looking for feedback and thoughts for 67 camaro

[408maro]

thanks for looking at my post,

got me a 67 camaro that at this time is a rolling chassis, clean body ect, car was an auto but again has nothing at all so doesnt really going 5 speed

i am into Autox and had an LS3 T56 72 camaro that i sold to get a house few years back that i would do Goodguys and local Autox events.

i am going to be doing the same thing with this car, but looking to step it up a notch and get a little more serious on this car than the last.

so far i have an LS3 sitting around which is stock for now aswell as just picked up a Tremec TKX which im stoked about as i dont want to cut the tunnel up as it is super clean!

my goals are to of course AutoX but be a little more involved in it than before as mentioned. i want a car that i can go Laguna Seca if an event comes up and have fun and know my car can run, go to Goodguys events and be able to hang on the list a little longer than before and drive away knowing my car did pretty good and then of course drive it where i want when i want and cruise or just have a spirited drive.

so with all that being said i have been seriously looking into 3 company's for a pretty stout setup.

i am looking at:

roadster shops spec chassis

TCI IFS and rear torque arm setup

and also considering speedtechs pro touring tracktime

but Roadster shop and TCI are my main ones im in between

experience and thoughts? also recommendations

thank you

[dhutton]

Curious why you favor those two options.

Don

[408maro]

I personally am looking for quality with of course cost in mind. The best bang for the buck so to say

I would love to get DSE on my car but I don’t have or want to spend DSE money when I really don’t need to to.

Roadster shop is super convenient as may be the easiest to install and be a one and done setup. Not a whole lot of people running it from what I see but from those who are they are very happy with them on the car and designed very well,The only complaint I hear is the shipping cost and process. But it’s a really big unit and is the most expensive on my list

As for TCI it’s for sure proven to be a well thought out system overall and see a lot of cars I personally seen on the autox course doing consistently well I would be looking at the torque arm setup for rear


But these are just where my personal findings have landed me at. I am absolutely open to others that make sense

[65 drop top]

Take a look at AME as well. They make a nice subframe for the front and have a few options for the rear.

[408maro]

I thought about them and looked into them briefly but “assumed” they be out of budget but I will call to at least see what I’d be looking at with them

Thank you

[SPG]

if you're more interested in autocross, I would lean more towards a torque arm set up. 4 links work well, but they're better drag racing suspension.

[408maro]

thank you SPG, which is what makes the TCI setup more of the right direction to go it appears

[Tsaints1115]

I did a quick S&G shopping cart comparison and the price difference between DSE and ridetech is negligible. The big factor would probably be the level of fabbing between the two and if you're doing that yourself then that's negligible also.

[c4racer2]

Sounds like a great project! I am also in San Jose and I have a '71 set-up for similar purpose. Also factor in what brake options are available and what you want to run in that dept as that can have a dramatic effect on the car's overall track or even street performance.
The 2nd gen is a better platform in stock form and requires less dramatic changes from stock to work very well - as I'm sure you know.
I am running a factory frame and factory style springs / shocks etc. and it works quite well with some added frame stiffening which is critical - solid body mounts, welded SFC's, pro-touring engine bay braces do a great job making a subframe based car work well. So don't forget to address that with your new build as well.

Let me know if you need some help wrenching etc. since I am local. I used to autox and then HPDE and eventually road raced extensively but took a 10 year break - but I'm looking to get back into this to some degree starting with the AAX events down at Crows Landing - it's a drive, out towards Stockton. I plan to trailer the car there just because too much can go wrong on track with an old car as much as we have prepared it for this activity - it's just not quite like a brand new C7.

Anyway - hit me up via PM - my name is Scott. There is also a cars and coffee event second sat. of each month I tend to go to and some of the autox / road course guys show up to that as well. Hillsdale and Camden Ave. at the Starbucks / Home Depot parking lot. Huge event lately. I've been bringing my '71 Camaro out.

[dhutton]

if you're more interested in autocross, I would lean more towards a torque arm set up. 4 links work well, but they're better drag racing suspension.

Don’t tell DSE, they will be heartbroken....

Don

[c4racer2]

I like the torque arm set-up from Speedtech - that is most likely the direction I will go for my '71 at some point. But it works pretty well so far with stock style springs. I do get some axle hop at times tho - doesn't help having a 406 that makes massive torque all over the RPM range.

[SPG]

I got a torque arm from chassis works with watts link, I won't know how well it performs any time soon and requires a bit of welding. But so far it seems to be a pretty beefy system and I have no doubts it won't perform well.

(Sorry for the large pictures, I tried putting them in spoiler tags but it wasn't working)

[Mark@lateral-dynamics]

Are you looking for a mainly bolt-on system, or is doing some cutting and welding okay? Are you going to use the factory rear end? Do you know what tires you are going to run? Mini-tubs? Do you want a "set and forget" setup, or are you interested in tuning the setup (i.e. beyond ride height, spring rate and shock settings)? And respectfully, but are you okay with running mid-pack at the events, or do you want to win?

Great catch getting a clean project car, they are getting so much harder to find.

[408maro]

thank you all for the info and tips from your ends.. c4racer thank you man i may have to take you up on some help and curious to see your ride man and check out the saturday shows super cool..

SPG that looks good!!

Mark, i would love as little as possibly cutting and welding.. the less amount of welding the more i personally can do .. the car is already mini tubed and understand that adjusting and tuning the suspension is going to be a process and ok with that.. i would love to come out swinging no doubt and be able to at least stay in top 10 status

[c4racer2]

just remember it's at least 75% driver and 25% car....

[Build-It-Break-It]

My vote is for the Roadster shop chassis. By the time you piece together everything to connect the front subframe to the rear, labor etc. You'd probably be money ahead just doing a full frame to start.

[408maro]

My vote is for the Roadster shop chassis. By the time you piece together everything to connect the front subframe to the rear, labor etc. You'd probably be money ahead just doing a full frame to start.

I can for sure see that and still a contender in my book.

I do like how it’s one assembly. Little to install and do.

Also a plus that you pay half up front and other half 5 months after when complete

[c4racer2]

I haven’t heard about or seen any camaros with roadster shop chassis doing well at events. I also don’t like the price point for what you get.

Speed tech complete front subframe plus a torque arm rear is $9K which is cheaper and a very proven system in competitive events for these cars. That’s what I would do.

[Build-It-Break-It]

I haven’t heard about or seen any camaros with roadster shop chassis doing well at events. I also don’t like the price point for what you get.

Speed tech complete front subframe plus a torque arm rear is $9K which is cheaper and a very proven system in competitive events for these cars. That’s what I would do.

You'll still need bolt in or weld in subframe connectors for speedtech subframe. If you go weld in add about $1000 labor if your taking it to a shop. You'll also still need to weld in the upper rear cross member.

$9k for the Speedtech extreme sub and torque arm doesn't include the rear axle if your talking about the extreme frame. The extreme sub. Is the only one that makes sense to buy. If you include the rear axle for the speedtech frame it puts that set up at $11 roughly. That doesn't include any shock upgrade either. That puts both set ups neck and neck. You'll still need complete brakes for both options roughly $11k for both but one option still needs welding.

Doing well at events comes down to drivers not which companies suspension you have. I've seen leaf spring cars put down amazing times. That's all drivers skills and fine tuning not manufacturer.


If Roadstee shop came out with a rear torque arm set up for they're full frame it be a no brainer at that point on which option makes more sense.

[c4racer2]

Ya like I said it’s 75pct driver for sure in my experience.

Also tires make a more dramatic difference than anything in the suspension assuming you have negative camber and reasonable geometry. Brakes also factor in but not as much on a short autox course more so on a road course.