Back in the game ...2002 Camaro SS as track day/ daily

I'm a poor excuse for a car guy...spent the last 8 years driving my GMC Sierra (or jeep zj) 2.x miles back and forth to work.

Today I bought a decent 2002 Camaro SS 6 speed.

43k miles, Hardtop. Clean title but a quarter was replaced per the PO and it's a little rough around the edges body wise.

I think I got a decent deal...I was going for "bang for the buck" 

Looks like it's stock motor/exhaust wise but has edelbrock lower control arms, adjustable panhard and adjustable torque arm on the rear suspension.

Springs/shocks look stock to me and it appears to be stock ride height.

It also has subframe connectors but they have a triangulated brace running towards the center of the car.

Not sure about those? Thoughts?

I'm looking for good spring and shock info as well as brake info...I'm fine with the answer being good quality pads and a fluid change for track days.

Wanna sell it?

stranoparts 

Sam Stano is who you need to talk to, he will help you get it setup. They are pretty capable cars as is, and easy to improve.

Strano parts are the easy button.  I did his springs, sway bars, and koni shocks on a 94 lt1 camaro and it works really  well on track and for autocross.  I think konis are on sale right now as well.

Your pictures are little X's in boxes.

The LS1 cars have pretty good brakes stock. I think there are some relatively easy, though perhaps not bolt on, upgrades for calipers - wanna say CTS-V maybe? Although, good pads should be more than adequate for anything short of serious track work.

The triangulated subframe connectors, like your new car has, are what you want. 

I'd think twice about keeping those Edelbrock control arms. Without being familiar with those pieces in particular, a lot of what is out there and available for the fourth gens are drag oriented and not really built to withstand the cornering loads these cars can generate in an auto x or on track. That said, they're definitely also camber limited up front on the stock arms. Check out UMI for suspension bits more geared towards racing that involves turns.

Is the torque arm a long or short arm setup? Or, in plain terms, does the front mount on the transmission or its own separate crossmember (probably located right about where the subframe connectors triangulate?) The short arms are better for weight transfer under acceleration, but can cause serious instability under braking. I autocrossed with a guy once who had a short torque arm on his 4th gen and it wanted to swap ends on him in every heavy braking zone. 

As said above, Sam Strano is the man you want to talk to when it comes to suspension. Konis and Strano springs completely transform the handling on those cars. I had that setup, plus a UMI front bar and a rear bar off of a third gen (forget the exact specs, maybe 26mm solid? Think it was off a WS6.) on mine and it handled well, if a bit on the loose side. Think I still have the sways hanging around if you're interested. 

Thanks guys. I'll check out the Strano stuff.

I don't want to sell :) Javelin

Furious, not sure if  the torque arm is long or short...I'll check it out. Not sure if I can use the sways without some more research, but I'm interested.

Looks like I will try to enjoy as I get used to it, change the fluids, etc. Looks like it might be July before I can do my first track day anyway. (And I'll be happy as a clam to do that as-is).

Drag racing is not really my thing, but I may take it down to the test n tune next Wed at the local 1/8 mile track.

NGTD said:

Your pictures are little X's in boxes.

Sorry, I'm still screwed up from the photobucket thing...that's google pics and I can see it 

Regarding the sway bars, I would probably go with Strano's setup if I were to do it again, TBH. My setup was a bit too tail happy, plus the hollow front bar saves a good bit of weight over the solid UMI piece.