[Sam Strano]

I was just pondering what things I've done that were the same old, same old in terms of my business and car setup stuff. I'm tired of hearing that I'm out only sell parts, and will do so by any means necessary. I'm tired of having quotes laid at my feet that are taken completely out of context. And I've been called a liar (just recently in a thread about the A-Sedan cars at the Runoffs).

So I've thought about it, and I'm posting a response.

First let me address the notion that I think in this little tiny box and don't try things. Here's a breif list of things I've tried and have WORKED with regards to the f-body, particularly the 4th gen:

1. The T2R. How many ran the T2R before I showed up? Very few. How many even realized how important a LSD that works is to the handling as well as the traction of the car? Next to none.

2. Large front swaybars as well as "intermediate" rear bars in combination. Before me everyone used a 32mm front bar. Some stayed 19, some went 21 rear. A very few who were never fast went to big bars at both ends. I ran a 35/21 combo first (and did it before SLP did, starting in late '99).

3. Started the education on shock valving... Before me you had HD's and SLP's and Koni's. Only the Koni's capable of damping the spring most of us run, but most folks were cheap, didn't know any better, or fell for a sales pitch that HD's are just fine. Even some folks who are now selling "trick" shocks were on the phone with me as little as 2 years ago wanting to know why HD's weren't up to the job.

4. Showed that removal of the rear bumpstops can cause shock failure, and proved it more than once. And I stuck with it despite being shouted down a few times....

5. Showed that the evil bumpstop is really more of a bump rubber that does eventually act as a stop, but that with proper shock tuning it works simply as supplemental spring, but one that does NOT return energy like a spring does. You might disagree, but there are plenty of points proving the STOP doesn't spike you spring rate, and even a cool video Rushman took that showed that rear axle never bangs into them (of course he has good shocks, a decent ride height and good spring rates).


These are some of what I've done that worked. I've tired a number of things that have not worked, and because they aren't made very public it's assumed I haven't tried them. That's simply ignorant, and sadly ignorance can be contagious. :stupid:

Here's an example.... I made drop PHB brackets way back in '99-2000. In an effort to calm the tail of the cars (and folks on this board have seen them, they aren't vaporware). While messing with designs to get the strength I wanted/need from the, I stumbled across a few things that were at the time outside the box ideas that did the job I was seeking. So the re-engineering of the wheel I was going to do, wasn't necessary IMHO. Some think it is, and that's fine. But if you don't know me, and haven't been privy to conversations with me, you really should not assume you know all the details of my life and business. And when I say the Tom Aquilante Racing A-Sedan cars at the Runoffs, *I* was the one who checked them out. Not anyone else here, and when I found what I found what I did, I was abused for it because it happend to pretty closely resemble that tact I take. You can bet if it had been the "other" ideas I'd have been driving into the ground about that. Damned if I do, damned if I don't with some people here. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/banghead.gif)

I just wanted to take the time to clear my head of some of this stuff. There are somethings going on in my life right now that make me wonder why I pour my heart into my work and my hobby like I do when I'm attacked for giving my opinion and have the gall to try and back up my claims. And it sucks.

The other thing that makes me differnet, and I've think I've been kind of a pioneer of is the way I recommend parts. I look around at the different boards and never, NEVER see anyone else saying "I don't feel you need this part" or some such example. I call a spade a spade, often to the extent of making smaller and sometimes NO SALE. And I'm that turns me into the slick used car salesman type. That's truly sad, and very dis-heartening.

Unless this thread is deleted, I'm going to bookmark it. That way the next time I hear about how selfish I am, or how I just push a prepackaged setup with the inference that it wasn't worked on and worked on very hard, etc. I can just put in the link... Much like I've had to do with the link to the Bilstein catalog into to dispell some of the rampant misinformation some folks spread about Bilstein HD's being so great for lowering springs.

EDIT: I want to add this in no way is to say that other opinions are not valid. Much like I thought out of the box, others are now doing. The point is simply there are very few truly new ideas in the world, and a number of the ideas out there now are not only not new, but have been tried many times before. This is not a statement on what works or doesn't in theory, or even what can be made to work, well or otherwise.

This post has been edited by Sam Strano: Nov 14 2005, 03:42 PM

[Sam Strano]

Jason my friend, I have NO issue with you here. None.

For the record.... The T2R was tested by folks but very few knew of it, or could get it. I not only supplied it (sold 90 in the last two years), but stood up and sung the praises of it. And note that I didn't say NOBODY had one, but very few. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I went out of my way to FIND a way to purchase them.

We'll have to differ on the bar thing. I don't see 32's as large (since all SS's and 1LE's had them always), and while I see 21 as moderate I think it's not a good pairing with a 32 front. Much like I don't particularly like the 35/25 (or 24) rear bars in concert in MOST cases. You ran moderate fronts, with moderate to large rears. Now you run large bars at both ends, likely due to the other things you have done and I don't.

I didn't say the shock guy was you did I????? Others have called and asked similar things too. But didn't you have Bilstein's on the car with Pro-kits at some point, and clearly that must have happened as you took it to mean you specifically, and I wasn't really referring to you. For that matter I noticed LG started selling "revalves" soon after I did too.

You can like having no stops. You shouldn't take offense. I didn't say it couldn't work, I simply meant the way some went about it with the package it would break shocks. I wasn't wrong about that, and again, never even meant you.

The PHB bracket thing. I wouldn't say was aimed at you. I was simply stating that the idea isn't new. And I had considered it (and tried it elsewhere). And I think if you read the quote I wrote and you used in your post, and do it realizing there was nothing intended as a cut, you'll see where I'm coming from.

Jason and I can disagree and do it without bloodshed, that's cool, and many times I've said that a stiff car can be fast as well. I'm not any more close minded than he is. But because I'm running more convention setup, that's the assumption which is why I mentioned some of the things I did, like my PHB bracket project. Sadly, it's the ASSumptions that get in the way. Jason and I have spoken before and knew right were the other was coming from. And when that is known it makes things easier to deal with. And frankly speaking, I don't seem to have ANY issues with anyone on this board who I've conversed with in person about these subjects. Randy, Jason, Sean, Kevin, the list goes on. The only issues are from those who like to take what I said out of context, twist it and then add the idea that I think I'm a GOD to the top of it all.
The internet can suck, and that's the reason why.

In the end I'm just fed up. I'm attacked, my business can ebb and flow based on some internet hounds half-baked scheme (not anyone here), I'm in the middle of a break-up and moving, winter is setting in. I've just had it up to here (imagine a 6'1" guy with his hand WAY up), and I've reached my breaking point. I censor myself quite often and haven't ever said what I truly thought. I don't really want to, but it's hard when I always the one who's wrong, supposedly.

I didn't start this for pity. I did it to vent, and some of best friends are here, and it also related to some things that stem from this board. I appreciate the kind responses. As for the others, it is amazing how peaceful it is around here sometimes, even when I'm here.