Mike, following along with this is getting expensive. Reading some first hand accounts of T-hill from you made me purchase a new seat for the truck.

Looks awesome
 

Looked great before, and awesome now!

I thought he drove it, until i saw the trailer in the pic :waveflag:

Thanx Steve, looking forward to seeing yours done as well

thanx!!

Whatever....:action-smiley-027:

Thanx Bryan, their a work in progress, aren't they?

thanx you guys...

Yeah, it'll be fun up there...you'll be the only 5 banger out there, sweet!!

thanx Jer

What? money?? thanx Skipper....

Looking forward to hearing your beast...

thanx Justin, its nice to have you on board....

Yeah, im heading to Redwood City Tuesday, was thinking of swinging it by, but i'll need my truck for this trip.....hope to see ya soon....thanx

:y0!:

Is that a SS BB Chevelle cowl with the flap that opens fabbed into your hood?? If so that's bad ass, I've never seen one on a Cammy

Yeah, it is, the guy i got the car from in '90 took an actual chevelle cowl hood and grafted it onto the camaro hood, didnt come out too well. So my body guy buddy did it over on a different hood and it came out ok, should of been a little farther back and some minor cracking is starting too appear. So, with the LS, i've been trying to figure out how to make the vent work, but its now taking a back seat as i got a deal on an Anvil partial carbon hood. Plus, i'm pretty sure as nice as this hood is, its cursed. Iv'e had nothing but troubles with this hood, the oem replacement hinges, the aftermarket hinges, the latch...its all sh....t. So....the show goes on....

Congrats on getting the car back, Mike! Have fun driving it!

Thanx Trey, good luck on the house huntin. I mean having these cars are nice and stuff, but its not a great place to drop a load...lol (havin your priorities in the right place:thumbsup:

Sorry I missed this. I was in and out of te shop all day and when I was there I had the welders going.

Thanks, Mike! You're absolutely correct. I planned ahead and made sure my house money was separate from my car fund. So, I can keep building my car while also finding and eventually buying a house. It's the time element I can't save away for future use.

What a mistake by putting myself in front of this group, I haven't even tried the new tires/rims & suspension. Pushed the car and had a "caliper piston" stick i think, created a wobble on my second lap, was about to come in and the problem went away. Finally, fourth session on the track and i started feeling the car a little better and the p/plate went south.
I'm taking the car to MaierInc to have him adjust the spring/double adjustable AFCO's Customworks put on (keith couldn't test drive it as my tune/engine was barely running).
The car feels stiff when driving around (which is fine). A little slippery on the autocross course. And a "little floaty" on the freeway at 70-90 (kinda like an old American sedan travlin north of 80mph).

I dont even know where to start with a baseline. Had the same problem with my off road dirt bike, knew what its like to drive/ride a bike well set up, just dont know how to set up or even where to begin.

One of the main reasons i choose the DSE rear assembly is their stuff is incredibly well made for the track (and I wanted the "look" of wider tires in the back, so i knew minitubs where in my future). So now learning it is a whole new experience. I did much better when the car was on Leaf's.

Not 100% happy with the Forgelines (the look i was trying to acheive). I spent three years looking and shopping (and yes i saved up the extra scratch for the exact rim i wanted as there are other good options on the market) and the front rim just doesnt look right. I finally figured out the "step lip" on my rim isn't made for this much offset. So i'm going to send them back to Forgeline after OPTIMA Vegas & Norcal Shelby run (if i dont break in vegas) and have them rehooped and put a 295 under the front!! Car does push a little and with the weight distribution of 52/48 and 3501 lbs i figure a little more tire would be worth it while trying to get the "Look" of the rim right.

Put a new flywheel/pplate/clutch from an LS7 in there. Did the gguys autocross two weekends ago and trying to get more saddle time in it. Still fun to drive and puts a smile on my face.

Heads, cam, Wegner accessories kit (have), carbon hood (have) and a partial respray comeing for May....A hotrods work is never done...

thats all for now from the "dis-traction" mobile....

http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/...2015%20088.jpg

Mike - Have you test fitted the 295 on the car? It's a pretty tight fit due to the height. I also don't think it looks as good as a 275 or 315 up front due to it looking taller than the back. I bring it up because these were all thoughts I had when trying to pick out the right wheel/tire for my car.....It's really painful.

I think the car looks sharp as is but of course all that matters is your opinion since it's your ride.

I second what Steve said about the 295's. Which ones are you going to use?

And what are you wheel specs? Curious how they compare to mine.

I can sympathize with the struggles, but love that you're keeping at it! You better get it sorted out before October so you can make the trek to Texas again!!! :)

I'll have to do some inner fender cutting and roll the lip, the rim just doesn't look right due to the "step" of the forgeline. I'll post some close up pics later. I was talking to a guy with a 2nd gen and he said no prob with the 295. Keith and Sean from Customworks are both running 285's with a better fit. I can come out a 1/2" and go in a 1/2", so far the only rubbing i have is at full lock it rubs the Hotchkis sway bar. Its both the push and the looks getting me to do this. But the car will be partially takin apart again in May...

