Coming November: The Johnny O'Connell Signature suspension line
10-13-2010, 06:06 PM
#1
Coming November: The Johnny O'Connell Signature suspension line
Check the new VIDEO RELEASE:
Pfadt Race Engineering has had tremendous success in the motorsports world as a premier manufacturer of suspension components for C5/C6/Z06 Corvette and Camaro platforms. One of the few people who know them better, is 4 time Le Mans winner and ALMS Corvette Racing driver Johnny O'Connell. As many of you already know Johnny is the most successful American Le Mans Series driver in its history, and has been intimately involved with Corvette Racing since its early stages.
It is safe to say that Johnny knows how cars, and more specifically Corvettes and Camaros, should handle and behave on a race track. It is for this reason that Pfadt would like to announce the soon-to-be released Johnny O'Connell Signature Suspension line by Pfadt Race Engineering.
Johnny and Pfadt are kicking off this great relationship with a "Stage 1" package that contains a set of tuned Sport Sway Bars and bolt-in Shock replacements for each corner. We recently scheduled a test day here at Miller Motorsports Park to nail down the specifics of each component and tune the balance that this package will provide. The video below helps explain exactly what our goals were and the results of both of our efforts.
It was a long test day, but many sessions were required to get a good baseline and step-by-step comparison of all parts/adjustments. We tried many different sway bar combinations and damper valving configurations, and at the end of the day we had solid data showing us exactly where the Johnny O'Connell suspension needs to fall in terms of performance and drivability.
As Johnny has stated before : "When we improve cars, it doesn't mean you have to be a racecar driver, it actually means the opposite. It makes the car easier to drive." This is a philosophy we engineer into all of our suspension products. The Johnny O'Connell signature suspension is the epitome of street driving performance. Upgrading these components will give your Corvette a better balanced, better performing and more easily managed suspension on the street, as well as the track.
Give us a call with any questions. These are due to be released in November.
Pfadt Race Engineering has had tremendous success in the motorsports world as a premier manufacturer of suspension components for C5/C6/Z06 Corvette and Camaro platforms. One of the few people who know them better, is 4 time Le Mans winner and ALMS Corvette Racing driver Johnny O'Connell. As many of you already know Johnny is the most successful American Le Mans Series driver in its history, and has been intimately involved with Corvette Racing since its early stages.
It is safe to say that Johnny knows how cars, and more specifically Corvettes and Camaros, should handle and behave on a race track. It is for this reason that Pfadt would like to announce the soon-to-be released Johnny O'Connell Signature Suspension line by Pfadt Race Engineering.
Johnny and Pfadt are kicking off this great relationship with a "Stage 1" package that contains a set of tuned Sport Sway Bars and bolt-in Shock replacements for each corner. We recently scheduled a test day here at Miller Motorsports Park to nail down the specifics of each component and tune the balance that this package will provide. The video below helps explain exactly what our goals were and the results of both of our efforts.
It was a long test day, but many sessions were required to get a good baseline and step-by-step comparison of all parts/adjustments. We tried many different sway bar combinations and damper valving configurations, and at the end of the day we had solid data showing us exactly where the Johnny O'Connell suspension needs to fall in terms of performance and drivability.
As Johnny has stated before : "When we improve cars, it doesn't mean you have to be a racecar driver, it actually means the opposite. It makes the car easier to drive." This is a philosophy we engineer into all of our suspension products. The Johnny O'Connell signature suspension is the epitome of street driving performance. Upgrading these components will give your Corvette a better balanced, better performing and more easily managed suspension on the street, as well as the track.
Give us a call with any questions. These are due to be released in November.
Last edited by Pfadt Racing; 02-02-2011 at 07:25 PM.
10-17-2010, 11:49 AM
#2
Safety Car
Member Since: Dec 2003
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Very nice Aaron 
Sounds like you have another winner and to have Johnny O working with you is pretty cool 
By the way, very nice looking pieces and good luck with it
Stan
Sounds like you have another winner and to have Johnny O working with you is pretty cool By the way, very nice looking pieces and good luck with it
Stan
Last edited by stano; 10-17-2010 at 11:52 AM.
10-18-2010, 12:12 PM
#6
02-02-2011, 07:22 PM
#8
Johnny O'Connell Stage 1 package is now IN stock guys! Give us a call or pm if you have any questions.
