demonspeed's 2002 SS #7146 "journey"

[demonspeed]

Last Updated: 3/17/13, post #107

Going forward, all updates and whatnot will be here: http://ls1tech.com/forums/chevrolet-...ld-thread.html

This is my fifth Camaro and third 4th gen. I've posted about the others before, but to recap: I've had an '89 IROC-Z L98, '91 Z28 L98, '00 SS #0795, and '01 Z28. I sold the '00 SS to Jerry at UMI in April 2005; it was totaled in April 2009. You can see everything at www.fquick.com/demonspeed if you're interested.

I had an '05 GTO as well, and I fully planned on buying a 5th gen to replace that. However, I wanted something raw to drive for a toy. After driving a 5th gen at the GM Nationals in Carlisle in 2009 (VR 1SS M6), I didn't get that connection, so back to a 4th gen I went. This is the first sporty car I've had that isn't my daily driver, so I do not miss the refinement that my GTO had, or that which the 5th gen would provide. I still think the 5th gens are great - and I will own one eventually.

Anyway, I'll document what I do to the car, repairs, mods, pictures, etc. Feel free to comment, insult, or whatever else you'd like to say -- I am not easily offended, so no worries of me "reporting" you

Current Modifications

Engine/Intake/Exhaust:
Goodyear Gatorback belts
SLP underdrive pulley
Airaid SynthaMax non-oiled air filter
'04 LS6 PCV conversion
Fel-Pro intake manifold gaskets
Potz Speed & Performance ported throttle body
SLP air lid
Throttle body coolant delete
Ported air box
OE Mobil1 Corvette oil fill cap
Mobil1 5w30 synthetic
K&N oil filter
Flowmaster muffler (on car when purchased)

Drivetrain:
Pro 5.0 shifter (handle trimmed 1")
Tick Performance brass shifter cup bushing

Suspension/Steering:
Derale power steering cooler
OE power steering cooler delete
UMI Performance two-point subframe connectors; bolt-in, tubular
UMI Performance lower control arms; single-adjustable, rod end
UMI Performance lower control arm relocation brackets; bolt-in
UMI Performance panhard bar; single-adjustable, rod end
UMI Performance strut tower brace
UMI Performance front sway bar end links
SLP-Eibach lowering springs
SLP-Bilstein shocks/struts
Powerstop pads
Brakemotive drilled/slotted rotors
Uniroyal Tiger Paw GTZ all-season tires (400 tread; on car when purchased).

Exterior/Interior:
Chevrolet license plate frame
BFranker rear fill-ins
Side molding delete
Bosch Evolution wiper blades
OE non-Hurst leather shift knob
SLP SS floor mats (in car when purchased)
"Novak" auxiliary jack
Automatic headlights delete
Daytime running lights delete
Rockford Fosgate P163C door speakers (in car when purchased)

[demonspeed]

I found this SS on eBay from a guy outside Richmond, VA. 65k miles and priced right, so I hit the buy it now and picked it up the following weekend (2/4/12). This was after getting it to Pittsburgh:

[demonspeed]

While it only had 65k miles, it wasn't immune to lazy owners. I pulled the interior out to clean:




While I had it apart, I also replaced the factory Hurst with a Pro 5.0 shifter along with a Tick Performance brass shifter bushing (you can see the shifter-less transmission above). This is because in my past experience, the plastic bushing wears out with hard driving causing the shifter ball to pop out of the cup. This happened to me at the track and royally annoyed me, but no one made the brass cups back then (afaik, anyway).

I also cut the handle 1" and installed an OEM non-Hurst round knob.




I decided to remove the side molding:



While the driver side went well, the passenger side didn't look so hot. It looks like the passenger door and rear fender had been repainted at some point -- and the body shop didn't remove the molding:



The hold down for the battery tray was broken, so a dead battery prompted me to just yank it all out and replace everything. I went with a regular ACDelco 75/5 battery as I'll never have a stereo system.



Yes, that's Tom Henry Chevrolet that the battery came from. It's only 10 miles from my house

I also had to replace the passenger side AIR check valve as it was throwing an SES light. I picked up one from someone on LS1tech who removed their AIR system. I'll be yanking the AIR system out when I do long tubes, but for now, I wanted it to work. You can see the shiny valve below, along with the new battery, a new SLP lid, and a freshly cleaned engine bay by using GUNK! engine cleaner:

[demonspeed]

While I mentioned that I'll never have an aftermarket stereo, I would like to use my iPod when I go on trips. This mean the installation of the "Novak" jack. I used some cat5 cable:



and a $2 jack from Radio Shack:



With the head unit out, it was a great time to do the DRL delete and auto headlight delete. Notice the "bridge" soldered at the top right:



I also did the throttle body coolant bypass:



as well as "free ram air" mod:



and a Potz Speed & Performance ported throttle body:



I had this oil cap laying around from the old SS:



and some Bosch Evolution blades since the old ones were falling apart (thought I don't plan to drive in the rain):



I also got some rear inserts from BFranker, a frame off eBay, and a vanity plate:



This will be it for exterior mods for a bit. Eventually I'll get the car tinted, and I've always wanted chrome ZR1's. Neither of those are a priority at the moment, however.

