Speedster's SST Camaro Build Thread [COTW 9/13/10]

[SSE 4 2SS]

Originally Posted by speedster

Are you kiddin' me? You are gonna have your hands full with Smaug when he's all done...



Sounds like fun...er, does that mean it is a special Sammich Delivery ???

Saw your truck with the blower on the other thread - very nice...

You can bring a sammich when you come by to pick me up, but we'll eat that in the house not in the car...

[GTAHVIT]

Originally Posted by PQ

Dude. You need to scare the hell out of Chris today.

dude, let me just say. I now know what is beyond, "next level"

Originally Posted by SSE 4 2SS

He can manage that better than I can...

The really scary part is... there is so much more.....

Originally Posted by SSE 4 2SS

I see Rudolphs nose was on the way back in the background of the picture...

Originally Posted by speedster

Yes, THR22 and SST got along well. We had to tell them to behave a few times, but kids will be kids...

Well SST started it... He kept egging on THR22...

Originally Posted by PQ

Chris said he was afraid to park next to it for fear SST would grab THR22 up and shake it.

This. you know how you have second thoughts about walking by a sleeping dog that you don't know....

I had that same feeling parking next to SST... Like it was gonna wake up and bark at us...

Originally Posted by speedster

Well took GTA and his office mgr for a couple of rides at lunch. First was T, his office mgr. Driving along, rolled into it and then cranked it at 4500. Hit the rev limiter instantly at 7400, Doh...Nice novice driving job. OK did it again, this time shifting quicker like I should have the first time. Nice little perma-grin this time. Maybe peed the seat just a little...lol.

Had lunch. GTA rode on the way back. Trying to drive like a normal human. Did a couple of rolls up to rev limiter and shift. Next time shifted to make it sound just like a manual tranny. Pretty fun. I hope GTA liked it. As soon as the big meats get fitted looking forward to being able to turn the wick up and get some real power to the ground.

Bruce I had a blast.

Here's the best way I can sum it up...

First off. Knowing what I know about the car... I wasn't kidding about thinking twice, when parking next to it... even looking nearly stock from the outside. when you know the story behind SST... and what it is capable of... I felt... intimidated.

It's just a car right?

Uhm... NO... there is nothing "just a car" about it...

I think my boss said it best. Even standing next to it you get the sense that the car is all business...

And when you get in... You KNOW it's all business...

Bruce isn't kidding when he talks about all the sounds... fuel pumps, hydraulics, fans.. All give you the feeling that there is something more going on beneath the surface of the exhaust note and the stock appearance.

The interior really doesn't jump out at you. Looks like a standard 1SS... The shifter is the first thing I noticed... and again... There's nothing sexy about it... it's just all business...

The cage is so tight, I was surprised at how well in blended in... if it weren't for the net tab, you'd probably never notice it unless you were looking for it.

and the engine... there just isn't much to say... Pictures don't do the metal work justice. The intake is a work of art...

Bruce explains the details in such a way that a child can understand it. Nothing in the engine bay is for show. everything has a purpose, or a reason.
Not a single piece is random...

We head out to lunch I let my boss have the first ride....

Bruce's business partner got in we me and we're off.

*The next part of the story is censored to due to rules of camaro5*

So we get to the restaurant and my boss is grinning ear to ear. (he drives an 07 CTSV) He's just shaking his head as he gets out....

we eat, talk cars some more...

MY TURN!!!!

So we get in... and he's going throught the whole thing with me... I was doing ok until he started getting in to the details of the transmission... All I can say it... I didn't quite grasp everything that was going on... It would take me a year to learn everything he can do to configure all the different settings on SST...

So we head back to his office and we're just putting along. I'm surprised at how streetable it is... Bruce explains that the car is dialed way down... Tom has it running super rich there's a ton of delay in the turbos and the tranny to soften the blow... and it's limited to 8 pounds of boost, with the rev limmiter set way down to 7400... Which bruce thinks equals about 850 to the wheels... yeah... you read that right... running rich, 8 pound, and rev limited to 7400 and that nets 850 to the tires...

My maggie will jerk you into the seat and keep you there. but it doesn't really keep pushing...

As it's currently tuned, SST kinda nudges you into the seat... and then like a sumo wrestler keeps pushing you further and further back the longer he keeps his foot on the G-force pedal...

It revs so fast... I couldn't even guess how fast we were going... Short shifting we were easily going faster than what THR22 can do in the same distance.... easily... Not that I expected it to be even close to my car... but that's all I have to compare...

Bottom line... As nannied down as it is now I probably have even more respect for SST... to think that 15 pounds of boost is very safe... 7400 RPM is very safe, and it's running real rich... I honestly don't understand what the car is capable of.

I could tell Bruce was very temped to dial up the boost to give me a better sample of what's really going on with the SST... But to hear him tell the stories of how quickly the tires flywheel, and how there's not a lot of warning... Basically, anything over 10 psi equals no traction in any gear... it just blows the tires off the road and it's like driving on ice. So until he gets the forgelines and DR's on there, I'm glad he played it safe...