We just got back from Daytona for the 24 hour race. We were in the pits with Johnny and his factory-built Camaro effort, run by Autohaus. We had a fantastic time, pic from after the race below.
Anyway, Johnny is super excited so if you have the chance, go over to his Facebook page Johnny's FB link. You can also visit us (click our signature) and get access to special discounts etc.
More to come for Johnny and Pfadt!
We just got back from Daytona for the 24 hour race. We were in the pits with Johnny and his factory-built Camaro effort, run by Autohaus. We had a fantastic time, pic from after the race below.
Anyway, Johnny is super excited so if you have the chance, go over to his Facebook page Johnny's FB link. You can also visit us (click our signature) and get access to special discounts etc.
More to come for Johnny and Pfadt!
Last edited by Pfadt Racing; 02-02-2011 at 07:27 PM.
03-30-2011, 12:53 PM
#9
Looks like Johnny is off to a great start in this years World Challenge competition! In the first race weekend of the year in St. Petersburg Florida, the Caddilac Racing CTS-V Coupe driven by Johnny O'Connell participated and finished both races of the weekend earning valuable series points in both races.
In the first race of the weekend Johnny began from 6th position and finished 4th, turning in a fast lap of 1:17.293. In the second race he began in 5th and landed in 7th turning in a fast lap of 1:17.692.
Overall it was a wild weekend of racing and it's great to see Johnny's continued success as one of the premiere GM drivers in the world!
04-28-2011, 03:55 PM
#10
Another Race in the books for Johnny O'Connell and his World Challenge team! Johnny started 7 and finished 7th overall with a best lap of 1:23.672. Great job Johnny!
In the mean time, we're starting to receive feedback on our Johnny O'Connell Signature suspension. Here is what Gery in California has to say:
Thanks Gery! And thanks to Corvetteforum for their support.
In the mean time, we're starting to receive feedback on our Johnny O'Connell Signature suspension. Here is what Gery in California has to say:
I bought a Johnny O'Connell Stage 1 kit for my 2006 Z51 Convertible a few weeks ago. I installed the kit in about 2.5 hours and after a few weeks of driving with it I'd like to share my impressions.
This kit is awesome! I thought my Corvette handled well before I put on the kit. The improvement after installing the kit was amazing. The car is flatter and much more stable in cornering. I drive a twisting mountain road every day to work that has a few bumps in the middle of corners that used to upset the car a little. Now, the car is rock steady and seems to follow dips and bumps in the road without giving up any grip. Minor expansion joints and bumps also seem to be a little smoother. The ride over larger bumps may seem slightly firmer, but it isn't excessive and the overall feel is more of what I would expect from a Z51 handling package.
Here is some information on my car:
2006 Corvette Convertible with Z51
Firestone Firehawk Run-Flat tires
Stock Alignment Settings
44,000 miles
Rear Bar Setting: Center Hole
This car is my daily driver.
Thanks for putting together such a great kit. I'm really enjoying it!
This kit is awesome! I thought my Corvette handled well before I put on the kit. The improvement after installing the kit was amazing. The car is flatter and much more stable in cornering. I drive a twisting mountain road every day to work that has a few bumps in the middle of corners that used to upset the car a little. Now, the car is rock steady and seems to follow dips and bumps in the road without giving up any grip. Minor expansion joints and bumps also seem to be a little smoother. The ride over larger bumps may seem slightly firmer, but it isn't excessive and the overall feel is more of what I would expect from a Z51 handling package.
Here is some information on my car:
2006 Corvette Convertible with Z51
Firestone Firehawk Run-Flat tires
Stock Alignment Settings
44,000 miles
Rear Bar Setting: Center Hole
This car is my daily driver.
Thanks for putting together such a great kit. I'm really enjoying it!
05-02-2011, 04:49 PM
#11
Fighting through a snowy Friday that saw World Challenge qualifying canceled, Johnny O'Connell began in 6th place and finished an extremely impressive 4th over all this weekend at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. His fast lap was within 0.150 seconds of the top fast lap of the day, and overall finished 5.223 seconds behind the leader after the 23 lap final.
Up next, Mosport double header the weekend of May 20-22nd.
Good job Mr. O'Connell. Keep up the great work!
Up next, Mosport double header the weekend of May 20-22nd.
Good job Mr. O'Connell. Keep up the great work!
