Chevy SSR Forum banner

Test Drove a SSR this past Weekend! Or I die and when to heaven!

3K views 17 replies 4 participants last post by  SMKN_SSR 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok guys over the weekend I was lucky enough to do a test drive of a SSR. Having a cottage in Northern Michigan I'm fortunate to be close to one of the head engineers on the SSR project. I did about a 25 mile drive. All speeds. The fastest I got it up to was about 55. I didn't want to push my luck. I think the SSR handle wonderful. And boy can I tell you that I had a blast. Being my birthday on Sunday I thought that I died and went to heaven. We played with the powered top and boy it is sure slick. I got underneath, opened the hood, opened the tonnage cover and did about everything to it except make love to it, and if I would have had more time I would have tried to do that too. By the time we got back to his place his wife though I had kidnapped him. (I though about it) The fit and finish on this Captured Fleet Vehicle was excellent, it had over 14k miles on it and everything was tight. The interior looks great. I didn't try the sound system because I was too involved with talking to the engineer and getting all the possible information that I could.

Here’s what I thought about it!!!
First the fit and finish looked great. For being 14k miles on it still shined and I didn’t notice and rattles or shakes!
Power? I didn’t get to put the pedal to the metal, but I like the power. It seemed to have more than enough, ocouse having owned more than a few Corvettes in my lifetime (9) you can never have enough horsepower. (RIGHT)!!
The sound of the exhaust system gave me a woody. It sounded great, and my Uncle who was with me up north said the sound as it went down the road by the cottage made him smile.
I drove most of the way with the top down. The noise level was very low. I could keep a conversation without having to yell.
The ride is very good, handle well into the corners. Didn’t seem to be any over steer, considering the tire size difference from front to back. The seats seem to be to my liking and had a lot of adjustment to them, and comfortable.
All in all I know when I finally pick up my new SSR I going to be very happy. If you guys want to know anything else just send me a private email and I’ll be happy to let you know what ever I missed in this quick synopsis. BTW I have enclosed some pictures of the SSR here! Enjoy!!
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#7 ·
Ron,

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures.
It primes the rest of us.

I actually got next to a Red SSR at a dealership in Saginaw on Saturday. It was one that had to be shipped back to GM so it was being stored in the fenced-in area in the back. (Never understood why or how that blunder started.)

I guess the SSR was quite popular just with the dealership staff. The big discussion was whether it looked better with the top up or down...haha. Some of them even were able to take it for a joy ride around the parking lot.

I've told numerous friends and family about the SSR over the past two years. They were always just blase about it. However, a few of them have already spotted one on the road and, let me tell you, they just can't contain their excitement when telling me about it. It's pretty funny!

Thanks,
Dream_Cruise
 
G
#9 ·
CRIPE's RON!!!!!!

...You're gonna give me a freakin' HEART attack man!!! And listen amigo... if you know and are close to an enginerr with the SSR projects- then heck man... YOU ARE the man for me to know for any real hope of liason about all the wheelchair-driver accessability questions I have!!! You'd mentioned having insides too, with a guy who fits-out vehicles for wheelchair access & driving. . . but this engineer cat with GM's SSR team would be my best hope of hammering this out!! Did you have ( or would you have later ) any opportunity to bounce my inquiries off of him? He would be the guy too- who might have any info etc. on any other possible futrure inovations that WOULD resolve the accessability challenges. Again- THE biggest problem and challenge is HOW, and WHERE the wheelchair can get stowed once I'm in the SSR. As I'd said... the chair collapses pretty thin- and I just physically pull it into my truck just behind me in my 3rd door 96 S-10. Easy. But the SSR will be a whole new problem for me. Is there ANY space ( albeit minimal? ) behind the driver seat- between the seat-back and rear cab-wall?? If I have to try to utilize an "L" chair lifter ( as described in my earlier post to you )- the question would be- how far up... or widely open does the bed-cover lift? Though I'd surely hate to have to go to the extent- does/can the WHOLE bed-cover come off? I'll try to attach a pic of "Rosarita" ( my S-10 ) and me... to show where my wheelchair goes. It could go into an even narrower area if it had to. Anyway- please DO keep me apprised amigo... and let me know what you learn! Thanks SO much again!!
 

Attachments

#10 ·
SSR said:
Ron,
Thanks for sharing. I'm pumped!!! I'm also going crazy thinking about my SSR that came a week ago and left yesterday back for GM, all while I'm out here in CO driving trains.
Yes so true. So close but yet so far! Dealer told me Friday afternoon that it was picked up! I least I got to drive one for a quick fix!