Bruce explained to me all the work he has to do to truly dial the car in...

But. even as "mild" as the car is now... There is no doubt that he is loving every minute of it. I think he loves talking about it as much as he does driving it.


Something you guys should know about Bruce.

Bruce gave me a ton of advice when we were setting up the first fest...

We hit a rough spot and thought we were going to have to cancel it...

Bruce asked me some tough questions and helped me gain back my confidence when we were at a critical point in our decision. I'm so glad he did. Sometime in the middle of the day he walks up to me, Hand out to shake my hand... All he said was, "you guys pulled it off."

To this day I think Bruce knew then what Camaro5 would become, what the Fest would become. Just like he knew what his car would become.

Bruce, I absolutely can't wait to watch SST hit all the milestones you have planned...

Guys, as much fun as it was watching this car get built... My guess is the real fun is about to start...

Bruce. Thanks for the ride, and thanks for everything you've given to the site and our members.

I am lucky to know you.

Originally Posted by PQ

He seemed pretty impressed. Talking to him he sounds like he was 7 years old telling me about the the first baseball game he just went to.

Funny, at the same boost level as us the SST still would kill us.

If he hadn't told me it was 8 pounds, I wouldn't have believed him...

Originally Posted by PQ

It's just REALLY good to see you enjoying it.

This!

[Mr Twisty]

Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing the experience

Just imagine what it'll be like after it's got the big meats and cranked up.... it'll make most grown men squeal like a little girl LOL

[GTAHVIT]

Originally Posted by Mr Twisty

Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing the experience

Just imagine what it'll be like after it's got the big meats and cranked up.... it'll make most grown men squeal like a little girl LOL

Some of the numbers he was throwing at me....

[PQ]

Chris took it better than I did with Robert.

[TAG UR IT]

[SSE 4 2SS]

Originally Posted by GTAHVIT

dude, let me just say. I now know what is beyond, "next level"



The really scary part is... there is so much more.....









Well SST started it... He kept egging on THR22...



This. you know how you have second thoughts about walking by a sleeping dog that you don't know....

I had that same feeling parking next to SST... Like it was gonna wake up and bark at us...


Bruce I had a blast.

Here's the best way I can sum it up...

First off. Knowing what I know about the car... I wasn't kidding about thinking twice, when parking next to it... even looking nearly stock from the outside. when you know the story behind SST... and what it is capable of... I felt... intimidated.

It's just a car right?

Uhm... NO... there is nothing "just a car" about it...

I think my boss said it best. Even standing next to it you get the sense that the car is all business...

And when you get in... You KNOW it's all business...

Bruce isn't kidding when he talks about all the sounds... fuel pumps, hydraulics, fans.. All give you the feeling that there is something more going on beneath the surface of the exhaust note and the stock appearance.

The interior really doesn't jump out at you. Looks like a standard 1SS... The shifter is the first thing I noticed... and again... There's nothing sexy about it... it's just all business...

The cage is so tight, I was surprised at how well in blended in... if it weren't for the net tab, you'd probably never notice it unless you were looking for it.

and the engine... there just isn't much to say... Pictures don't do the metal work justice. The intake is a work of art...

Bruce explains the details in such a way that a child can understand it. Nothing in the engine bay is for show. everything has a purpose, or a reason.
Not a single piece is random...

We head out to lunch I let my boss have the first ride....

Bruce's business partner got in we me and we're off.

*The next part of the story is censored to due to rules of camaro5*

So we get to the restaurant and my boss is grinning ear to ear. (he drives an 07 CTSV) He's just shaking his head as he gets out....

we eat, talk cars some more...

MY TURN!!!!

So we get in... and he's going throught the whole thing with me... I was doing ok until he started getting in to the details of the transmission... All I can say it... I didn't quite grasp everything that was going on... It would take me a year to learn everything he can do to configure all the different settings on SST...

So we head back to his office and we're just putting along. I'm surprised at how streetable it is... Bruce explains that the car is dialed way down... Tom has it running super rich there's a ton of delay in the turbos and the tranny to soften the blow... and it's limited to 8 pounds of boost, with the rev limmiter set way down to 7400... Which bruce thinks equals about 850 to the wheels... yeah... you read that right... running rich, 8 pound, and rev limited to 7400 and that nets 850 to the tires...

My maggie will jerk you into the seat and keep you there. but it doesn't really keep pushing...

As it's currently tuned, SST kinda nudges you into the seat... and then like a sumo wrestler keeps pushing you further and further back the longer he keeps his foot on the G-force pedal...

It revs so fast... I couldn't even guess how fast we were going... Short shifting we were easily going faster than what THR22 can do in the same distance.... easily... Not that I expected it to be even close to my car... but that's all I have to compare...

Bottom line... As nannied down as it is now I probably have even more respect for SST... to think that 15 pounds of boost is very safe... 7400 RPM is very safe, and it's running real rich... I honestly don't understand what the car is capable of.