05-02-2011, 07:54 PM
#13
Le Mans Master
Questions:
1. I have a C6 Z06. I have noticed some tendency for the back end of the car to snap out or oversteer a little too easy for my tastes. Did I hear correctly that these new bars have dialed that out?
2. Are the shocks revalved factory units?
Thanks.
1. I have a C6 Z06. I have noticed some tendency for the back end of the car to snap out or oversteer a little too easy for my tastes. Did I hear correctly that these new bars have dialed that out?
2. Are the shocks revalved factory units?
Thanks.
05-03-2011, 12:02 AM
#14
Safety Car
I think the shocks are custom designs--I don't think they relate to the factory units at all.
05-04-2011, 09:02 PM
#15
Le Mans Master
These are adjustable--you can try the softest rear setting and it I think it would understeer a bit more than factory. I have a C5 and I like the center setting. Have yet to go on track though.
I think the shocks are custom designs--I don't think they relate to the factory units at all.
I think the shocks are custom designs--I don't think they relate to the factory units at all.
I read in another thread that the shocks are in fact, retuned stock shocks.
05-05-2011, 11:35 AM
#16
Team Owner
These are adjustable--you can try the softest rear setting and it I think it would understeer a bit more than factory. I have a C5 and I like the center setting. Have yet to go on track though.
I think the shocks are custom designs--I don't think they relate to the factory units at all.
I think the shocks are custom designs--I don't think they relate to the factory units at all.
05-05-2011, 11:47 AM
#17
I read in another thread that the shocks are in fact, retuned stock shocks.
One of the handling characteristics of the stock Z06 shocks that we didn't particularly like for a street shock was a tendency to snap oversteer over road irregularities. We overcame this with a digressive damping curve, and by lowering the high speed rebound enough to allow the tire to remain in contact with the road surface. The ride with the JO shocks is firm but compliant, and it's really how we feel the Z06 could have handled from the factory.
We really do love this package, and when our street Z06 doesn't have development shocks and sway bars installed, we run the Johnny O'Connell package.
05-05-2011, 11:50 AM
#18
Safety Car
I am in the middle of installing my JO sway bars. I wound up just buying the bars and not the shocks. I have a hard time imagining I'll feel any improvement on the street over the stock C5Z sway bars because I could hardly percieve any body roll at all with the stock ones on the street. I'll post a thread about my impressions after I go to the track on the 28th.
05-05-2011, 11:56 AM
#19
Le Mans Master
Hey, just stopped in to reiterate that the JO shocks are not returned stock units. Through our relationship with GM we have been lucky enough to be able to work with the OEM shock manufacturer for this particular product. The internals of the shocks are engineered to our specifications and are not returned OEM units that are then rebuilt. They begin life as a Pfadt JO shock and end life as a JO shock.
One of the handling characteristics of the stock Z06 shocks that we didn't particularly like for a street shock was a tendency to snap oversteer over road irregularities. We overcame this with a digressive damping curve, and by lowering the high speed rebound enough to allow the tire to remain in contact with the road surface. The ride with the JO shocks is firm but compliant, and it's really how we feel the Z06 could have handled from the factory.
We really do love this package, and when our street Z06 doesn't have development shocks and sway bars installed, we run the Johnny O'Connell package.
One of the handling characteristics of the stock Z06 shocks that we didn't particularly like for a street shock was a tendency to snap oversteer over road irregularities. We overcame this with a digressive damping curve, and by lowering the high speed rebound enough to allow the tire to remain in contact with the road surface. The ride with the JO shocks is firm but compliant, and it's really how we feel the Z06 could have handled from the factory.
We really do love this package, and when our street Z06 doesn't have development shocks and sway bars installed, we run the Johnny O'Connell package.
Thanks for the explanation about what the shock is helping to avoid (snap oversteer).
05-05-2011, 02:41 PM
#20
These are adjustable--you can try the softest rear setting and it I think it would understeer a bit more than factory. I have a C5 and I like the center setting. Have yet to go on track though.
I think the shocks are custom designs--I don't think they relate to the factory units at all.
I think the shocks are custom designs--I don't think they relate to the factory units at all.
I also heard these are re-valved Sachs shocks; which is not a problem for me. But since GM uses different springs, shocks, sways and tire sizes on the Z06, Z51 and Base, I question how can one sway bar and shock set up can work to cover all these variables equally well?
Last edited by Jim_H; 05-05-2011 at 02:56 PM.