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The production Koni SA's are available and ready to go for the Solstice (and I'd assume the Sky too, I can't imagine they are different, but might be).  $175 a shock.  Rebound valving is the same thing they used on that Speed TV show, and the same as what they are putting into custom build DA's, but for a lot less money. 

No DA production version, but personally that's moot to me.  I own DA shocks for my Camaro and don't even use them, I prefer SA's. 

01 FS Z28:

The production Koni SA's are available and ready to go for the Solstice (and I'd assume the Sky too, I can't imagine they are different, but might be).  $175 a shock.  Rebound valving is the same thing they used on that Speed TV show, and the same as what they are putting into custom build DA's, but for a lot less money. 

No DA production version, but personally that's moot to me.  I own DA shocks for my Camaro and don't even use them, I prefer SA's. 

 I received mine last week and installed them. For anybody ready to do this let me help you with some points to know. With mostly hand tools (I did have cordless and air tools to help) I did the whole job in a few hours with only a floor jack and stands. --

1) You will need a 12mm drill bit to drill out all of the upper shock bushings and the two washers that sandwich the bushings. Have some oil handy to cool and lube the bit so you don't burn it.

2) You will need a cheap spring compressor. There is about 2-3" of pre-load.

3) You will need to bust loose the lower ball joints at all four corners. Careful hammer use and the ball joints just pops loose. On the front end you'll need to detach the sway bar link to allow the control are to move freely for the shock removal. On the back you need to detach the toe link to allow the shock the be removed.

4) Once the Konis are installed you can only adjust the left front without some other work. On the right front the power steering reservoir must be moved to access the adjuster. A 10mm socket makes it easy. (Only takes about 60 seconds from start to finish.) On the rear you will need to make holes in the truck floor to access the adjusters. But first find a couple of those big hole plugs that are so often found on floors and firewalls of cars. This will keep dirt and water out of the trunk. (I haven't done that yet, but pre-adjusted my rear shocks before installing them.) This may not be legal for SCCA Solo stock rules, so check first.

5) Even with the rear shocks firmed up by 2 turns and the fronts (initially) at 1.5 turns my Sky Redline is still quite comfortable on the road. Tighter, but not harsh. At an autocross yesterday there was a noticeable difference in feel, and even a quarter turn on the front shocks was effective. BUY THESE THINGS. You'll love them.

snaponbob:

On the rear you will need to make holes in the truck floor to access the adjusters. But first find a couple of those big hole plugs that are so often found on floors and firewalls of cars. This will keep dirt and water out of the trunk. (I haven't done that yet, but pre-adjusted my rear shocks before installing them.)

Glenn L. Austin:

snaponbob:

On the rear you will need to make holes in the truck floor to access the adjusters. But first find a couple of those big hole plugs that are so often found on floors and firewalls of cars. This will keep dirt and water out of the trunk. (I haven't done that yet, but pre-adjusted my rear shocks before installing them.)

I don't think that you can drill holes in the body to access the adjusters. I remember that a member letter requesting access for upper adjusters for the rear shocks (Mini? RX-8?) that was rejected last year. Yet you can drill holes for DA reservoirs, including to mount the adjusters inside the body (but the holes can only be big enough for the hoses?).

 
If Bob went ahead and drilled the holes in his car and made it ineligible for Stock competition he'll lose interest in the Z0K thing...

clyde:

Glenn L. Austin:

snaponbob:

On the rear you will need to make holes in the truck floor to access the adjusters. But first find a couple of those big hole plugs that are so often found on floors and firewalls of cars. This will keep dirt and water out of the trunk. (I haven't done that yet, but pre-adjusted my rear shocks before installing them.)

I don't think that you can drill holes in the body to access the adjusters. I remember that a member letter requesting access for upper adjusters for the rear shocks (Mini? RX-8?) that was rejected last year. Yet you can drill holes for DA reservoirs, including to mount the adjusters inside the body (but the holes can only be big enough for the hoses?).

