Caverman's VR 2SS Build

[caverman]

Converted over to the FE4 rear suspension and used Pedders' ZL1 rear sway bar.

While I was at it and since an alignment was going to be required I decided to go ahead and upgrade my Toe Rods. Jegs had a set of BMR Toe Rods on sale for $99. I've also being meaning to do something about the stock bushings in the hub for the Trailing Arms. Since I was going to have the car in the air and planned on working on it most of the day I went ahead and bought a set of Pfadt bushings to install as well.

Unfortunately I was to busy working on all the stuff to take pictures like I usually do but I did manage to get a few.

The overall install was not complicated at all. Time consuming but not complicated. The two biggest time consumers were getting the OEM bushings out of the hub and the dealing with the sway bar mounting brackets. Pedders' bars use the factory brackets but I'm not sure that's the best idea when going from a 25mm bar to 32mm. The only way to get them around that big of a bar is to spead them out. Then when you spread them out the tabs for the mounting bolts get out of alignment with the bolt holes. That caused me to have to drill new holes and even after that the bracket didn't mount up flush with the body like I would really prefer it to. I'm going to be looking into a fix for that. Someone suggested the OEM brackets for a ZL1 or probably a 1LE bar.

The whole process from the moment I pulled up into the shop till I drove away took about 9 hrs. That was with me working by myself a good chuck of the time. I did get a hand from my brother and dad when I needed extra ones. Obviously if I were to do it again I could do it in almost half that time.

The next morning I had the car aligned to the Pedders' Aggressive Street specs. The drive to the shop was very intresting. My alignment was really off and any time I hit any small dip in the road the back end of the car would try to shoot off to the right. Even driving straight the back end felt really slippery. I had to drive no more that about 40 mph all the way to the shop. Once the alignment was done though all is good. I don't have much seat time since the upgrade because the weather hasn't been cooperating around here but from my initial drive home the car really sticks to the curves.

[caverman]

Added the Pedders ZL1 front bar. It's a 27mm solid bar and includes their heavy duty end links. I also installed the Pedders steering rack bushing as well.

[Smirnoff]

Caver -- excellent coverage of your mods.....what is next on your list?

[JDP Sales]

Nice work! Your car is really coming along!

Best regards,

Tyler
888-308-6007

[VR Baron]

Looks good.Bushings up next for me also

[caverman]

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

Caver -- excellent coverage of your mods.....what is next on your list?

Thanks guys....

Not sure what's up next. At the moment I would like to say I'm done but do you know how many times I've said that before.

Actually I've been feeling bad about neglecting my '69 so bad. Hot Rod Power Tour starts off in my area this year. I think I'm going to take the '69 and do at least one or two stops. I've enjoyed my coilovers on the 5th Gen so much that I think I'm going to upgrade the '69 to tubular A-arms, QA1 coilovers, and a bigger sway bar before Power Tour.

The next thing up is probably going to be taking the 5th Gen out to Eagle Canyon next month to give my try at a real road coarse. I probably need to step up to DOT 4 brake fluid before I do. http://thedriversedge.net/

On my "To Mod List" is a set an ACS T4 splitter and fully painted ZL1 rockers. Right now I would say it will be a little while before that happens......which is code for probably a couple months.

[caverman]

Originally Posted by VR Baron

Looks good.Bushings up next for me also

Pedders bushings from JDP Motorsports! You won't regret it.

[caverman]

Next up Motul RBF 600 DOT 4 brake fluid. Getting prepped for Eagle Canyon in a couple weeks.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by caverman

Pedders bushings from JDP Motorsports! You won't regret it.

On a slow boat from Australia..lol Should be here now

[caverman]

Video from my first time on a road course in April 2013. Eagle Mountain Raceway.

[caverman]

Added some Pedders rear eccentrics bolts. They allowed my alignment guy to get the car to the Pedders Aggressive Street alignment.

[caverman]

Video from my first Auto-X with all the FE4/ZL1 bars/Aggressive alignment done.

This is on street tires and OEM wheels. Ran with a buddy that races a C5 Z06 with race wheels/tires. My car barely beat his. He is pretty much stock other than the wheels/tires though.

[camaro2lt]

how hard was it to install the steering rack bushing?

[caverman]

Originally Posted by camaro2lt

how hard was it to install the steering rack bushing?

Easy. Two bolts on each side. I used a few long extensions and came in from the engine compartment.

Two tips I will give....use blue locktite when putting the bolts back and go ahead and remove and install locktite on the driver side bolts as well. Just do one side and a time when taking out the bolts. I didn't bother to even touch the driver side until it came loose on me and caused me a bunch of headache and a couple extra alignments trying to find the problem.

The steering bush is not something I would go out and make and effort to buy or install by itself but if you're already buying/installing sway bars like I did then it's worth doing.