Purpose Built Road Course LS7 Camaro [COTW 1/19/15]

[JusticePete]

Peter, you get the very first set next week.

JPSS OEM Quiet High Efficiency Endlinks with 12mm Ball Studs top and bottom or 10mm top and bottom.




These links are exceptionally high quality and you can feel it as soon as you get your hands on them. The ball joints are virtually perfect. Roate the stud and ball. You can feel the precision. Web believe our endlinks offer the race track ready performance of a spherical style endlink with a greater range of motions and are as quiet as the endlinks installed at the factory.

JPSS OEM Quiet High Efficiency Adjustable Endlinks are adjustable in length, a feature that is critical in corner weighting your performance vehicle.

[SSSoon]

Great weather, good friends and good organization (NASA mid atlantic) but a tough weekend on Summit Point Main. A few cars went into the gravel traps (great invention - I think it saved their asses), a few hit the tire walls, but the most surprising thing was two cars in different run groups flipped. A BMW and a Nissan both ended up on their roofs. Everyone walked away, which is a good thing, but a little spooky.

I'll try to get the smooth 3-cam video together this week, but for now here is the jittery video of my best lap.

https://youtu.be/ea4NI2JN7jY

For those of you who have ever experienced sitting or driving in a fire suit, nomex head sock, helmet, etc. in a hot car on a hot track in the sun, you have to get a cool shirt. I filled the box with water and ice, plugged it all in, drove up to the grid, and was already sweating when I flicked the switched to turn it on. It's amazing. I think in one of my other videos you can actually hear me moaning. It's the next best thing to sex. I kid you not.

[JusticePete]

Peter, it looks like you were hitting it hard. Nice driving.

[Pluto]

Originally Posted by SSSoon

Great weather, good friends and good organization (NASA mid atlantic) but a tough weekend on Summit Point Main. A few cars went into the gravel traps (great invention - I think it saved their asses), a few hit the tire walls, but the most surprising thing was two cars in different run groups flipped. A BMW and a Nissan both ended up on their roofs. Everyone walked away, which is a good thing, but a little spooky.

I'll try to get the smooth 3-cam video together this week, but for now here is the jittery video of my best lap.

https://youtu.be/ea4NI2JN7jY

For those of you who have ever experienced sitting or driving in a fire suit, nomex head sock, helmet, etc. in a hot car on a hot track in the sun, you have to get a cool shirt. I filled the box with water and ice, plugged it all in, drove up to the grid, and was already sweating when I flicked the switched to turn it on. It's amazing. I think in one of my other videos you can actually hear me moaning. It's the next best thing to sex. I kid you not.

So you know that feeling when you mod here and mod there then you get used to the power? The ultimate question for me is, is this upgrade enough or have you gotten used to the power? I ask cause it was a HUGE turn around and I guess another way to word it is, does the modding ever stop? Haha

[JusticePete]

I'll voice my opinion and see what Peter has to say.

The car is not done. As many as I have been involved with building, there is always a learning curve on the next car because you try to improve them. The learning curve gets shorter with each build, so getting them dialed in is a shorter process. Dialed in is relative too. Just how dialed do you want her to be?

From the start, we knew this was a multiple year build. We'll be adding a Z/28 diff and supporting parts to put power down more efficiently over the winter. We lan to add aero. Then there are the multiple smaller refinements that come up as you run the car.

I have saved some surprises for Peter on this build. He found out this weekend we can run 315/30/19 slicks on his wheels. Yep, 315s all around.

I think I have mentioned we have more power on tap with a 109 tune.

Lowering, different bars, camber plates... there is so much more left to go in this build. Then there is Peter's growth and development as a driver. You can see his confidence growing each lap he runs.

The minute Peter tells me he is completely comfortable with his car and has maxed it out, we have more ready for him. The car and build should keep him excited every time he turns the key for years to come. At least that is my plan for Peter. It will be interesting to see what he has to say.

[SSSoon]

Good questions!

First: The power is wonderfully fun. You get set into the straight and just put your foot down and pass most cars easy. No stress, no fuss. I am okay passing in some straights close to the turn-in, but others still spook me a bit. So that's a skill I need to work on: getting past someone right before the corner and then taking a different line through the corner. I have only executed a few passes right in a corner, and those with significantly slower cars. Need to build skills there. I don't think I need any more power, though.

Second: Are the mods ever done? I can see a point where they will be, but there are a lot of things I'd like before I get there. Right now the car remains far better than I am, and so my plan this year is to work my skills up to the level where I notice the car's shortcomings. The one shortcoming that I am tempted to do something about sooner vs. later is traction in the corners. I'm focused on improving my line to get through the corners as fast as I can, and there is definitely some learning there for me for a while to come. But I also see the folks with slicks rocking the corners at amazing speeds and pulling away from me (until we hit the straights ) I will continue to do the best I can with what are really good tires (Re11s) but am playing with the tradeoff between those and slicks. And pondering just how much help that Z28 rear diff would be to reduce slip on the inside rear tire as I corner. Hmm.

Anyhow, there will be a point where we'll declare victory and just fix what breaks and what wears out. Not there yet.