If Bob went ahead and drilled the holes in his car and made it ineligible for Stock competition he'll lose interest in the Z0K thing...

I have NOT punched the holes YET. But 13.5.F says

"F. A hole may be added to an interior body panel to provide access to the adjustment mechanism on an allowed adjustable shock absorber. The hole may serve no other purpose, and may not be added through either the exterior bodywork or a strut bar. Interior panels are defined to be those pieces which cover the interior of the vehicle and are accessible from inside the vehicle. They do not include structural panels, such as wheel wells or inner fenders, which may also be accessible from inside the car but which actually form part of the body of the vehicle."

The floor of the trunk is not part of the wheel wells or inner fenders. I will be in touch with Doug Gill on Tuesday. But I have NEVER met ANYBODY that considered the trunk floor of a car to be an exterior part of the car. 

edit -- The e-mail just went out. I will post the question and answer when I get it.

snaponbob:

clyde:

Glenn L. Austin:

snaponbob:

On the rear you will need to make holes in the truck floor to access the adjusters. But first find a couple of those big hole plugs that are so often found on floors and firewalls of cars. This will keep dirt and water out of the trunk. (I haven't done that yet, but pre-adjusted my rear shocks before installing them.)

I don't think that you can drill holes in the body to access the adjusters. I remember that a member letter requesting access for upper adjusters for the rear shocks (Mini? RX-8?) that was rejected last year. Yet you can drill holes for DA reservoirs, including to mount the adjusters inside the body (but the holes can only be big enough for the hoses?).

If Bob went ahead and drilled the holes in his car and made it ineligible for Stock competition he'll lose interest in the Z0K thing...

I have NOT punched the holes YET. But 13.5.F says

"F. A hole may be added to an interior body panel to provide access to the adjustment mechanism on an allowed adjustable shock absorber. The hole may serve no other purpose, and may not be added through either the exterior bodywork or a strut bar. Interior panels are defined to be those pieces which cover the interior of the vehicle and are accessible from inside the vehicle. They do not include structural panels, such as wheel wells or inner fenders, which may also be accessible from inside the car but which actually form part of the body of the vehicle."

The floor of the trunk is not part of the wheel wells or inner fenders. I will be in touch with Doug Gill on Tuesday. But I have NEVER met ANYBODY that considered the trunk floor of a car to be an exterior part of the car. 

You don't consider the trunk floor to be structural, or part of the body of the vehicle?  

bren:

snaponbob:

clyde:

Glenn L. Austin:

snaponbob:

On the rear you will need to make holes in the truck floor to access the adjusters. But first find a couple of those big hole plugs that are so often found on floors and firewalls of cars. This will keep dirt and water out of the trunk. (I haven't done that yet, but pre-adjusted my rear shocks before installing them.)

I don't think that you can drill holes in the body to access the adjusters. I remember that a member letter requesting access for upper adjusters for the rear shocks (Mini? RX-8?) that was rejected last year. Yet you can drill holes for DA reservoirs, including to mount the adjusters inside the body (but the holes can only be big enough for the hoses?).

If Bob went ahead and drilled the holes in his car and made it ineligible for Stock competition he'll lose interest in the Z0K thing...

I have NOT punched the holes YET. But 13.5.F says

"F. A hole may be added to an interior body panel to provide access to the adjustment mechanism on an allowed adjustable shock absorber. The hole may serve no other purpose, and may not be added through either the exterior bodywork or a strut bar. Interior panels are defined to be those pieces which cover the interior of the vehicle and are accessible from inside the vehicle. They do not include structural panels, such as wheel wells or inner fenders, which may also be accessible from inside the car but which actually form part of the body of the vehicle."

The floor of the trunk is not part of the wheel wells or inner fenders. I will be in touch with Doug Gill on Tuesday. But I have NEVER met ANYBODY that considered the trunk floor of a car to be an exterior part of the car. 

You don't consider the trunk floor to be structural, or part of the body of the vehicle?  

