Chevy SS: DD Sports Sedan "Kat"

[TexasTJ]

As many of you know, I am no longer a Jeep owner. However, I like this forum better than the SS forum.

Our family had the TJ for 22 years, but she had to go when my wife and dog needed surgery simultaneously. Picture of "Lucy" for relevancy.

Fast forward a few months and I decided to try a new avenue. A balance between practical DD and fun to drive. Enter the 2017 Chevy SS. Imported from Australia 2014-2017, where it is manufactured as the Holden Commodore VF. Named Kathryn, but nicknamed Kat. They come fully loaded with only 3 options, transmission, sunroof, full size matching spare.

Picked it up 02/22/2020 with 10,744 miles. Only mod was a skip shift eliminator.

Nightfall Gray Metallic
6.2L V8 LS3 (415hp/415lb-ft)
6spd Manual
Sunroof
Full size spare
#46/142 as optioned

 

[TexasTJ]

Reserved.

 

[Tyvanwie]

Love those SS's. Time for go fast parts

 

[G Beasley]

Super Sleeper!

 

[TexNVA]

I didn't even know those existed... V8 and MT??? Lord have mercy that should be a fun DD.

 

[TexasTJ]

Love those SS's. Time for go fast parts

I would love to drop a cam in it and maybe even super charge it, but I also want to keep it reliable and not go crazy with mods.

The day I got it I made an appointment for window tinting. I did 30% all the way around, with 70% on the windshield. Wasn't a fan of the gold now ties, so they were wrapped black. One cool thing about the "SS" badges on the trunk is, they are a plastic badge with white vinyl sticker overlay. You can peel the white "SS" off, and then there is a black overlay. If you peel the black off, it goes down to just the chrome badge. I removed the white stickers to help blend it in.

I wanted to still be able to go mountain biking, so I picked up some OE G8 crossbars to add a bike rack. Kelsey refuses to drive the SS because of the manual trans.

Hit 12k miles on it and changed the oil with my new two-piece Race Ramps. Took 8qts of Mobil1 5w-20, UPF48R filter, and I added a magnetic drain plug.

While under the hood I decided to add an aluminum build plaque with my vehicle specific info.

 

[TexasTJ]

I didn't even know those existed... V8 and MT??? Lord have mercy that should be a fun DD.

Blame Chevy for not marketing it, hence the 4 year production.

It is a blast to drive as a DD. So far I've gotten around 21mpg too. It has bi-modal exhaust, which can be adjusted on the fly for "tour" exhaust, or a louder "sport" exhaust with pops and burbles. Magnetic ride control, "Tour", "Sport", "Performance", and a hidden "Track" modes which have different affects on the steering, suspension, traction controls and throttle response. Heads up display on the windshield, heated and ventilated front seats. Although I have not yet tried it, it has automatic self parallel and perpendicular parking as well.

 

[TexasTJ]

Evidentially garage door openers aren't as big of a deal in Australia, because they don't include Homelink in their cars. A member on the G8 forums has a solution. He has a stockpile of Homelink modules, you mail him your sun visor, and he carefully installs it inside of your visor. Giving a nice factory look and function.

One of the Yota forums did a Weathertech group buy, so I picked up front, rear, and cargo mats. A member on the SS forums made some WT replacement logos, so I picked those up to make them look a little more OE. I don't like free advertising anyways.

 

[Tyvanwie]

I would just exhaust and tune it and call it a day. Should give you another 50ish hp

 

[TexasTJ]

I would just exhaust and tune it and call it a day. Should give you another 50ish hp

I'm not going to touch the exhaust. I love the factory exhaust on this car. Just the right amount of volume, no drone, and all the right pops/crackles.

Not a fan of the gold in the bowtie, so I vinyl wrapped the steering wheel airbag logo. I'm not the best at vinyl wrapping, but it'll work for now.

Also added some DEWHEL lift pads for the pinch welds.

 

[jrainman13]

Great idea on the lift pads. The interior "SS" badging and the black bowtie look really good!

 

[G Beasley]

Lift pads are interesting.

 

[TexasTJ]

Lift pads seemed to be recommend across various GM forums from what I could tell. Little piece of mind if nothing else, although now I wonder if I need some type of rubber boot for the tops of the jack stands.

 

[bobthetj03]

It's a matter of time. You'll get bored soon. Tick tock, tick tock!

 

[TexasTJ]

It's a matter of time. You'll get bored soon. Tick tock, tick tock!

I already want a cam, but at 13k miles it's hard for me to open up that motor.

 

[TexNVA]

How close are you to Texas Speed? I hear a lot of great things about them and the LS platform.

 

[TexasTJ]

How close are you to Texas Speed? I hear a lot of great things about them and the LS platform.

I've seen their name tossed around quite a bit since moving to this platform. I'm about 2hrs away from them.

 

[Cameron]

I've seen their name tossed around quite a bit since moving to this platform. I'm about 2hrs away from them.

Intake, cam, and a tune will wake up that car! I would add some headers personally, but I can understand not wanting to change up the exhaust.

I also had no clue they came with a MT, I thought they were all AT. Very nice car!

 

[TexasTJ]

I'm keeping my eyes open for a gently used CAI for it. I've seen a few, but haven't been able to get first dibs. Trying not to dive in too deep like I did with the TJ. Long tube headers are a common mod for these, so that's a possibility down the line, a tune would be desired then too.

First year they only made ATs, then the next three had both AT/MT. If MT wasn't an option I probably wouldn't have even considered an SS.

 

[TexNVA]

I've seen their name tossed around quite a bit since moving to this platform. I'm about 2hrs away from them.

I don't know about the tuning, but they definitely have the intake, cam, and headers covered. May not be a bad idea to give them a shout if you're feeling froggy. Not that I'm enabling or anything  👍