I also really like the respect the car gets after the first day on the track. Lotsa "whatchagotunderthathoodman?" lookers stopping by. Lots of point-bys when they see me coming up behind 'em. But even though nobody says it to my face, I know there is a culture in HPDE that says "horsepower covers up for your mistakes" and "drive a Miata if you REALLY want to learn how to drive". I'm doing a good job hanging with full race prepped cars (wings, slicks, etc) and sometimes passing 'em too. But, they got me in the corners. Would love to see the looks on their faces when I go to slicks, Z/28 aero, Z/28 diff, and am on their ass right through the corners too. Then, no more "catch up" in the straights; just plain passing.

But until then, I am really enjoying what I have and am improving with each track day.

Pete

[Pluto]

Originally Posted by SSSoon

Good questions!

First: The power is wonderfully fun. You get set into the straight and just put your foot down and pass most cars easy. No stress, no fuss. I am okay passing in some straights close to the turn-in, but others still spook me a bit. So that's a skill I need to work on: getting past someone right before the corner and then taking a different line through the corner. I have only executed a few passes right in a corner, and those with significantly slower cars. Need to build skills there. I don't think I need any more power, though.

Second: Are the mods ever done? I can see a point where they will be, but there are a lot of things I'd like before I get there. Right now the car remains far better than I am, and so my plan this year is to work my skills up to the level where I notice the car's shortcomings. The one shortcoming that I am tempted to do something about sooner vs. later is traction in the corners. I'm focused on improving my line to get through the corners as fast as I can, and there is definitely some learning there for me for a while to come. But I also see the folks with slicks rocking the corners at amazing speeds and pulling away from me (until we hit the straights ) I will continue to do the best I can with what are really good tires (Re11s) but am playing with the tradeoff between those and slicks. And pondering just how much help that Z28 rear diff would be to reduce slip on the inside rear tire as I corner. Hmm.

Anyhow, there will be a point where we'll declare victory and just fix what breaks and what wears out. Not there yet.

I also really like the respect the car gets after the first day on the track. Lotsa "whatchagotunderthathoodman?" lookers stopping by. Lots of point-bys when they see me coming up behind 'em. But even though nobody says it to my face, I know there is a culture in HPDE that says "horsepower covers up for your mistakes" and "drive a Miata if you REALLY want to learn how to drive". I'm doing a good job hanging with full race prepped cars (wings, slicks, etc) and sometimes passing 'em too. But, they got me in the corners. Would love to see the looks on their faces when I go to slicks, Z/28 aero, Z/28 diff, and am on their ass right through the corners too. Then, no more "catch up" in the straights; just plain passing.

But until then, I am really enjoying what I have and am improving with each track day.

Pete

I feel a sense of no regrets and that's awesome. The vids have been awesome and seems you have been driving harder each vid you post. I had no clue all that was in store for the car so I will continue to sit tight and watch this monster grow. Oh and how is the stock auto holding up so far? Any increase in temps from FI to NA?

[Pluto]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

I'll voice my opinion and see what Peter has to say.

The car is not done. As many as I have been involved with building, there is always a learning curve on the next car because you try to improve them. The learning curve gets shorter with each build, so getting them dialed in is a shorter process. Dialed in is relative too. Just how dialed do you want her to be?

From the start, we knew this was a multiple year build. We'll be adding a Z/28 diff and supporting parts to put power down more efficiently over the winter. We lan to add aero. Then there are the multiple smaller refinements that come up as you run the car.

I have saved some surprises for Peter on this build. He found out this weekend we can run 315/30/19 slicks on his wheels. Yep, 315s all around.

I think I have mentioned we have more power on tap with a 109 tune.

Lowering, different bars, camber plates... there is so much more left to go in this build. Then there is Peter's growth and development as a driver. You can see his confidence growing each lap he runs.

The minute Peter tells me he is completely comfortable with his car and has maxed it out, we have more ready for him. The car and build should keep him excited every time he turns the key for years to come. At least that is my plan for Peter. It will be interesting to see what he has to say.

You're just the gift that keeps on giving, aren't you JP?

[SSSoon]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

I think I have mentioned we have more power on tap with a 109 tune.

So, while I don't think I *need* more power... I am pretty damn interested in a software change that lets me get more power from race gas!!

Originally Posted by Pluto

You're just the gift that keeps on giving, aren't you JP?

He really is.

[Pluto]

Originally Posted by SSSoon

So, while I don't think I *need* more power... I am pretty damn interested in a software change that lets me get more power from race gas!!



He really is.

Race gas would be interesting

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Pluto

Race gas would be interesting

It isn't just race gas. It is perfume for well built automobiles.

[STONE SS]

Amazing build you guys have put together! The attention to detail is impeccable!

Thank you SSE 4 2SS for pointing me to this thread. It was great to see your beast running even though it didn't make it to the mile. October is going to be awesome though!

[Pluto]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

It isn't just race gas. It is perfume for well built automobiles.

[SSSoon]

Originally Posted by Pluto

I feel a sense of no regrets and that's awesome. The vids have been awesome and seems you have been driving harder each vid you post. I had no clue all that was in store for the car so I will continue to sit tight and watch this monster grow. Oh and how is the stock auto holding up so far? Any increase in temps from FI to NA?

Yep. No regrets!

Auto tranny is holding up remarkably well. I am surprised, personally. I am not easy on it.

Heat is okay but I am not sure it will remain cool in really hot weather, so we will swap out my old oil cooler for a supersized one. I was trying out shifting consistently around 7k rpm and the oil was up around 230. Not bad but I wonder what happens when the temps are 105 outside instead of 80. Better safe than sorry. Pete