Looking past the flashy concepts and pipedream sheet metal at the 2017 SEMA show, there are some tangible parts and components available for performance nuts today.
Chevrolet, in particular, highlighted this Camaro SS Trans-Am racecar which runs production Camaro ZL1 1LE parts—and anyone can buy them.
Todd Napieralski runs and races the Camaro SS in the Trans-Am TA4 class, and when he built the car with Chevrolet Performance, the team incorporated a number of "concept" ZL1 1LE parts. Flash forward to the present and many of the concept parts are a reality on the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE. Moral of the story: anybody can purchase the parts to make a standard Camaro SS a more competitive racer.
Chevrolet Camaro SS Trans-Am TA4 race car
The concept parts equipped include the ZL1 1LE front fascia, grille, dive planes, and the extractor hood. However, Chevrolet Performance also provided the Multimatic DSSV lowering and handling suspension upgrade system, which lowers the ride height by 0.4 inches, provides a 22 percent decrease in roll gradient, and stiffens the front springs by 245 percent.
In addition to the main Multimatic DSSV system, the company also added a ZL1 1LE-spec suspension upgrade that compliments the original system. It's for on-track use only and offers racers front ride links, front handling links, rear upper and lower trailing links and rear knuckles, as well as stiffer bushings and ball joints to reduce suspension flex.
Compared to a regular Camaro SS, the lower trailering links are 71 percent stiffer and the rear link inner bushings are 58 percent stiffer.
Chevrolet Camaro SS Trans-Am TA4 race car
Let's put it this way: the parts are probably much less expensive than placing an order for the Camaro GT.4 racecar. That car costs $259,000. These parts will make a Camaro SS a more potent race car for presumably much less than six figures.
