Need honest opinion... no flames please...

[itlbtu]

I think I have narrowed my choice for the front suspension on my Camaro between the Global West Cat 5, and the ATS set-up. I do like some of the others I've seen,(DSE, Gmachine) but I don't have the budget for them. I don't see any complete package offered by ATS that has all of the components called out like the Global West Cat5 package. I would like to hear from those who have one or the other. I'm sure that my emails to each of my narrowed down to choices won't be getting back to me soon because of SEMA.

[ilovefirstgens]

Originally Posted by itlbtu

I think I have narrowed my choice for the front suspension on my Camaro between the Global West Cat 5, and the ATS set-up. I do like some of the others I've seen,(DSE, Gmachine) but I don't have the budget for them. I don't see any complete package offered by ATS that has all of the components called out like the Global West Cat5 package. I would like to hear from those who have one or the other. I'm sure that my emails to each of my narrowed down to choices won't be getting back to me soon because of SEMA.

Get your hands on one of their catalogs and you will see that they do offer a big kit, just hasnt hit production yet.

And go with ats they rock!

[itlbtu]

I just found another kit that seems to be in my price range...

http://www.totalcostinvolved.com/art...TOKEN=14692358

Although I wonder if it's more show than go...

[novanutcase]

I think before you go spending a load of cash you need to ask yourself what your going to do with the car. I think if you want your car to be more of a trackstar than a streetfighter than those are good choices. If you it's more street than anything I would just try and improve the OEM with some choice parts.

[itlbtu]

I want it to be a trackster that gets driven on the street. It is not a daily driver, but a sunny day driver tat I can take to the track and wave as I pass by the Viper, Z06, or Tubo Carrera. I have my pick-up, or 2000 SS Camaro, or even my wife's SS Trailblazer to drive if I want all of the creature comforts.

[Marcus SC&C]

It sounds like you want your 1st gen to be a step beyond your 2000 SS. That`s a tall order! You`re not gonna get there with anything less than the best of the best parts. The ATS tall spindles are clearly the cutting edge in spindle technology (hope Tyler doesn`t read this he`ll get a swelled head ). You`ll get the same or better geometry gains as the Cat5 but direct fit,no changing the center link etc. to adapt a taller spindle from another car etc. The ATS spindles also drop the car about an inch and with no change in track width. You`ll save a lot of weight too, the forged aluminum spindles weight about 3lbs.ea.
We combine them with adj. tubular upper arms in our Street Comp AFX packages to allow quick and easy alignment to any performance specs. Use GW DelALums in the lower arms and their springs are fine,as are DSE,Hotchkis. You`ll probably want to shoot for entry level race rates and a good set of adj. shocks to match them. I`d suggest Varishock QS1s over QA1s for their much more consistant settings and better durabilty. If you want to go all out (and have deep pockets) ATS just unveiled a new coilover package at SEMA with fully adj. remote reservoir Penskes! Mark SC&C

[novanutcase]

Don't want to sound condescending as I am an amateur track driver myself but before you go spending a ton of cash upgrading your suspension you may want to take some driving lessons first. After you feel comfortable with driving at speed you may want to take the car out to the track as is and see what it is you don't like about the car and try and improve on that. I have come to learn that if you want to wave to the other cars as you pass by it is more who's in the seat rather than what's being driven!

[Stuart Adams]

Wave past a Viper, Z06, Carrera - NOT, but a good goal to reach for. These guys have good ideas to improve what you got.

[itlbtu]

Originally Posted by novanutcase

Don't want to sound condescending as I am an amateur track driver myself but before you go spending a ton of cash upgrading your suspension you may want to take some driving lessons first. After you feel comfortable with driving at speed you may want to take the car out to the track as is and see what it is you don't like about the car and try and improve on that. I have come to learn that if you want to wave to the other cars as you pass by it is more who's in the seat rather than what's being driven!

I'm not saying that my driving skills have no room for improvement, but I raced NASCAR LMS for 5 years and a SS for 3 years prior to that. I have driven my '00SS on track days at Thunder Hill, as well as a 500+HP 2900 lb race car there as well. I also have raced in traffic at Mesa Marin Speedway a few times with the Southwest Tour Racing series. We approach speeds of 130mph and bumping is allowed.

[itlbtu]

Originally Posted by Marcus SC&C

It sounds like you want your 1st gen to be a step beyond your 2000 SS. That`s a tall order! You`re not gonna get there with anything less than the best of the best parts. The ATS tall spindles are clearly the cutting edge in spindle technology (hope Tyler doesn`t read this he`ll get a swelled head ). You`ll get the same or better geometry gains as the Cat5 but direct fit,no changing the center link etc. to adapt a taller spindle from another car etc. The ATS spindles also drop the car about an inch and with no change in track width. You`ll save a lot of weight too, the forged aluminum spindles weight about 3lbs.ea.
We combine them with adj. tubular upper arms in our Street Comp AFX packages to allow quick and easy alignment to any performance specs. Use GW DelALums in the lower arms and their springs are fine,as are DSE,Hotchkis. You`ll probably want to shoot for entry level race rates and a good set of adj. shocks to match them. I`d suggest Varishock QS1s over QA1s for their much more consistant settings and better durabilty. If you want to go all out (and have deep pockets) ATS just unveiled a new coilover package at SEMA with fully adj. remote reservoir Penskes! Mark SC&C

Well, I have an engine that will be between 550-600 hp na. I just need to make my car can handle it. I don't want to go through and totally measure up my car and adapt racing components. I would rather use proven components that are already engineered for my Camaro. The ATS, and GW cat5 are in my budget range right now. I'm waiting(if they read my email) for the guys at ATS to throw a package together for me, so I can compare a complete setup against the GW cat 5. I would like to put a rack on instead of the steering box and the modified steering link that the GW cat5 uses though.