by Ronnie Schreiber, Chevy SSR Forum editor
The 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit opened with a press conference from American Specialty Cars, Chevrolet's development partner on the SSR. Featured at the press conference was ASC's Diamondback SSR fixed roof coupe, highlighting the firm's OmniCarbon™ carbon-fiber manufacturing process. The Diamondback is lowered two inches and features body color running boards with molded in side exhaust pipes. ASC took the carbon-fiber hood look popular with the import tuner crowd and took it just about as far as it can go. From the hood to the coupe roof to the decklid, every surface from the beltline up on the Diamondback is made from carbon-fiber. Considering that the stock SSR's retractable hardtop convertible roof is one of ASC's signature products, using a fixed-roof SSR to highlight the OmniCarbon process is a bold move. Removing the roof and it's mechanism meant that the back edge of the new roof had to be mounted six inches towards the rear of the car, giving the Diamondback's roof a much racier line than the stock roof, and also gave room for a storage area behind the seats.
The Diamondback sports a sleek hardtop roof and molded-in body color running boards
with side pipes
The Diamondback is powered by a 6.0L V-8, supercharged with a Magnuson supercharger. Other high performance features on the Diamondback include high-flow, chambered dual-side exhausts, with custom tips that exit through the molded in running boards, a unique, water-to-air intercooler; and an integrated forced-air intake. All this adds up to 500 HP, a considerable boost from the 390 HP LS2 now standard in the SSR. All that horsepower is put to the wheels via a 6-speed Tremec® M10 (3.01:1 low) manual transmission with short-throw shifter. The SSR's stock Torsen limited slip rear ed has been replaced with a 9.5" rear axle with Eaton plate-type 3.73:1 limited-slip differential. Suspension changes include custom-valved Bilstein® struts with Ground Force® lowering springs; 14"-diameter Brembo® brakes front and rear; and 22"x10" rear and 20"x8" front polished 5-spoke Budnik® wheels with low-profile B.F. Goodrich g-Force® T/A tires.
The 22" 5 spoke Budnik wheels show off the 14" Brembo brakes.
OmniCarbon™ components on the ASC Diamondback include the all-new fixed roof, hood, rear bed-cover, front air-dam, lower rear-fascia trim, tailgate spoiler, upper quarter-panels, upper door-panels; and side mirrors. Continuing the carbon-fiber styling inside, the vehicle features a carbon-fiber-look instrument panel face and interior-trim accents; Corbeau® race seats with custom trim; a custom roll-cage with 5-point seatbelt harness and custom "Diamondback" badging and floor mats. At the press conference ASC announced that for the first time Sony branded products would be available to the the OEM market through a joint ASC/Sony agreement, so the Diamondback also features a Sony sound system, including a 12" subwoofer, mounted behind the seats.
The Diamondback has a nifty tailgate spoiler that looks like a natural aftermarket
product.