Probably stay with the Falkin's as it looks to be the brand of performance and availibility for us pro-touring folks. I had seen the DetroitSpeed instagram and it looks like BFG found/made something to market to us....They (BFG) need to market a name we can remember instead of the "Comp h20 ss-recessed rubber-kdw/rival/will we be around next year" tire....

Mike,

What's the current width on your front wheels? I didn't find it during a quick thread search...

glad you're having fun with the car, Mike! Going to be sad seeing the cowl hood go away. I thought that was a really great addition. Have you looked into any more aero changes to keep the front from floating at highway speeds?

You must mean the hard-to-remember "Rival S" ? :sieg:

do you mean "hard to remember" or "hard to get" lol...i had read they stopped production on those. True?

I think my package just needs fine tuning of which i have zero experience setting up a suspension. I'm not sure what speed the aero would come in at (t-hill, turn 1 at 90ish for me, would love to compare it to something else)....

Yeah, as much as i love that cowl hood, it has been my nemesis...

I just took delivery of a set of the new Rival S's yesterday. Can't wait to try 'em. :cheers:

Distraction
 

Mike
Looks like you are having fun
I am also learning how to tune these cars
for handling. Trial and error and some help from
others. Took me a couple years to figure out the Pantera
and I now think I could make that better

Seems like a little more chin on the front spoiler
works at higher speeds. Did one on the bird recently
But not ready to track that car yet worked great on my
Pantera. Look at Mary Pozzis car. I did tap plastics
for both cars.

Might see you at thunderhill in a few weeks

Bob

Mary's spoiler is killer. If I had a 2nd gen I would definitely run one of those. Randy at D&Z will sell you it. He made it.

90 is more than fast enough for aero to work, Mike. I originally asked because my car doesn't get light at highway speeds. However, the aero on the TA's is known to work in stock form compared to the other models. The later TA's and eventually Z's had the best factory aero. It can all be improved upon though. I'd keep it in mind as you progress. I can imagine the front end getting light on the highway is not an enjoyable feeling.

I love this car. I might do a similar spoiler just because it looks so wicked.

http://forumbilder.se/images/d642011101450567e.jpg

Just read this entire thread throughout the day. Love your car and the step by step build.

That's a great lookin piece.

Distraction
 

Protouring fbody site has a few videos of the Firebird
Hillclimbing

Bob

Definitely got my eyes and ears on. I'd love to see that piece on my car with an inlet for air/engine, and r&l brake ducting, three inlets total. Very doable. Hmmmmm....

got an appointment at maierinc tomorrow for help on tuning the suspension. At least get me a base setup...

Thanx. Its super fun to drive, and get slideways :whistling:

Gettin light in the front end Mike? Forget all that messin around with aerodynamics...and btw, get the iron head version.

:whenitsdone:

I just think the spring rate may be to soft. (Maier confirmed that for the rears anyways)

I like your thinkin Skip!! When all else fails, throw more power at it!!!

Actually Mike I meant to infer adding the weight of a boat anchor iron 572 would solve your floating feeling. :D

What's your rear spring rate, Mike?

Distraction
 

Then after you tweak the rear spring
You will have to adjust the front
I'm learning one end effects the other
Mine dives too much so more compression
up front and more rebound out back to keep
to keep the back from lifting and the front
from diving. Then try to zero in

It will take time but once we get there it will
Be worth it. Maier will get you pointed in the right direction

Bob

Not sure Trey, never got specs from anyone. So i'ma starting from scratch. Maier is weighing the car and getting some baselines

Hey Mike!

Getting lots of stuff worked out. Nice! Getting the suspension dialed in is like a black art. I've messed with mine a lot and still don't have a firm grasp on it. With Maiers help you'll be in range but I found what works on one track or autox doesn't always work on another. Once I get my happy medium I will leave it alone and get my driving together.

Hope you are in the shop when he does this that way you can get a hands on lesson.

Good luck in Vegas!

Efrain

Thanx bob, yeah, no doubt we'll have a good starting point, already have a good starting point. I dont know how to adjust or even where to begin. Keith got the car pretty well dialed (not being able to drive it) and we'll go from there...

Exactly and exactly. I thought the front was dialed pretty well and then i "HAD" to go and mini tub it, well, she has a much nicer "rear" now....so let the tuning begin (and learning, my brains already on fire from reading Suttons thread)

Well, this suspensions things kicking my a$$!!!. I came in last in the GTV class on the road course this weekend at the optima.
Finished 8 of 16 oa in the GTV class, i was hopin for a little better, but the road course i "thought" was my strong point ended up being my weakest.

Lots to figure out regarding the suspension. And now the learning curve begins.
"your not a thinker Ricky Bobby, your a driver!!" comes too mind haha

http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/...A95BABB16B.jpg