[demonspeed]

It seemed like I had a slight miss since I brought the car home. In the past, this usually happened when I bent a push rod. I decided to pull them and see if they were alright. They were all fine, but I busted a rocker arm bolt -- and two sockets trying to get it off! However, I was very happy to see what appears to be a well-maintained engine with frequent oil changes -- and it seems like the miss is gone.




The #%#$^!@#! bolt:



While Tom Henry couldn't help me with this one, another local dealer had 1 in stock. Otherwise, I would have had to drive out of state (or wait a few days).

Don't you think it looks better without those ugly coils and AIR tubes?




As I said, I'll yank the entire AIR system out when I do long tubes. I might do a coil relocation in the future, but it's not a priority at the moment.

Next up is replacing the passenger window motor and all rotors and pads.

[73camarolt]

Nice build! Let me know how hard it is to replace to window motor. That will be on my agenda here soon.

[Lee0123567]

It's not too hard to replace the window motor, i replaced my driver side in about an hour

[demonspeed]

Originally Posted by 73camarolt

Nice build! Let me know how hard it is to replace to window motor. That will be on my agenda here soon.

I'll be following the instructions here:

http://shbox.com/page/windowmotor.html

[demonspeed]

When I got home, I found that FedEx brought me my work for the weekend:



Delco window motor and Brakemotive pads & slotted rotors

[insidethreat07]

Awesome car

[73camarolt]

Also what did you do with your old shift knob?

[ndtguy]

Sweet car! You live in Pittsburgh? My aunt and uncle live just up the road from you near Butler. I'm from Bloomsburg (other side of the state).

I was wondering, did you install the ported TB by itself? If so, was there a noticeable difference? I have been thinking of getting a used TB and MAF ends, porting them myself and then swapping it on the car.

[demonspeed]

Originally Posted by 73camarolt

Also what did you do with your old shift knob?

I sold it with the Hurst shifter. All three of my LS1's have come with the Hurst shifter -- and all their first mods have been replacing it with a Pro 5.0.

Originally Posted by ndtguy

Sweet car! You live in Pittsburgh? My aunt and uncle live just up the road from you near Butler. I'm from Bloomsburg (other side of the state).

I was wondering, did you install the ported TB by itself? If so, was there a noticeable difference? I have been thinking of getting a used TB and MAF ends, porting them myself and then swapping it on the car.

Yup, been in the area for 3 years now.

I did the ported TB when I did my lid, but I would like to think that the TB "smoothed" out my throttle response as compared to my past "lid-only" experiences (I didn't install a ported TB on my '00 SS and '01 Z28). I also do not have ASR, and maybe it's in my head, but I feel as though this car just "snaps" better than my other ones.

I chose to skip MAF ends because they seem hit or miss whether they work or screw things up -- and if they work, it's negligible. I'll eventually upgrade to a larger MAF and Fast Toys lid, otherwise, the stock, unmodified MAF will work fine for my immediate plans.

[Kilo-9]

Looking good, Steve.

[demonspeed]

Thanks, Chris!

[ndtguy]

Thanks for the info Steve. I'm 50/50 on the whole ported TB. I agree with you on the MAF ends. It's hit or miss. What's next for your red SS?

[demonspeed]

This weekend I'll be replacing the passenger window motor and maybe the fuel filter (depends on my mood with that since it's so messy).

I have Brakemotive pads and slotted rotors sitting in my garage that I'd like to get on before the end of the month. I am going to paint the calipers and brackets gloss black as well. I also bought silver "CAMARO" brake decals from BFranker to put on the front calipers, too.

In May, I'm adding SLP Bilsteins & SLP Eibachs along with several UMI parts (LCA, PHB, TA, SFC, Sway bars, STB).

That will probably be it for this year unless my money tree grows larger than expected. I am really itchin' to get to the track. I'd also like to make it to a HPDE once before the fall.

[ndtguy]

Let me know how the SLP Eibachs are (ride and handling).

I had the Brakemotive pads/rotors on my Titan. They seemed to do well. The stock brakes were just crap and it was a 4800 pound truck so it's tough to compare what it will do vs an fbody. I have seen/read nothing but good reviews on the brakes though.

What track in your area holds HPDE-like "races"?

[demonspeed]

I will certainly post about the SLP Bilstein/Eibach combo. While I like the stance the Strano springs provide, I am not interested in spending the money for the Koni's. With all the hubbub on LS1tech about matching one's springs to the right shocks/struts, I find it a bit contradictory that everyone buys the Strano springs to run with Bilsteins or KYB's. Yes, I realize that's what you did, but I haven't seen you proclaiming the "virtues" like the other "experts."

