STS-ZX2SR
04-17-2008, 08:31 PM
Took the car (which was new to me 12/2007--I've not yet driven it more than about 5 miles on the street) over to Black Tie Racing's shop in Waukesha, WI last week to have all of the bits that we have been collecting over the winter put on the car--along with some routine maintenance.
Tuesday (4/15) AM we get the call...problems with one ot the front struts (Custom valved Koni inserts) and the new Cusco camber plate. Long story short, the threads on the strut's top mount are stripped, and the Cusco nut is a little boogered up too.
We take the strut to Zion, Il to a shock specialist who does the Penske shocks for Black Tie's GT1 Corvette ...doesn't look good...no immediate solution...we'll see what he can do by the morning.
Wednesday AM...I call Shock guy...still nothing good...I call Lee Grimes at Koni and leave a message...I call Gordon at Koni, only to determine that it really needs to be rebuilt. Koni can do it in 6 weeks. EEEK! He suggests a call to TrueChoice in Ohio. I do. They can do a "rush"...maybe 10 days-2 weeks...for $250-300 estimated. Call back to Illinois (mid AM), to arrange shipping strut to Ohio. Ask him to run a tap thru the top nut...and mail it and the plate back.
Thinking the weekend is now shot. Pondering driving my stock 2007 Mazda6 on 225/45-17 SPTs in Street Tire class...wondering what else to do. I recall at this time that SR struts had 300# springs. My front coilovers are 440#. Meh! Close enough!!! I call Focaljet buddy Steve at Tousley Ford in "the Cities"...he doesnt have any...but gives me name of dealer in Bloomington, IL that shows a pair. I call there. They have a right side only. He finds a left for me in Wyoming, MI. Got wrong phone number--Century 21 office....grrrrrrr. I call Steve back. He checks...calls Michigan. They have it. Gives me correct phone number. I call...can it be overnighted? "don't think so... lemme check..." "yep...made it by 10 minutes (1.50pm EDT)!"
SOLD!
Call back Illinois dealer...makes the Brown Truck by an hour. Call back to shock guy..."dont mail the plate and nut!!! I'll be by in the AM..."
Lee Grimes calls me back. People, If you need shock help--this guy is THE resource. I explain the sitation from the top...and he concludes, 20 minutes later, that while not ideal, it'll likely work OK in a pinch. No I wonder...did the struts actually ship on time.
This morning...Brown truck arrives about 10.45. It has both boxes!!! I call and then run back down to Zion and get camber plate and nut. Kurt does not have the 12x1.25 tap in his set. OK...no biggie...I'll pick one up at the hardware store on my way to dropping off the SR struts and camber plate back at Black Tie Racing. End up driving right by the dealership that I used to work at for 11 years...think "hey...one of the techs will have a tap...it'll save me soom loot"
12x1.25 is not a common size, as it turns out. Mac, Matco and Snap-On dont include it in their sets. The last guy we asked...out of 11 or 12 techs had one in his 'junk drawer".
Run the stuff back to Dan at Black Tie...and hopefully it'll all go together tomorrow by lunchtime...and at least get as far as an alignment (no corner weights this time around) in the afternoon.
School/test-tune is Saturday and Event 1 is Sunday...I hope Friday is a good day!!!
Tuesday (4/15) AM we get the call...problems with one ot the front struts (Custom valved Koni inserts) and the new Cusco camber plate. Long story short, the threads on the strut's top mount are stripped, and the Cusco nut is a little boogered up too.
We take the strut to Zion, Il to a shock specialist who does the Penske shocks for Black Tie's GT1 Corvette ...doesn't look good...no immediate solution...we'll see what he can do by the morning.
Wednesday AM...I call Shock guy...still nothing good...I call Lee Grimes at Koni and leave a message...I call Gordon at Koni, only to determine that it really needs to be rebuilt. Koni can do it in 6 weeks. EEEK! He suggests a call to TrueChoice in Ohio. I do. They can do a "rush"...maybe 10 days-2 weeks...for $250-300 estimated. Call back to Illinois (mid AM), to arrange shipping strut to Ohio. Ask him to run a tap thru the top nut...and mail it and the plate back.
Thinking the weekend is now shot. Pondering driving my stock 2007 Mazda6 on 225/45-17 SPTs in Street Tire class...wondering what else to do. I recall at this time that SR struts had 300# springs. My front coilovers are 440#. Meh! Close enough!!! I call Focaljet buddy Steve at Tousley Ford in "the Cities"...he doesnt have any...but gives me name of dealer in Bloomington, IL that shows a pair. I call there. They have a right side only. He finds a left for me in Wyoming, MI. Got wrong phone number--Century 21 office....grrrrrrr. I call Steve back. He checks...calls Michigan. They have it. Gives me correct phone number. I call...can it be overnighted? "don't think so... lemme check..." "yep...made it by 10 minutes (1.50pm EDT)!"
SOLD!
Call back Illinois dealer...makes the Brown Truck by an hour. Call back to shock guy..."dont mail the plate and nut!!! I'll be by in the AM..."
Lee Grimes calls me back. People, If you need shock help--this guy is THE resource. I explain the sitation from the top...and he concludes, 20 minutes later, that while not ideal, it'll likely work OK in a pinch. No I wonder...did the struts actually ship on time.
This morning...Brown truck arrives about 10.45. It has both boxes!!! I call and then run back down to Zion and get camber plate and nut. Kurt does not have the 12x1.25 tap in his set. OK...no biggie...I'll pick one up at the hardware store on my way to dropping off the SR struts and camber plate back at Black Tie Racing. End up driving right by the dealership that I used to work at for 11 years...think "hey...one of the techs will have a tap...it'll save me soom loot"
12x1.25 is not a common size, as it turns out. Mac, Matco and Snap-On dont include it in their sets. The last guy we asked...out of 11 or 12 techs had one in his 'junk drawer".
Run the stuff back to Dan at Black Tie...and hopefully it'll all go together tomorrow by lunchtime...and at least get as far as an alignment (no corner weights this time around) in the afternoon.
School/test-tune is Saturday and Event 1 is Sunday...I hope Friday is a good day!!!