topless2002SS

Thanks guys, that will be the first thing I do come spring time. Sam I'll be shopping for shocks and SFC's after the first of the year. I'll call you when I am ready to make the purchase.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I plan on making something different, I don't really like the one that's there.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The brakes are awesome.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

They make the chassis stiffer. So in that way they "tighten" up the car. But generally when folks add "ride" to that, it's a shock issue more than anything. I'd need a more definitive explanation of you mean by tighten up the ride. What's it doing that you don't like?

SFC's are not bad things. Happy to supply them to you IF that's what we determine is the low hanging fruit. I am big on the right parts first, not whatever part is easy.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The rear rod-end takes car of the articulation issues, making life on the front bushing easier than if you had poly/poly. And I like to minimize noise and racket as much as the next guy and rod ends will, eventually, make some noise.

JimMueller

iTrader: (9)

If this is this is the car I think it is, I'd love to get better photos of the rear lower perches. I believe the first owner had modified them to allow ride height adjustment without raising the rear of the car...he sent me photos but nothing clear enough on how to implement it myself.

bigsticksupra

iTrader: (3)

oh ok, gotcha, thanks. i just thought since this was your competition car you'd go rod/rod for performance but i suppose it doesn't matter that much if one end is already rod which takes care of the binding.

flyboy129

This is the reason I will go poly/roto joint (johnny joint) on my LCAs and panhard rod.

smitty2919

So, how about that picture of it?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

It's not anything that you can't find pics of on Google. Not really worth me taking another when there are plenty out there with a 3 second Google search. Try "harness bar 2002 Camaro".


When I do a new one I'll be sure to post pics.

hardtrailz

Looks like a nice ride in the works

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Just a little update. Replaced the Penske's with the Strano valved UMI's, and the 1000/275's with 600/150's (my rear spring) and it reminded me of how silly it is that folks are all about going stiffer when the setup is done correctly.

Some may be asking why am I on my production rear spring which sits on the axle vs. a coil-over back there? Simple. I'm trying to do a number of things with this car. Develop options, but also get it competitive under different rulesets, and the one that prohibits me from running a rear coil-over is SCCA's ESP class. But I'm fine with it. And shortly we'll have a provision in the front for it to accept standard type springs, including mine (or something less good) if you already have them. Maybe you want these dampers, but also want to save some money by keeping the springs you have, or just having the adjustment on the front alone.

As you can see in the attached picture, it doesn't look bad, and you can use the front to level the car out to your liking.

smitty2919

I can only assume it's a 6LE harness bar or something similar, because if it was something like this I bet it would stay in the car:

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

It's similar, yes. I don't think that's it exactly but very much that design.

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

A coilover front only set would be good for those wanting to upgrade springrates without the expense of replacing the rear shocks since many of us have Koni adjustable rears.

Boxxx

Car looks good to me.

Also it's nice to see new developments/options in suspension since mine's still stock aside from the shocks and I've been planning out the route to take and the parts to start improving it.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

If you want front only, I have front only.

Fronts with coil-over springs (we aren't ready to have my springs on them quite yet, which will cost even less, $950 complete with all the mounts and coil-over springs, thrust bearings, spanner wrench..... etc.

FIVEPOINT7

iTrader: (2)

I never even considered going to a 1000/275 combo, almost seems like a band aid for something else not set right. One car I drive has 600/200 on a viking coilover setup, the car I'm building right now will have the same rates but on your Strano/UMI coilovers. That reminds me, I need to pick up a few things from you Sam. Soon as I get home I'll have some deployment money burning a hole in my pocket.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

What's funny is that is depends on a lot on how you use and incorporate bumpstops (or bump rubbers is a better term).

Suffice to say about 100 miles in I have no regrets about swapping on the Strano/UMI Mono-tubes I did the valving/bumpstop/spring rate work on. I sort of knew that going in given the work I put in to the multiple revalves, but you never know for sure until you run them. Notice I didn't put my Penske's up for sale, yet. But in a comparison directly I'm thrilled.

Finishing up some other things this week before NASA Fall Finale @ Summit Point where I'll run the car for two days. Putting the transponder in today. Torque arm likely to get swapped Monday. Just need to swap some tires around, put in my Race Pads, bed those and roll.

Sadly because I've been going so hard on this it'll likely have crappy painters tape numbers, and because the base classing for an SS has it starting 7 points higher than a like Z28 *and* I can't dyno it before on an official dyno I'll be in the craziest of all TT classes, TTU, Unlimited. So no wins, but I'll get some baseline times to work from in the future.

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

So many tuners are all about low ride height and super stiff springs. It isn't uncommon for guys to run 800-1000# front springs on a Miata, which seems excessive to me. Some of picking a spring rate revolves around spring compression ratio in relation to the tire movement.