 If so, EVERYTHING except the trunk panel, hood, door panels, and detachable fender panels and bumpers, and movable roof panels are structural. We'll find out this week. If I can, or can not punch the holes, I will share that, and I will bring needle nose pliers!!!

snaponbob:

 If so, EVERYTHING except the trunk panel, hood, door panels, and detachable fender panels and bumpers, and movable roof panels are structural. We'll find out this week. If I can, or can not punch the holes, I will share that, and I will bring needle nose pliers!!!

Funny how you can't cut holes through those non-structural items either, huh?

Good for you for not cutting the holes (whether by luck or design).

Don't expect to be happy with the answer you seem to be expecting.

Nope. No holes in the trunk I Look at it this way. If you need to plug the hole to keep dirt and water out then it's NOT an interior body panel.

Glenn: it was the Mini's and 06+ MX-5's that were turned down. The MX-5 request (I wrote one) added "or a strut bar" to the rule. The Mini I believe has a non exterior and non functional piece of metal (aka "bodywork") in the way.

Maybe if you promise to only drill it from the inside, $%#& I drilled to deep

clyde:

snaponbob:

 If so, EVERYTHING except the trunk panel, hood, door panels, and detachable fender panels and bumpers, and movable roof panels are structural. We'll find out this week. If I can, or can not punch the holes, I will share that, and I will bring needle nose pliers!!!

Funny how you can't cut holes through those non-structural items either, huh?

Good for you for not cutting the holes (whether by luck or design).

Don't expect to be happy with the answer you seem to be expecting.

Whatever. We'll find out soon enough. I guess there wording should be "NO holes". It seems unfair that holes apparently CAN be punched for reservoirs which represents an external adjustment feature, but not for adjusters which are part of the shock structure itself. As it stands, I set the rear shocks where I wanted them, and will "trim" the setup with the fronts. Or is moving the power steering reservoir illegal too?!?!?!?!?!?!

Mark Hirt:

Nope. No holes in the trunk I Look at it this way. If you need to plug the hole to keep dirt and water out then it's NOT an interior body panel. Glenn: it was the Mini's and 06+ MX-5's that were turned down. The MX-5 request (I wrote one) added "or a strut bar" to the rule. On the Mini I believe there is a non exterior and non functional piece of metal (aka "bodywork") in the way. Well maybe if you promise to only drill it from the inside, $%#& I drilled to deep

Since hairs are being split, where would the wording put this issue with a hatchback? And what if the holes were already there? THAT would seem lop sided. As for body plugs, my TR8 has them in multiple places in the passenger compartment. Why, I have NO idea. But they are there. But, then again, it's a Triumph!!

No hairs, you can drill through interior body panels, most (like mine) are plastic and do not exit to the dirty side of he car.

Sorry the the place your top goes in NOT a hatchback

As for the existing holes.. If they came there from the factory (or some TSB) then you would be free to use them.

snaponbob:

Since hairs are being split, where would the wording put this issue with a hatchback? And what if the holes were already there? THAT would seem lop sided. As for body plugs, my TR8 has them in multiple places in the passenger compartment. Why, I have NO idea. But they are there. But, then again, it's a Triumph!!

Howdy,

snaponbob:

Or is moving the power steering reservoir illegal too?!?!?!?!?!?!

In stock class?  It's pretty easy to answer that... What rule allows you to move it?

I don't see one.

Mark

(Btw, you don't need to separate the rear balljoint for shock removal on the rear for a GXP... just the rear tie rod.  Sounds like you make know this since you later referenced the rear tie rods, but your post sorta implies that you have to.) 

Mark Hirt:

No hairs, you can drill through interior body panels, most (like mine) are plastic and do not exit to the dirty side of he car.

Sorry the the place your top goes in NOT a hatchback

As for the existing holes.. If they came there from the factory (or some TSB) then you would be free to use them.

snaponbob:

Since hairs are being split, where would the wording put this issue with a hatchback? And what if the holes were already there? THAT would seem lop sided. As for body plugs, my TR8 has them in multiple places in the passenger compartment. Why, I have NO idea. But they are there. But, then again, it's a Triumph!!

