I have been reading a lot and still am not confident in anything. I really want coil overs for the adjustable ride hight but can't find any real info on the qa1 setup. What are my options. The car car will be 98% street driven and about 2% drag but I will have enough motor to score me the et's I'm looking for so I don't really want to build a drag rear setup.
Best pro touring setup?
- Thread starter G NASTY
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charlie547
Member
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- Jan 13, 2005
87PearlRegal
In need of a better title
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- Dec 17, 2010
Suspension ideas
I too have been looking for a performance upgrade style suspension setup. I really am leaning on Spohn Perf's kit, but DSE and Hotchkis look damn sexy except for their prices. Anybody who has bought the full upper/lower control arms, coilovers, airbags or what ever any insight on what is working would be great. Also looking into doing a Baer brake upgrade at the same time while the front end is all apart.
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87 Stock Gramma Regal - Sleeper
I too have been looking for a performance upgrade style suspension setup. I really am leaning on Spohn Perf's kit, but DSE and Hotchkis look damn sexy except for their prices. Anybody who has bought the full upper/lower control arms, coilovers, airbags or what ever any insight on what is working would be great. Also looking into doing a Baer brake upgrade at the same time while the front end is all apart.
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87 Stock Gramma Regal - Sleeper
turboc87gn
Darkside in Detroit
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
Pro touring is taking a musclecar and giving it modern suspension upgrades wide wheels and low profile tires so it will outhandle most new cars ..
turboc87gn
Darkside in Detroit
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
Im just basing it on everything ive read on here and in magazines carcraft hotrod etc..Its like back in the day when there was pro street looks like its fast blowers,wheelie bars,tubs,14x32 tires etc but in most cases they were all looks and trailer queens..In the case of pro touring most of the cars the cars not only look the part but they are functional they are built to drive..
Isn't this considered Pro-touring?
YouTube - 200MPH - Turbo Buick wins the 1998 Silver State Classic
I agree
I would agree with turbo87gn's definition. Most of the time I hear the definition it's a stock appearing classic car with super wide tires and the modern suspension to back it up. The Car Craft Real Street Eliminator cars are a good example. Mark Stielow continues to build super 1st gen Camaros with Corvette LS-7 engines & suspensions that typify the definition and make me very jealous!!
:biggrin:
I would agree with turbo87gn's definition. Most of the time I hear the definition it's a stock appearing classic car with super wide tires and the modern suspension to back it up. The Car Craft Real Street Eliminator cars are a good example. Mark Stielow continues to build super 1st gen Camaros with Corvette LS-7 engines & suspensions that typify the definition and make me very jealous!!
:biggrin:
scot w.
GNSperformance.com
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2005
scot w.
GNSperformance.com
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2005
I have the complete DSE suspension front and rear on my car so I would say I have some first hand knowledge on how it handles on and off the street. Suspension works great, Parts fit perfectly and go on with ease, Instructions are very informative. and DSE is out there every weekend pounding on their cars, customers are pounding on their cars, and most of the time a DSE equipped car wins at the many pro-touring events.
For more in-depth information on my build here is the thread: http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/br...els/329141-complete-dse-suspension-build.html
87PearlRegal
In need of a better title
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- Dec 17, 2010
I think I am sold then
I read only good things about Detroit Speed which is why I am I really thinking of leaning that way. Did you go with the coilover shocks as well? Also what did you do with the spindles, stock height or 2" drops? This is where my car is starting is handling because without it what is the point in going fast? It's just scary then.
I read only good things about Detroit Speed which is why I am I really thinking of leaning that way. Did you go with the coilover shocks as well? Also what did you do with the spindles, stock height or 2" drops? This is where my car is starting is handling because without it what is the point in going fast? It's just scary then.
87PearlRegal
In need of a better title
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- Dec 17, 2010
I agree with Turboc87gn as well about the pro touring style today. It is form AND function where the cars are hammered on as well as looking good and outperforming today's lame ass cars.
scot w.
GNSperformance.com
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2005
Didn't go with the coil overs Yet! DSE will be coming out real soon with their rear set up for the G-bodies and we will be doing the Buick testing on those when they do. right now we are running their 2" drop springs with their matched shocks, stock spindles, Tubular upper and lower A arms, sway bars, and their upper & lower rear control arms. All information, pic's and so on can be seen in this thread> http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/br...els/329141-complete-dse-suspension-build.html
Scot W.
