2014 Super Chevy Suspension and Handling Challenge - CPP's 1966 Chevelle

For suspension tests like this, some companies put together the most track-ready car they can. Mini-tubs stuffed with huge tires, multi-piece forged wheels, lightweight components, manual transmission, and all the tricks that lead to low lap times.

Well, we guess Classic Performance Products (CPP) didn’t get that memo. They showed up in a fully dressed ’66 Chevelle with an automatic trans. It had a full interior, air conditioning, “normal” sized tires, and Cragar wheels. Hell, it even had an iron block LS truck engine. Not surprisingly it was the heaviest car we tested. That doesn’t mean it didn’t perform well, however. Owner Jim Reis brought a heck of a car equipped with the kinds of parts his company sells to the masses, parts that owners enjoy without having to spend a fortune.

CPP offers suspension kits in stages. This way one can tailor what they buy based on what they want to do with their car—and most importantly their budget. Rather than install the most expensive parts on the Chevelle, CPP decided to install their Stage II rather than their Stage III or Stage IV kits. This way they could show what a modest investment (compared to many of the other systems) of about $4,000 could do. And when you consider that includes the brakes and steering box, that’s a lot bang for those bucks.

See All 3 Photos3

On The Road — Jim Campisano

We like the CPP approach here. Some of the cars we’ve tested over the years at our Suspension & Handling Challenge are on the ragged edge. They’ve had every part in the catalog, track-ready pads and tires, and goodies that can drive the prices out of the realm of Joe and Joan Average. What CPP did was take a gorgeous LS-equipped Chevelle and add a host of simple bolt-on products.

The end result was a classic car 2.3 mph faster through the slalom cones than our fixed roof coupe Corvette bogey car and with more grip on the skidpad (.94 g vs. .88), yet this A-body never lost the legendary feel you crave when you drive a vintage Chevelle.

See All 3 Photos3

The CPP 500-series steering box is a case in point. It offered excellent feel without making the car darty or twitchy. Not too light, not too heavy; like Goldilocks’ porridge, it was just right. The same could be said for the rest of the Chevelle during its road test. The ride was excellent without having to resort to high-dollar parts. It went precisely where you pointed it. Imagine updating a Chevelle for the year 2014 and you have exactly what was delivered here.

Perhaps most importantly, the car never stopped feeling like a Chevelle. The CPP equipment transformed how the car behaved on the road, but that classic feel you fell in love with in a mid-’60s A-body was omnipresent. Modern handling, smooth ride, and timeless GM styling: What more could you ask for?

See All 3 Photos3

Track Test Evaluation — Mary Pozzi

What I immediately liked about this Chevelle is that the builder didn’t do the traditional mismatch of front-to-rear tire sizing, but kept them close and this made the overall balance a happy one. This was the only entry on BFGoodrich GForce Rival tires, and compared to the Falken Azenis fitted on almost everything else tested that day, I found them hunting for traction and a bit unpredictable, hard to read. The tires offered decent initial grip under load but at times when traction was lost, it was “wait, then wait some more” to regain what was lost after the car slowed sufficiently. This was most pronounced on the first two timed laps, but improved much as the laps progressed and I altered my driving style to help this car turn in some good numbers.

Even with the QA1 single-adjustable shocks adjusted to limit travel, I still felt the car needed a bit more chassis support as it developed a slight undulation and cyclic bounciness on high-speed turns. I’m not sure if this was due to insufficient suspension travel (think bump stops or shocks) or my light modulation of the throttle to keep the car on line, but under lateral loading this was fairly noticeable and eventually required much slower corner entry and mid-corner speeds to make the outcome manageable. Like any suspension, a four-link requires a precise ride height to keep things compliant and I wouldn’t expect CPP’s Stage Two system to be any different. I can’t say for sure if the ride height was correct but getting one too low (or too high) has consequences and none are good. I found myself “pre-turning” on corner entry to prepare and “set” the front end; combined with proper entry speed, this worked best for this particular car.

See All 3 Photos3

The spring rates given for the front and rear suspension seemed adequate on paper but not knowing the geometry or motion ratio, I can’t determine wheel rate (what spring rate the wheel “sees”). I’d recommend calculating what’s there now and then raising spring rates a bit if needed. Based on my behind-the-wheel “butt dyno,” I’d check ride height and angles, then suspension travel, as that transition from compliance to bounce was sudden and immediate. Once that’s evaluated and if verified, able to be corrected, perhaps no further changes are necessary. In deference to this particular car, it was built and suspension installed a mere two months earlier and had minimal, if any, track time for testing.

The CPP manual brakes had a bit more pedal travel than I was used to but they worked extremely well, stopped the car, and were easy to modulate, making this system much preferred to one that had minimal travel with caliper capture sensitivity set on “kill.” Steering was good and I liked the feel and ratio of the CPP 500-series box. The excellent steering was very much appreciated during the “Z” part of the track configuration as this tight, twisting section was my area for a “make or break” steering evaluation. This Chevelle was a delight to drive in this area as steering was precise and accurate allowing me to “throw darts” in this slower, flat section.

This Chevelle’s power was well-suited for the CPP Stage II suspension system and the LQ9-L6 a perfect fit. Add the TCI 4L60E automatic transmission and you’ve got a great combo. For the street, any car with this combo would be a pleasure to drive. Running a flat autocross track would also be a great fit for this suspension, but for open track day events with elevations, adding a bit more spring and a set of triple-adjustable shocks would make a huge improvement, bringing this Chevelle to the forefront for that type of venue.

See All 3 Photos3

See All 3 Photos3

Source

Classic Performance Products (CPP)

800-522-5004

classicperform.com