Another picture of my weekend happenings! :grouphug
 

Attachments

#11 ·
Re: CRIPE's RON!!!!!!

Butch Olmstead said:
...You're gonna give me a freakin' HEART attack man!!! And listen amigo... if you know and are close to an enginerr with the SSR projects- then heck man... YOU ARE the man for me to know for any real hope of liason about all the wheelchair-driver accessability questions I have!!! You'd mentioned having insides too, with a guy who fits-out vehicles for wheelchair access & driving. . . but this engineer cat with GM's SSR team would be my best hope of hammering this out!! Did you have ( or would you have later ) any opportunity to bounce my inquiries off of him? He would be the guy too- who might have any info etc. on any other possible futrure inovations that WOULD resolve the accessability challenges. Again- THE biggest problem and challenge is HOW, and WHERE the wheelchair can get stowed once I'm in the SSR. As I'd said... the chair collapses pretty thin- and I just physically pull it into my truck just behind me in my 3rd door 96 S-10. Easy. But the SSR will be a whole new problem for me. Is there ANY space ( albeit minimal? ) behind the driver seat- between the seat-back and rear cab-wall?? If I have to try to utilize an "L" chair lifter ( as described in my earlier post to you )- the question would be- how far up... or widely open does the bed-cover lift? Though I'd surely hate to have to go to the extent- does/can the WHOLE bed-cover come off? I'll try to attach a pic of "Rosarita" ( my S-10 ) and me... to show where my wheelchair goes. It could go into an even narrower area if it had to. Anyway- please DO keep me apprised amigo... and let me know what you learn! Thanks SO much again!!
Butch I don't get to see him all the time, but the next time I go to my cottage I'll check with him! And let you know what he thinks!

:cheers
 
#12 ·
Yes I know about that!

Dream_Cruise said:
Ron,

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures.
It primes the rest of us.

I actually got next to a Red SSR at a dealership in Saginaw on Saturday. It was one that had to be shipped back to GM so it was being stored in the fenced-in area in the back. (Never understood why or how that blunder started.)

I guess the SSR was quite popular just with the dealership staff. The big discussion was whether it looked better with the top up or down...haha. Some of them even were able to take it for a joy ride around the parking lot.

I've told numerous friends and family about the SSR over the past two years. They were always just blase about it. However, a few of them have already spotted one on the road and, let me tell you, they just can't contain their excitement when telling me about it. It's pretty funny!

Thanks,
Dream_Cruise
Yes Dream I heard about that! It was at Martin Chey. I heard that Bill put on over 400 miles on it before it went back to Lansing! :seeya
 
G
#14 ·
Thanks Ron... but as to questions:

And in that you got to look close and handle the SSR: Again- THE biggest problem and challenge is HOW, and WHERE the wheelchair can get stowed once I'm in the SSR. As I'd said... the chair collapses pretty thin- and I just physically pull it into my truck just behind me in my 3rd door 96 S-10. Easy. But the SSR will be a whole new problem for me. Is there ANY space ( albeit minimal? ) behind the driver seat- between the seat-back and rear cab-wall?? If I have to try to utilize an "L" chair lifter ( as described in my earlier post to you )- the question would be- how far up... or widely open does the bed-cover lift? Though I'd surely hate to have to go to the extent- does/can the WHOLE bed-cover come off? I attached a pic of "Rosarita" ( my S-10 ) and me in the former post... to show where my wheelchair goes. It could go into an even narrower area if it had to. Based on what you saw... can you address any of these questions?
 
#16 ·
I'm sure you can remove the bed cover, also you may be able to set it up so that the cover lifts up in either direction using another set of hinges and some servo's ( just an Idea )
 
G
#17 ·
...Thanks for that amigo! I had wondered at hinge-changes et al... but of course hoping to have to do as little as possible- and least of all needing to sans the whole cover. . . though I would if thats what it will take to get this thing accessable. Have you gotten "up next" to one like Ron yet?
 
#18 ·
I got sit in Signature Series #'s 12 & 22 in August at the Auto Show in Motion in Alameda, CA for # 12 and L.A., CA for #22 , it was great to see that I can fit into one :>) (I'm 6'3" and 300 lbs.) and that i didn't have to cancel my order (yeah right). :cheers
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top