11/6/08 update: The SS is in the shop!

I'm not very pleased with the way my insurance company handled the situation with my car. For the previous 2 1/2 weeks I've been driving a crappy HHR LT while my car literally just sits at the body shop waiting for insurance to make up their mind on what they're gonna do. Well, I got a call yesterday. They decided to pay for the car to be fixed. The old (not really, barely six months old) busted BC2 bumpers will be removed and replaced with new stock SS bumpers and painted to match. I hope to have the car back by next weekend in time for our GCE photo shoot. After I recieve the car, it'll get a nice tune up: oil and oil filter change, cleaned air filter and throttle body, and a new fuel filter. The first modifications to follow will be 08-09 SS front upper and lower grilles, Progress lowering springs, and some custom work done to the intake manifold and supercharger. What work will be done? A serious port and polish of the intake manifold and I'll be plugging the silencer holes to get a louder whine. Updates to come soon!

12/13/08 update: The SS is out of the shop and looking like new!!!

On to the pictures:

 That's right! Kudos to all of you who noticed. I now have stock bumpers and lips on my car again! I also removed the rice stickers off the back window and will be removing the cobaltss.net stickers once I find a razor blade. Since I've had the car out of the shop I haven't made any new modifications, but don't worry. Mods will be made soon. Leave and comment and tell me what you think!

Also, if you live on the Mississippi/Alabama/Florida gulf coast, check out the Myspace at www.myspace.com/gulfcoastecotecs. This is the car club two of my other friends and I founded. Gulf Coast ECOtecs, otherwise known as GCE, is a club founded specifically for GM vehicles with the ECOtec engine. Some others beside the Cobalt is the Saturn Ion Redline and the Saturn Sky Redline, the Pontiac G5 and the Pontiac Solstice GXP. If you have any of these cars, live on the Gulf Coast, and are interested in joining the club, contact us on the myspace page or come to www.cobaltss.net and search for Gulf Coast ECOtecs.

12/15/08 update: Slam it, cram it, and jam it!

This weekend, I will be installing Progress Lowering Springs, Drag Bags, and a JVC head unit for temporary use until I get the money to finish my aftermarket pioneer sound system. Also, I'mplanning on ordering the Over the Top Performance's Stage 1 supercharger upgrade, which includes a Nates 2.8" machined pulley w/hub, Lucas 60 lb/hr injectors, NGK BKR7E 1 step colder spark plugs, and a tuned PCM. Check back soon for more updates, pictures, and modifications!

12/27/08 update: Prothane Urethane Transmission Mounts

A friend of mine got me some red urethane transmission mounts for christmas, so we installed them last night. The vibrations take some getting used to, but all in all the car responds a lot better to hard shifts and there is no more wheel hop! Here are pictures as promised.

I'm the guy in the gray sleeveless shirt. The guy playing ninja in front of my car is Anthony. I also had my other friends John, Rusty, Rusty's dad, and Jeff helping me with the install and hanging out.

Here's proof of my 14.31 1/4 mile pass. I don't race at the track because it's hard to get to the track from where I live. Empty back-roads are more abundant where I live, so I take advantage of those.

1/8/2009 update: It just keeps getting better!

So...on my way home from Megan's house tonight I stopped and did two 1/4 mile pulls. I timed them using my Aeroforce interceptor gauge. The first pull I ran a 14.26 @ 101 with about half throttle in first, no traction might I add, and shifting at 6k. The second run, I gave a little more than half throttle in first even though I still had no traction AT ALL (I didn't just sit there spinning like an idiot, I know how to launch). I chirped second gear for a second or so, no-lift shifted at redline throughout 1-2, 2-3, 3-4 and pulled a 14.11 @ 103. I truly believe that with just better tires alone I can break into the high 13s! The only mods I've installed since my 14.31 pull is the lowering springs and the poly tranny mounts. I'm gonna try to save for some BFG KDW's or some Toyo Proxes to drive on the street. I'd love to get some drag radials and 17" steelies and give it another go. I also took the throttle body off of the car, ported certain parts and polished it out. I probably won't get any gains from that, but it'll smooth out the surface that the air flows over. Stay tuned for updates!

1/15/2009: Forget the 14's!

I didn't need better tires to break the 13's. Here are the numbers:

Ambient temps: 30 degrees F, IAT2 temps: 50 degrees F pre-run, IAT2 temps: 60 degrees F post-run, 1/4 mile time and trap speed: 13.76 @ 104 mph ON THE STOCK PULLEY!

Current modifications are listed on the first page. Enjoy.

2/6/2009: High rise, low rise, or no rise?

Please take a few seconds to vote on the poll. I can't decide if I want to keep my stock high rise wing, install a low rise wing, or shave the wing completely and go wingless. Here are some pictures to held you decide. Thanks for voting!

3/4/2009 Update: First Annual USS AL Meet with GCE

So we made some new friends on this meet.

We had lots of fun and enjoyed everybody's company! Thanks to everyone who came!

Stay tuned for updates.

 3/5/2009 update: New wing and new wheels/tires!

I recently posted a survey on css.net about how I should do my wing. Much like the survey on here, I asked High rise, low rise, or no rise? The majority voted that I keep my high rise, and the runner up was to go wingless. I had well over 100 votes in this poll, so it was solid in number. Well... here's how it turned out!

Tell me what you think! Also, Gulf Coast ECOtecs is now sponsored by Rent-N-Roll of Gulfport, Ms! Thanks to our new sponsor, I now own one of the few sets of 18x8 Drifz Jade-R wheels wrapped in Nexen N3000 235/40/ZR18 rubbers. On to the pictures!

They are kinda dirty in these pictures, but there will be plenty more pictures after this coming up weekend! The Chobalt will be entered into it's first judged car show in Hattiesburg, MS! This is the first test to see if the car is truly show-ready! Will it bring home a trophy? Wish me luck! Until next time, here are some long over-due pictures of my interior!

Thanks again to RNR! We will be representing them this weekend in the show! Stay tuned for more updates!