Anyone autocrossing with DSE set up 1st gen? [Archive]

Chevy

04-04-2008, 12:31 AM

mpozzi

04-04-2008, 09:39 AM

I'm just getting started autocrossing with my 68 camaro. So far i have the DSE relocated coilovers (adjustable konis) with their upper and lower control arms, sway bar, Baer brakes 13" in front, 12" in rear, DSE drop springs out back with the adjustable konis, and DSE power steering.

This sounds a lot like what I run on my still-streetable CP '73 RS except I run QA1's, Global West UCA's and CAT5 rear leafs, and Hotchkis bars. DSE has some fantastic parts for both the first and second-gen F-bodies and it sounds like you've taken advantage of this. Your set up should be fine for CP.

I'm running a chevy 350 with AFR 190 heads and aluminum flywheel with a TKO 600, aluminum driveshaft and GM 12 bolt out back with 3.73:1 gears.

No problems here either ...

I have 17" wheel vintiques aluminum ralley wheels (i know, not the best for autocross) and 245s in front and 275s out back Goodyear Eagle GSD-3s.

For CP and to be competitive, you'll need dedicated race rubber. Unfortunately, Goodyear and Hoosier don't make "slicks" that are of the right compound in 17" sizes. The wheels are a bit heavy but again, there's not much available unless you go with modular for weight savings. And with the Baer Track 13" rotors in front, 16's are probably not an option. Tires and adhesion, along with overall vehicle weight, will be the limiting factor in CP.

Anyone running a first gen with similar set-up? If so, what settings on the Konis have proven effective? How high/low do you set up your ride height in the front? How about tire pressure? Right now i'm running the manual breaks--should i install a booster if i have enough vacuum? Any other mods or settings you recommend for autocrossing?

You don't want to go so low or so stiff that you sacrifice handling. These heavy cars must be allowed to move a bit. I use the shocks to fine-tune my handling (a bit stiffer for track days and less so for autocross). Mark your bump stops and limit tabs. Then check to see if there's contact after a good autocross or track run. You'll notice contact under hard braking or hard cornering if there's a problem in this area. You definitely don't want the suspension limited by crashing down on the stops and if you're noticing understeer during cornering, look here first. I went with external adjustable shocks as the Koni's require removal before you can adjust. Koni makes an excellent shock and if you get the setting correct, you can probably leave it.

Tire pressures are also another good suspension tuning method and this requires a bit of playing around. For our cars, I like to run more in the front than in the rear as this helps get the rear end moving. These F-bodies can be made to feel predictable and neutral feeling. I tell people that "my car can come around on Tuesday but tells me on Sunday..." because nothing happens really quick. And anything less than a five-pound change probably won't be noticeable from behind the steering wheel. I run the Kumho V710's and for autocross, 40 lbs in front and about 28 in the rear. Track days I run about 40 lbs all the way around. I haven't run the tires you're using and sorry I can't be more helpful regarding pressures.

I tried the car with manual brakes and went to power. If you have a good vacuum source, go power brakes.

Keep a log book and write notes during and after every event. This gives me some reference if the car's not handling it's normal awesome self. I note things like track configuration (open, tight, slaloms, increasing/decreasing radius corners ...), ambient and track temperatures, tire pressures (starting and ending), shock settings, and plain feel of the car and track. I do this for both track and autocross events.

With these mods i no longer qualify for ESP, i'm going to be competing in CP...anyone else there and are you competitive with a first gen camaro?

I'm competitive on a local and somewhat regional level here in SF Region of SCCA. However, weight and HP kills me at a National level and this is why I probably won't ever take this car back to Topeka. The cool thing about running a Camaro in autocross is that these cars really attract attention. Everyone's accustomed to seeing the Asian and European imports competing but feeling the ground pound and all that horsepower doing it's thing in a Camaro is very neat.

Thanks!!

Hope this information helps and please feel free to ask more questions.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi