[khcoaching]

Originally Posted by MightyBobo

Laguna Seca is on my bucket list, but I'll likely race it with my motorcycle before my Camaro lol. Who knows...yes, the sound restrictions there are silly.

I'm hoping for a Laguna trip this year as well!

[Dabjbr]

For you and others, I highly recommend visiting Sonoma as it’s a technical track and quite fun with its elevation changes. Probably your southern equivalent of The Ridge.

Also visit Thunderhill. With it’s many configurations it’s a blast. 2 mile West is more technical whereas 3 mile East has higher speeds. Combined, it’s 5 miles long and nicknamed Thundeschliefe. (Might be the longest track in the US) With so many turns, it takes time to master. It has good elevation and tons of run off space. Plus, the walls are mainly on the straights. It’s probably the safest track in California.

Both these tracks are very well maintained with good amenities. Come down and let us know when so we can make it a Camaro6 outing!

[khcoaching]

Originally Posted by Dabjbr

For you and others, I highly recommend visiting Sonoma as it’s a technical track and quite fun with its elevation changes. Probably your southern equivalent of The Ridge.

Also visit Thunderhill. With it’s many configurations it’s a blast. 2 mile West is more technical whereas 3 mile East has higher speeds. Combined, it’s 5 miles long and nicknamed Thundeschliefe. (Might be the longest track in the US) With so many turns, it takes time to master. It has good elevation and tons of run off space. Plus, the walls are mainly on the straights. It’s probably the safest track in California.

Both these tracks are very well maintained with good amenities. Come down and let us know when so we can make it a Camaro6 outing!

I know each track well and have thousands of laps at each on a motorcycle and quite a few in cars. The Laguna deal was where I would have my car shipped down and then shipped back up from a local club that is doing a couple of days there. Unfortunately I don’t have a ton of time or the ability to trailer mine down, otherwise I’d be all over Nor-Cal. (I was born in Davis)

[Dabjbr]

Originally Posted by khcoaching

I know each track well and have thousands of laps at each on a motorcycle and quite a few in cars. The Laguna deal was where I would have my car shipped down and then shipped back up from a local club that is doing a couple of days there. Unfortunately I don’t have a ton of time or the ability to trailer mine down, otherwise I’d be all over Nor-Cal. (I was born in Davis)

Gotcha. Just didn’t know if you had experienced these tracks. Feel lucky living relatively close to all 3. I’m in Roseville so pretty dang close to Davis.

[khcoaching]

Since it will be a few months for the weather to warm up here and I want to try the 18" rims.....I ordered a set of these to try. I got a last minute deal via a sponsorship code that made them decently priced. I ordered 305/35/18 and hopefully can run them in late Feb/early March.

[khcoaching]

Since it is off season and we are all waiting to drive, I thought I would entertain everyone with my beater truck resurrection story. The story starts with - I had a "fun" 2019 F150 that I was using for some sleeper drag stuff and I had to sell it to afford the Camaro. Since the F150 was beyond worthless, other than straight line acceleration, I looked for a beater work truck that I could afford.....and this is not really the best time to be looking for a truck, but I needed one. I looked at all the usual places including with my auction contacts and there wasn't much below 10k that wasn't a real POS, so I looked for something with good bones I could fix up. I set up a few searches (2008-up Silverado 1500/2500, 4WD, tow pack, etc.) and found one in Sacramento at a wholesale lot. On paper, it was pretty darn good, except I was hoping for a 6speed auto vs a 4L60e.

It was a former US Forestry truck. Silverado 1500, 200k miles, WT, 5.3, 3.73, with locker, HD everything with a tow package and with a very extensive CarFax record. The miles were a pretty big turn off, but the service history was pretty decent and I know they go forever, I was a player. The dealer sent me videos of it running, as well as pictures of the oil and trans dipstick which were both very clean. I decided to get it and since I am in WA state and the truck was in Sacramento, I’d fly down and drive it up, with a load of stuff I'd be bringing back from my Dad's house.

So.....I fly down to Sac from Seattle with my wife, get in late, get a hotel and go to the dealer first thing. The truck was at the baaaaack of the lot and.....no key. After finding the key, damn, rough is an understatement. It ran ok, but it had been sitting a long time. The dealer wouldn't negotiate much on the price and I took a break to look around for other options and was reaffirmed that there really wasn't anything else with my criteria. So, check handed over, paper work done, off I went to pick my wife up, load up at my Dad's and drive the 800 miles from Nor-Cal to Washington. It didn't go well.

After driving from Sac to my Dad's, there was a coolant smell, even though the truck wasn’t indicating running hot. Crap….here we go. We stopped and the coolant reservoir was cracked, puking coolant everywhere. Great....first stop to the auto parts store. I changed the reservoir and topped off the coolant at my Dad's. We loaded up and, on our way up I-5 with the plan of stopping in the evening after about 250 miles. First observations were that the truck was totally worn out. Suspension play, rattles, aggressive too large a sized off-road tires on the stock steel wheels made for a not a great ride. We made it to the hotel and all seemed OK.

Day 2 - It was late August and since it was going to be over 100 degrees later in the day, we took off early and all seemed ok, until it wasn't. While climbing the Siskiyou's, I was greeted with a Christmas tree of lights, including this one -



The engine sounded fine and after doing a quick online search, my guess was the oil pressure sending until screen used for the DOD was plugged. So, oil pressure warning staring me in the face, we rolled on for the next 450 miles and made it home with no other issues. The next day I took the truck into town and was greeted with the engine barely running and a P0300 code......F..K. At this point, I was thinking that a DOD lifter had collapsed due to the oil pressure issue and 2 days in was looking at tearing the motor down - not great. Luckily, clearing the code fixed it, whew.

The next step was basically a couple of stages of fixing the truck up:

Stage 1

- Replace the OP sending unit and screen
- Complete tune up
- Adjust all the doors to stop rattling
- Oil change

This actually got the truck in decent running shape. Oil pressure and water temp were in solid ranges, so it was on to stage 2.

Stage 2 -

- Front brake calipers
- Front Brake pads
- Front rotors
- Brake fluid flush
- Front wheel bearing assemblies
- Front axles
- All control arms
- Front struts and springs. (It weirdly had a Bilstein leveling kit)
- Rear shocks
- BOTH motor mounts
- All door switches
- Mirror switch
- Parking brake assembly
- 5-Star tuning with AFM delete
- Steering Wheel
- Ignition Lock Cylinder
- 3rd Brake light (water leak)
- Front Headlamps
- Removed 30lbs of old wiring. (It had lights and a siren!)
- Interior Map and Dome light
- Misc. headlamp/taillamp bulbs
- Used alloy wheels tires


At this point, it actually is a pretty solid truck! The paint buffed out, it runs well, decent power, light towing was good and I am gaining more confidence in it. (We’ve done a few 500 mile days in it with zero issues) The plan is to be able to tow the Camaro with it late summer of this year. I still have a few things to tackle, but for now it’s a solid runner. Total amount of money into it, including purchase price is $16,600. Not as cheap as I hoping, but good luck finding something with what this has in for that price now.

[khcoaching]

Here's a picture of the F150 I had. Custom ordered:

2019 F150
101A
5.0
10r80
Locking diff

Total sleeper, just as it is in the picture, it ran a best of 12.06 @ 114.55...On DRs it went 11.91. It had a tune, mustang intake and E85.

[crab]

Nice!

[khcoaching]

UPDATE -

Just got th car back from the dealer......the oil leak turned out to be from the transmission, a leak from the reverse switch. All good now.

The alignment also is updated along with the BMR rear toe arms. The front is now maxed out and the rear is maxed out on camber on the camber bolts. The alignment was pretty far off, especially the rear toe, so glad that issue is getting eliminated as there weren't that many days on the alignment.



All of the tires showed up! Next stop is getting them all mounted on both sets of rims.



Hoping for a March trackday!

[eimarshall]

I'm surprised the rear is maxed at -1.8/-2.0. I thought ~2.3 was supposed to be possible with the rear toe arms. At least that's what I was hoping to get.....

Also super jelly of the wheel and tires!! What do you think the slicks will do at the Ridge? 1:43? I can't wait to see!

Did you have the dealer install the arms? I called them(oly titus) and they balked at me when I asked if they could do it.... I figure I can just do it myself if they aren't willing, then take it to them for the alignment/maintenance.

[khcoaching]

Originally Posted by eimarshall

I'm surprised the rear is maxed at -1.8/-2.0. I thought ~2.3 was supposed to be possible with the rear toe arms. At least that's what I was hoping to get.....

Also super jelly of the wheel and tires!! What do you think the slicks will do at the Ridge? 1:43? I can't wait to see!

Did you have the dealer install the arms? I called them(oly titus) and they balked at me when I asked if they could do it.... I figure I can just do it myself if they aren't willing, then take it to them for the alignment/maintenance.

Mark (Tech there at Titus/Oly) called me when installing the arms and was surprised he couldn't get to -2.3, camber bolts were maxed. Next step will be rear upper control arms. (Might as well do lowers too)

We'll see on the lap times. My goal is in the 44s with the 3Rs and lower than that with the slicks.

They'll do it, talk to Meisha in service.

I think my first dates will be the end of March....

Ken

[GOC]

I’ve been following your thread for some time Ken, quality stuff.

Have you considered posting footage or starting a YouTube channel of you driving the tracks? I’m sure lots of us would like to see you in action behind the wheel.

[khcoaching]

Originally Posted by GOC

I’ve been following your thread for some time Ken, quality stuff.

Have you considered posting footage or starting a YouTube channel of you driving the tracks? I’m sure lots of us would like to see you in action behind the wheel.

I do have a YT channel, but it s mainly for my motorcycle and podcast content. A few car videos though!

https://www.youtube.com/user/khcoaching/videos

[eimarshall]

I just got mine back from Titus/Oly. Mark got about the same alignment as yours. -2.0 on both sides in the rear.

I'm planning on April 3rd w/ OnGrid and probably April 28th with Track Night.

If you haven't been, you should take a look at heading to Oregon Raceway Park! Its a real rollercoaster! Hooked on Driving has a double header there on May 7th-8th. I'm already booked for it!!