So, I'm going to go with a combo that was engineered to work together - just like what Sam insists everyone should do. I'm not worried about the propaganda towards Eibach "spring sag," either. I figure by the time it's a problem (if it ever is), I'll have enough disposable income to upgrade to the Strano springs and Koni's

With the brakes, I initially was going to go with ATE rotors and HPS pads. However, for $165 shipped for all four corners, the Brakemotive setup simply could not be beat. It's purely economics for me. It's a wear item, and like what I mention about springs and shocks, I'll upgrade to something better in the future when the brakes need replaced again -- and I have more disposable income. I will, however, throw on a set of stainless lines and better fluid (just not sure if I want to do that now or later). I simply wasn't expecting to do a full brake upgrade this summer, but state inspection told me otherwise.

As for the local track, it's what was formerly known as BeaveRun -- Pittsburgh International Race Complex: http://www.pittrace.com/ They are having a HPDE-ish event each month; I'm shooting for the June race.

[xXSilencerXx]

Hmm I might've seen that car on Craigslist down here before you got it. Looks clean!

If those springs are anything like the Eibach prokit, they'll ride like crap and leave no travel space for the suspension. My sister's car had those when we first got it. Tossed them ASAP and replaced with BMR/KYB setup. It rode 100x better afterwards. Hopefully the SLP ones are better, I've never heard of them before.

The window motor is easy. I used the same link and got it done in an hour on my first try. It takes me about 20 minutes now.

[demonspeed]

It was in Bumpass, to be precise. Really nice guy with a lot of other nice cars.

Like the SLP Bilsteins, the SLP Eibachs were made to SLP's specifications for their uplevel Y2Y suspension option. The combination was engineered to work together, and sold as a "factory" option, so it's not just buying a set of springs that makes the car "look cool" -- it's to work. With that said, some cars actually appear lower in the rear with these springs, but I'm going function over form here as I want a combination that works in unison.

Keeping in mind, though, that SLP Bilsteins used the Bilstein HD rears; SLP revalved only the fronts. However, the HD's are now the same as SLP's -- yet SLP's remain cheaper! What I do not know is if the Eibach Prokit has recently modeled itself after the SLP-spec springs. My only previous experience is that I ran the Prokit on my 93 GT on stock struts/shocks -- it rode stiff, but I liked it. Like I mentioned in my first post, if I wanted to drive a couch, I would have bought a 5th gen. I keed, I keed

Glad to hear another success story with those window motor instructions. While I'm not that apprehensive to tackle any repairs, it's always nice to have confidence going in that it shouldn't leave me cursing it all day!

[xXSilencerXx]

Gotcha, after the experience with the prokit I've never given Eibach a second look. The setup your looking at sounds well put together. Haha my 5th gen does ride a lot smoother than the 4th, but you don't get that raw connection with the surface like you do with a stuff setup.

[ndtguy]

I'm waiting your feed back on the SLP Eibach springs. I am currently running the stock springs and it sits to high for my liking. If the SLP spec'd Eibachs ride decent with your setup, lower the car around an inch and improve handling, well....I know what I'm spending my money on next. LOL

I had brakemotive pads/rotors on the Titan, they did well. I'm sure they'll be fine for your application. The guy at Brakemotive, I can't remember his name for the life of me right now, but when I said I was going to road race the car, he didn't want to say that they would hold up vs others out there. I respect that he was up front and honest with me on that. Speaks volumes about him and his company. He did say that they would be fine for autocross though.

What sway bars (made by whom/size/solid or hollow) are you looking at running on your car?

Can't wait to see more updates for your car.

[demonspeed]

Oh, for some reason I thought had gone with the Strano springs with KYB's. I must have misread something! My apologies!

I'm looking forward to this setup as I remember wayyyy back in the day attending GM Nationals at Carlisle when these cars were still new. You could tell the guys who had the suspension option by how nice their cars sat (this was a LONG time before Strano had springs!). Heck, the Koni cars sit higher than even the base SS suspension!

I totally do not expect these pads & rotors to be amazing on anything but the street. That's fine as I do not live at the track. However, if they last me a year or two then I'll be satisfied. Sean is the Brakemotive guy, btw. Very nice and helpful, that's for sure!

I'm going with UMI sway bars. Same as Strano -- just solid (and more affordable).

[demonspeed]

I just wrapped up the window motor install. It was pretty easy other than being a PITA trying to get the bolt holes to align correctly while meshing with the gear. Now that I've done it once, I am sure it'll go a lot smoother next time. Word of advice -- a Dremel makes the holes much nicer (drill bit splinters the SMC). However, be sure to cover your interior with a sheet unless you like to sit in dust.

I did, however, find a surprise hiding in the door:




I am not a stereo person whatsoever, so I haven't any idea if this a good replacement for the stock Monsoon. I don't know what may be in the rest of the car, but I don't care enough at the moment to take things apart to find out.