Ahhhh what the hell. With 64 cars in A/Stock, I could rebuild the engine between runs!!!! Almost. So, if I really felt compelled to adjust the rears, I should be able to figure out something!!

Bob - it's somewhat unpleasant, but if you jack the car up under the diff, you can access the rear adjuster under the fender, above the tire.  (If you have Popeye forearms, maybe not, but a wimpy pencil necked geek like myself can get his skinny hands up in there.

The passenger front also can be gotten to above the wheel if you jack the car a little on that side.   

- Nick 

snaponbob:

Since hairs are being split...

As was said before, these are not hairs.  These are the National Rules and we all agreed to read them and abide by them whether we like a specific rule or not.  I believe this is why you and I always were always butting heads.  I take the rules seriously and I expect that the person gridded next to me to be the same way. 

snaponbob:

Ahhhh what the hell. With 64 cars in A/Stock, I could rebuild the engine between runs!!!! Almost. So, if I really felt compelled to adjust the rears, I should be able to figure out something!!

We will likely get our own heat or be grouped with another smallish class.  So that will only be about 15-20 minutes between runs. 

NickFlynn:

Bob - it's somewhat unpleasant, but if you jack the car up under the diff, you can access the rear adjuster under the fender, above the tire.  (If you have Popeye forearms, maybe not, but a wimpy pencil necked geek like myself can get his skinny hands up in there.

The passenger front also can be gotten to above the wheel if you jack the car a little on that side.   

- Nick 

Thanks, Nick. Really, I mean that.

HPT is REALLY snotty about jacking cars without wood planks under that jack, At least, that is their position. (Nobody can challenge me on this one. It's 90 minutes away and I autocross there.) There is no need to jack up the right front to access the right adjuster (at least on a Sky Redline) as it is directly under the power steering reservoir, and there is not enough room for the supplied tool from Koni. But a needle nose plier can be used. Quickly moving the reservoir is also quite easy. (And I can find NO rules against that, thank god!!!) Given that the Royals/Chiefs stadium is only a bit grippier than HPT, I will be able to get the back set for HPT. I'll know for sure at the Sunday T&T. Then I will just tweak the fronts. I do plan on fashioning some sort of tool form the rears. (Think wingnut.)

Now, considering that I apparently live (and read words) in an alternate universe, maybe everyone can pile on about 3.3.3.A.4, and 13.3.H. How is THAT enforced, and ultimately proven by the participant is protested? (I lived through just that issue "back in the day" [post Conestoga Wagon, but not much] on a local protest in Washington, D.C. - I prevailed)

At the risk of being accused of thread jacking, I will be glad to start a thread if needed.

SpyderVenom:

snaponbob:

Since hairs are being split...

As was said before, these are not hairs.  These are the National Rules and we all agreed to read them and abide by them whether we like a specific rule or not.  I believe this is why you and I always were always butting heads.  I take the rules seriously and I expect that the person gridded next to me to be the same way. 

 As do I. And if you think otherwise, I will be easy to find, and I will explain that to you in person. If this book of rules were so damn easy to read, understand, and interpret, there would not be any need for a protest appeals committee.

Define "structure".

Define "generally available".

You have shown a bias since last February. I got some things wrong, said so here and on the Solstice forum, apologized, committed to reading the rules carefully since then, and have done so. And you won't get over it. DILIGAF.

SpyderVenom:

snaponbob:

Ahhhh what the hell. With 64 cars in A/Stock, I could rebuild the engine between runs!!!! Almost. So, if I really felt compelled to adjust the rears, I should be able to figure out something!!

We will likely get our own heat or be grouped with another smallish class.  So that will only be about 15-20 minutes between runs. 

Come on, Rob. You can't even detect some light hearted sarcasm. I don't care how long it is between runs. I'll just park my uncommitted ass in my car and do the best I can.