z28 is the 17" wheels, front sway bar, and exhaust.

Until I can get somthing solid, i don't think I have much choice??????

Anybody got anything concrete???

LS1W66

You are talking about the SLP optional 1LE pkg not the Factory 1LE.
All SS and WS6 cars prior to Jan `00 will have the 1LE springs as part of their regular equipment. The`01-02 SLP 1LE option may have the same parts but it was at extra cost over the base cars for those years.
Also thougt I saw once that some one had posted a date of Jan 21 or 22 2000 as the production cut off date for the 1LE springs as part of the Pkg.

MBC Racing
On the inside edge of the door should be an RPO Sticker, it should also have a Month and Year Build date on it. Obviously if it's prior to Jan 2000 you will have the 1LE springs.

slow

iTrader: (7)

I believe that is correct.

My 1998 Ws6 had the same partial rear LCa bushings that a non Ws6 car got, I am unsure if it really was a change or not. Either way, I'm replacing them with the solid 1LE style moog parts, since they're shot.

Ryan

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Oh boy...

1993 1LE's had 1LE front springs, the 32mm front bar, STOCK rear springs and a 21mm bar, 1LE valved deCarbon shocks.

1994-1995 1LE's got 1LE front and rear springs (not stock) the 32mm front bar, but down to a 19mm rear bar, and 1LE spec deCarbon shocks.

1996-1999 1LE's got 1LE springs front and rear, 32/19 bars, Koni DA's.

No 2000 1LE.

2001-02 1LE's were taken over by SLP. They had a hollow 35mm front bar, the 21mm rear, Koni DA's. As best I can tell stock springs.

Up until about mid-2000 some time SS's and WS6's got 1LE springs, after that time they got standard springs.

MBC Racing

iTrader: (3)

Sam,
I figured you would chime in.

Well, hopefully I got the 1le springs so they can go in my street/drag car.
I hope the 600f/175r# ones on the ground control set up with konis I got from you will work on the new car once I start swapping parts. I will have to do something with the bars too depending on it it handles... probably have to go back down to 9.5" rims from 11" to get some points back, but couldn't pass up the deal I got on a set of Hoosier 315 A6s...

You sell offset upper a arm bushings for more neg camber?

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

So that's good, we got some info on what mods were on each particular 1LE per year. Question is, which year SS's and WS6's were all 1LE's and only a few 1LE's. And what did they come with if they weren't 1LE?

Since your talking about a 2000 SS and if Sam's right about no 00 1LE, then I'm "guessing" you probably have all stock suspension with a 32mm front bar. I'm only saying this because I'm pretty sure base SS's came with 32's from the info I've read in the past and my fading memory.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

BTW, fit some 17x11's on the front too if you can

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

He was talking about the 1LE springs... Just because you have a 1LE package doesn't mean you have 1LE springs. 1LE is an RPO code, and the parts contained can change. Example being 1LE's came with both deCarbon's and Koni's at various times.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

All 1993-2002 chassis are the same, all the suspension parts are interchangeable. While tweaks to springs, shocks, bars, bushings, etc happened over the years, anything that fits say a '94 will fit an '02.

And yes, I do sell Offset Bushings for the upper control arms (stock arms) that gain you about another .5 camber (+ or - depending how you install them). You'd want more negative camber for autox.

MBC Racing

iTrader: (3)

That is my plan. Will stick out a little, but I will see how they work. I have a set of 275 R6 as well on 9.5" rims, but don't think they will get enough heat in them to work well for my one lap timed run on the 1.95 mile road course.

I am worried that the A6s will get too hot on the 3 lap practice sesions.... I used to run V710s and they started to go away on the 3rd lap. That car had about 150 more hp though