Guys, Girls,
The word from some sources from up high in the “SE-R ranks” have advised me to strongly consider Progress Group’s (
http://www.progressauto.com/) coil-over suspension. This increases wheel travel by one inch and a half, is ride height adjustable 1-3 inches, polished aluminum strut, detents in the threaded sleeves for precise height adjustment, and can be taken apart and rebuilt and even re-valved. So you don’t have to throw away the strut when it wears out. It comes in street, drag and autocross valving. They make their own springs. Apparently Progress has an excellent reputation. They are even a SATURN authorized manufacturer. They already have an **adjustable** rear sway bar (~$200) for the classic SERs (not sure if for 200s etc as well) and I think they get points for NOT selling a front sway bar which they said is unnecessary because our front ends are already quite stiff and apparently most guys racing classics have found that front sway bars make the car plow.
Mike Kojima uses this same PROGRESS coil-over kit in the new B15 body featured in
http://www.sentra.net/tech/garage/suspension.php? And I quote “The strut uses a 375 lb spring and is two inches shorter than stock so the car can be lowered 2" without losing any travel. The ride is quite nice, firm but not harsh, most of the body roll is eliminated. Ride height is adjustable.” And, “The Progress setup uses a large piston shortened body shock so the car can be considerably lowered without loosing wheel travel. The Progress shocks are 2" shorter so the car can be lowered 2" without compromising the ride much. The Progress shocks are available with conventional spring perches or with a threaded body and stiffer valving for higher rate coil over springs. We just got finished testing some of the prototype Progress coilovers and we are ECSTATIC over them. The ride is very decent and refined and the cornering is phenomenal with very little body roll. The Progress setup allows 2" of lowering while still maintaining a good ride even with stiff 350 in/lb springs.”
So, as of right now, Progress, who I have called (and with whom I have NO relationship whatsoever, BTW) has told me that if we can get 8-10 confirmed orders, they will produce a kit for our car within a month. In fact they have been meaning to do as much but are stalling until they get a few confirmed orders. In one of the articles written about them and linked on their web site, they made a Honda Del Sol do OVER 1G on the skid pad with their set up. According to them “The Progress Group has over 40 years of combined experience in the design, manufacture, and tuning of ultra high performance suspension systems for use in applications like CART/Indy Cars, IMSA, SCCA, NASA and SCORE competition vehicles”
I called
www.Ptuning.com (one of their dealers in VA, near where I live) and they said they could make us a nice deal if we got 8-10 orders. MSRP is $1450. Ptuning’s regular price is $1250 plus shipping, no tax if your not in VA. If we can get a group deal they said they would go down substantially. $1000-1100? (my guess) plus a good price on the rear adjustable sway bar if you are interested as well.
Lets do this guys! There aren’t really many decent coil-over kits out there for us that give you extra wheel travel unless you start spending big money. Ground control is only half decent for $800-900. TRUE CHOICE kicks butt but costs well over $2000. If it wasn’t because our SE-R buddy from up on high recommended I look into Progress, I wouldn’t be wasting your time or mine.
Who is interested? I will set up the deal if we get enough guys. I figure $1100 or so (I’m guessing!!!) would be our cost, plus shipping for the complete coil over kit. Write me if you’re interested.
apboado@yahoo.com
If other body styles are interested, let me know, and maybe we can have them make something for the 200s etc as well.
Thanks,
Alexi (apboado@yahoo.com)
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