Performance parts for a US car

[balls-out]

As I think I'm likely to keep it, I'd like to buy some go faster bits for my 4th Gen Camaro.

Where is the best place to source them? I emailed one US vendor on Friday and haven't heard back.

Can anybody recommend either a UK for US suplier? I assume that if I source from the US, I will have to pay shipping and the 10% and VAT on the order

I'm thinking of:
- Front brake upgrade - Any wisdom on this would be appreciated too! There a few options.....
- Subframe connectors
- Strut/Tower brace
- rear exhaust box

Any thoughts much appreciated.

[Poncho pilot]

I've heard good things about Summit.

[balls-out]

Looking at the summit website now.

Can somebody confirm. I pay

Cost and shipping in $
I then pay 10% Duty on both the above in £ when it hits the UK
I then pay 15% VAT on the total (ie Duty+shipping+cost price) - again in £s

summit appear to charge $25 for international orders. Let me guess I pay Duty and VAT on them too?

[cazzer]

Spot on...great innit?

[Motown Junk]

Have used Summit a couple of times, fast but Intl excess is annoying.

jegs.com also quick.

Not used them (yet) but http://www.ecklerscamaro.com/ are more specialised (obv)

[MikePCG]

There's loads of American car parts dealers in the UK, no need to hassle with communicating with the US and trying to figure out which/what taxes you can and can't get away with.

I've used these guys in the past and they're generally quite good (if you give them a call they will get a price for you delivered to your door and hopefully a reasonable delivery date)

www.usautomotive.co.uk
www.americanautoparts.co.uk

If you only plan on buying parts once or every so often then try these, if you plan on buying regularly then maybe it's worth getting a good US dealer to stick to who can give you all you need to know about their shipping costs and taxes (make sure you know what you'll end up paying).

[LuS1fer]

balls-out said:

As I think I'm likely to keep it, I'd like to buy some go faster bits for my 4th Gen Camaro.

Where is the best place to source them? I emailed one US vendor on Friday and haven't heard back.

Can anybody recommend either a UK for US suplier? I assume that if I source from the US, I will have to pay shipping and the 10% and VAT on the order

I'm thinking of:
- Front brake upgrade - Any wisdom on this would be appreciated too! There a few options.....
- Subframe connectors
- Strut/Tower brace
- rear exhaust box

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Shop around my friend. A lot of American vendors assume anyone outside the US is an international scammer but there are people who will deal with you, not least several on ebay. GHaving a Paypal account helps.

On the brakes front, I would try new pads first - Hawk performance pads will make a huge difference. I paired them with Powerslot grooved rotors.

Strut brace does wonders too. Subframe connectors will stiffen up the chassis but since you don't have T-tops, it will be of less consequence.

My recommendation would be to source a Bilstein BTS suspension kit which has Bilstein dampers and lowering springs. Transforms the car into a 4 seater Corvette. You'll need to get the camber adjusted to compensate on the front.

Get an exhaust fabricated by one of the local stainless steel outlets or alternatively, as these have a single cat, you can simply junk the rear boxes and get some pipes fabricated and hung. the sounsd is meaty but not excessive.

I'd recommend BMR products which are good quality but not too expensive www.bmrfabrication.com

So far as parts go, you pay 3.5% import duty and then you pay VAT on everything - cost, duty and shipping - plus a clearance fee of £10-£15 which the courier incurs on your behalf.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/471412

That fee is one reason I don't use Summit but you have to compare the overall cost. Separate orders won't cost any extra really as the shipping is dependent on weight.

Might be worth enquiring here:

http://www.amvo.org/forum/index.php

as a guy called Rocky used to make his own STBs etc for the 3rd gen Camaros and may well have branched into 4th gens. In reality, a STB is probably fairly easy to fabricate and get powder-coated for less than the cost of importing one.

[balls-out]

thanks chaps, a fair few things for me to follow-up on there.

on the brake front, I've got an LT1 which has inferior brakes to the LS (which was what you had Lusifer?), and the discs are looking knackered. I was thinking that if I'm going for a serious upgrade then now is the time. I could just try some better pads, but they will be binned if I go for the upgrade.

I've bashed off a couple of emails to the US suppliers, but no responses yet.
maybe I shouldn't have offered western union as transfer and mentioned that I am a little old lady, who is liking their products very much and would exceedingly like to undertake business with them

[LuS1fer]

balls-out said:

thanks chaps, a fair few things for me to follow-up on there.

on the brake front, I've got an LT1 which has inferior brakes to the LS (which was what you had Lusifer?), and the discs are looking knackered. I was thinking that if I'm going for a serious upgrade then now is the time. I could just try some better pads, but they will be binned if I go for the upgrade.

I've bashed off a couple of emails to the US suppliers, but no responses yet.
maybe I shouldn't have offered western union as transfer and mentioned that I am a little old lady, who is liking their products very much and would exceedingly like to undertake business with them

Yes, i had the LS1 with the bigger friont brakes although it still had 16" wheels. The problem with many brake upgrades is they usually require bigger wheels. Despite my Mustang having 20's all round, none of the aftermarket brakes fit because of the offset/spoke location and the fact that the calipers are so much wider than stock. Whatever you choose, you can download a template which you print, stick on cardboard and try inside your wheels but 16's are small these days.

eBAY: worldwide shipping

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996-Chevy-Camaro-F...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMR-Strut-Brace-Cam...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1993-2002-Camaro-F-...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BILSTEIN-BTS-SHOCKS...

As with anything, the shipping is usually the killer.

[balls-out]

thanks again!
£109 for 4 discs and all pads? Are they any good? I paid over £100 for a single disk for my alfa 10 years ago! This seems almost too cheap.

My car is an SS, which means that is has the benefit of 17inch wheel already, as well as brutally hard suspension - makes a standard z28 feel like a Jag. Its the overly hard suspension that make me think I should do the subframe connectors as it must put more stress on the shell.

I also have to be careful with struct braces, as a lot will not fit the ss - I assume because they run over the motor and would get in the way of the CAI/bonnet scoop.

[LuS1fer]

No idea if they're any good so you have to judge them by their claims of bul buying. Powerslots are around $170 a corner and you have the pads on top.

That ebay ad says the STB came off an SS.

[ringram]

Ive used Summit, ThunderRacing and SDParts.com all pretty pleasant to deal with and no problems.
New parts can transform your car.
I fitted sway bars, and shocks and springs to my 4th Gen made it pretty awsome to drive. Stock it was a shocker.

[Motown Junk]

LuS1fer said:

Might be worth enquiring here:

http://www.amvo.org/forum/index.php

as a guy called Rocky used to make his own STBs etc for the 3rd gen Camaros and may well have branched into 4th gens. In reality, a STB is probably fairly easy to fabricate and get powder-coated for less than the cost of importing one.

Yes, does 4th Gens as well. Just had some more work done today by him (installed some aluminum body mounts - btw car rides better than with the, admitedley fked, rubber ones - which is nice). Prob best to upgrade any body mounts at same time as fitting sub frame connectors. He's in Watford if that's any help.

http://www.americantechnique.co.uk/