No. A 200mph Buick isn't Pro-Touring; it is a race car. Everything you read in magazines is designed to sell you things, as it is the nature of their business.
Why do you need to spend hundreds or thousands on parts to achieve the results of a car you can drive/race? You don't.
With a few choice suspension parts, some good tires and brake upgrades you can achieve night and day results that will perform as well as any "kit" out of any catalogue.
I don't have a single "DSE" part on my car and wouldn't waste the money on it either. Usually modified stock parts are good enough to achieve results... many national Solo 2 (auto-x) championships have been won with near-stock, well set up, 3rd and 4th Gen F-bodies. You'd be surprised at the similarities between the G and F-body cars.
My recommendation is that you get yourself into some proper sticky tires and wider wheels (17 or 18" max), quality shocks (not coil overs), stiffer springs and/or an axle mounted rear swaybar (not HRpartsnstuff), a fresh suspension with some existing stock style flex remaining (either rubber bushings in boxed stock arms, or poly-U in stock un-boxed arms), a more aggressive brake pad compounds, and a CG Lock to increase your personal confidence while driving. Lastly, you need to setup your suspension (alignment), tune your tires (pressure) and get familiar with your car in more extreme conditions.
But that means your hands get dirty, you don't get bonus points at the local car show for buying stuff out of a magazine, and might have money left over for other upgrades.
Why do you need to spend hundreds or thousands on parts to achieve the results of a car you can drive/race? You don't.
With a few choice suspension parts, some good tires and brake upgrades you can achieve night and day results that will perform as well as any "kit" out of any catalogue.
I don't have a single "DSE" part on my car and wouldn't waste the money on it either. Usually modified stock parts are good enough to achieve results... many national Solo 2 (auto-x) championships have been won with near-stock, well set up, 3rd and 4th Gen F-bodies. You'd be surprised at the similarities between the G and F-body cars.
My recommendation is that you get yourself into some proper sticky tires and wider wheels (17 or 18" max), quality shocks (not coil overs), stiffer springs and/or an axle mounted rear swaybar (not HRpartsnstuff), a fresh suspension with some existing stock style flex remaining (either rubber bushings in boxed stock arms, or poly-U in stock un-boxed arms), a more aggressive brake pad compounds, and a CG Lock to increase your personal confidence while driving. Lastly, you need to setup your suspension (alignment), tune your tires (pressure) and get familiar with your car in more extreme conditions.
But that means your hands get dirty, you don't get bonus points at the local car show for buying stuff out of a magazine, and might have money left over for other upgrades.
87PearlRegal
In need of a better title
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2010
I think the point that was being made was the the kits available today make it much easier to improve your car's handling without the guesswork of making stock parts modified. Upgrades are great when they work either way and DSE isn't just selling parts, they are using them like Scott W. was saying and I can "buy" into the hype if you will when the parts work remarkably better than stock.
TurboTnZ06
Go on red!
- Joined
- May 7, 2002
The solo2 autox use stock parts because they typically run stock classes with nothing allowed to be changed but tires and better brake pads. Once you mod your car too much you are up against dedicated track cars. I wouldn't call buying DSE parts a waste of money, better geometry/articulation is better! Hopefully the TB.com nats autox will showcase how much better cars can handle than stock.
scot w.
GNSperformance.com
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2005
I will be there with my car, DSE will be there with their G-Body and they will also have parts on hand for everyone to look at. Mike (Mr t) this would be a good event for you to come down and have some fun on the autocross with everyone else! It sure would be nice to have a bunch of Buick's battle it out for the best time!
Scot W.
I understand how solo2 works.
As for the DSE parts; for my purposes (and that includes racing) they wouldn't provide me with an advantage over the parts I have already selected or built, so that is a waste. For the unimaginative sort who wants peace of mind they are great products for making some improvements.
However, before buying and installing anything you should drive your car STOCK and learn what you don't like about it. Then decide what approach to take to begin rectifying the problem(s) one part at a time. This is a long and labourious process which will make you a better skilled driver along the way. But, I can see how some people would like to skip this step and just take someone's word for it (untested or tested) and spend money as it is easier.
$3600 for DSE's products and they do little to fix the intentionally flawed engineering built into the G-body chassis. Will you see improvements? Definitely. Yet, I doubt you'd see the difference between my suggestions above and theirs (except in your pocket). It is your money.
I'll stick to auto crossing with established clubs.
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