I could tell Bruce was very temped to dial up the boost to give me a better sample of what's really going on with the SST... But to hear him tell the stories of how quickly the tires flywheel, and how there's not a lot of warning... Basically, anything over 10 psi equals no traction in any gear... it just blows the tires off the road and it's like driving on ice. So until he gets the forgelines and DR's on there, I'm glad he played it safe...

Bruce explained to me all the work he has to do to truly dial the car in...

But. even as "mild" as the car is now... There is no doubt that he is loving every minute of it. I think he loves talking about it as much as he does driving it.


Something you guys should know about Bruce.

Bruce gave me a ton of advice when we were setting up the first fest...

We hit a rough spot and thought we were going to have to cancel it...

Bruce asked me some tough questions and helped me gain back my confidence when we were at a critical point in our decision. I'm so glad he did. Sometime in the middle of the day he walks up to me, Hand out to shake my hand... All he said was, "you guys pulled it off."

To this day I think Bruce knew then what Camaro5 would become, what the Fest would become. Just like he knew what his car would become.

Bruce, I absolutely can't wait to watch SST hit all the milestones you have planned...

Guys, as much fun as it was watching this car get built... My guess is the real fun is about to start...

Bruce. Thanks for the ride, and thanks for everything you've given to the site and our members.

I am lucky to know you.




If he hadn't told me it was 8 pounds, I wouldn't have believed him...



This!

Amazing write up Chris...

I agree with the sentiments...

Bruce, for every bit of advice you've offered, for the helpful hints, learned answers etc... For all that you have done for and offer to Camaro5...

My Heartfelt Thanks...

[speedster]

Originally Posted by GTAHVIT

I had a blast. The most important part !

Here's the best way I can sum it up... Even standing next to it you get the sense that the car is all business... Well hopefully no one else notices too much.

Not a single piece is random... Except for the required GTA coffee needed in the center console cupholder.


MY TURN!!!!

As it's currently tuned, SST kinda nudges you into the seat... It revs so fast... I couldn't even guess how fast we were going... fast enough to get in a little trouble.


...when we were setting up the first fest...We hit a rough spot and thought we were going to have to cancel it... Can you imagine no C5Fests? :( Some strange events for a while. Glad that it all worked out.

Thanks for the ride, and thanks for everything you've given to the site and our members. I am lucky to know you.

Wow Chris, just wow.

When I first read this post I was floored. I had to read it more than once just to come up with a worthy response. Thank You for the very, very kind words.

Camaro 5 and the basis of its formation that GM was going to produce the 5th gen is pretty awesome. Think of all of the friends we have made here and the fun, friendship and camaraderie that has been generated as a result. Without this we would not all be getting together multiple times a year for events such as Camaro 5 Fest, Pony Wars, attending shootouts, shows, local and regional events. We would not have the extended circle of friends and new friends that we have made here. Just look at the posts and see how Member x helps Member y and z. See how members with a common interest met and got married as a result. See how we can all have fun during these stressful times and enjoy a little stress relief here.

So if the SST and the craziness of the build and sometimes soap opera-like details gave members a little enjoyment or break from their daily routine, it makes the build itself seem trivial.

I feel both fortunate and blessed to have found great friends as a result. Who would have thought the Camaro could instigate all of this?

Thank You Again Chris and it is I who feels privileged to have you as a friend.

[Darth_Emma]

Group hug!!!

I love you guys!

[speedster]

Originally Posted by SSE 4 2SS

Amazing write up Chris...

I agree with the sentiments...

Bruce, for every bit of advice you've offered, for the helpful hints, learned answers etc... For all that you have done for and offer to Camaro5...

My Heartfelt Thanks...

The members and moderators on this site are what makes it so special. Each of us does what we can to help out fellow members. The sum of the parts add up to much more than any individual. Heck, you know as well as anyone. Look at the support you had on the way to/from C5FestII and the friends you made along the way and have to this day. The C5 community is truly Priceless... Thank You R.

[speedster]

Originally Posted by Darth_Emma

Group hug!!!

I love you guys!

Agreed...

If you mentioned that on another site I think we would all be labeled as "$*^"

It is just so cool to have such a great bunch of friends in one place.


Ok, after the hug, we do mandatory group burnouts...

[PQ]

Of the last 10 times me and Bonnie got together with friends I'd say 8 of them were Camaro5 members.

[Darth_Emma]

Originally Posted by speedster

Agreed...

If you mentioned that on another site I think we would all be labeled as "$*^"

It is just so cool to have such a great bunch of friends in one place.


Ok, after the hug, we do mandatory group burnouts...

I like your idea better anyway.

[speedster]

Originally Posted by PQ

Of the last 10 times me and Bonnie got together with friends I'd say 8 of them were Camaro5 members.

Exactly R ! Think of how different things would be otherwise. Proof positive of how powerful an impact this has on so many of us.

Originally Posted by Darth_Emma

I like your idea better anyway.

You know you were already thinking it...