Scheid is no stranger to Corvettes. He owned Millennium Yellow '01 andMagnetic Red '02 convertibles before he fell in love with the C6. It washis decision, as the Number Two man at Fidanza, to purchase a new Vettefor the company's project car and turn it into a celebrity. "A projectcar is a creative way to brand your company," he said. "We want the nameFidanza to be synonymous with performance. Associating our name with ahigh-performance Corvette is another way to communicate that message."
To accomplish the goal of the ultimate high-profile, high-performanceVette, Scheid enlisted the sponsorships of 28 aftermarket companies, allof whom were delighted to furnish their latest products in exchange forthe exposure the C6 would receive.
"Our Corvette generated over two million consumer impressions forFidanza, and for its other sponsors," Scheid explained. "If we gain evenone new customer as a direct result of them seeing or reading about ourproduct, the sponsorship was a success. Project cars, as rollingbillboards, are among the most cost-effective methods of advertisingavailable to aftermarket manufacturers."
The Fidanza Corvette's blueprint for success began with a call to theprofessionals at Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center (SDPC). SDPC provided acryo-treated aluminum LS2 block sourced from GM Performance Parts.According to Tim Cook, an SDPC representative, the block was loaded witha Callies Dragon Slayer forged-steel crank, Crower 4340 forged-steelrods, and Mahle forged-aluminum pistons.
Bolted to the bulletproof block are a set of AFR 225cc LS heads thatfeature 72cc combustion chambers, 2.080-inch intake valves, and AFR'sown hydraulic-roller spring upgrade. To better suit this particularengine's intended use and stratospheric output, the heads were alsofitted with the company's 1.6-inch "super alloy" exhaust valves.
"These valves are made of a specific grade of stainless steel that willput up with the additional heat from the combustion process with a lotmore safety margin than a conventional high-quality exhaust valve," saysTony Mamo, AFR's head of R&D. "The 225s have worked extremely well inmany of the larger-displacement Gen III and IV stroker combinations, butthey have been especially effective in blower applications, due to theirextremely efficient and high-flowing exhaust port. They almost surpass astock LS6 head's peak exhaust flow as early as 0.300-inch lift, and by0.600-inch lift, they have a 60-cfm advantage."
A Comp custom-grind cam directs the valve action with 236/242-degreesduration, 0.601/0.610-inch lift, and a 114-degree lobe-separation angle.Fuel is picked up from a factory 255-lph pump, amplified during periodsof boost with an MSD voltage booster, run to an Aeromotive regulator andpressure gauge, and then routed to a Professional Products rails housingMotron 70-lb/hr injectors.
Spark, meanwhile, flows from an MSD Multispark Blaster Coil Set through8.5mm Super Conductors to AC Delco plugs. Air enters through customtubes mounted behind the taillights, is routed through the turbo system,and enters the engine through a Professional Products 90mm throttle bodyand polished Typhoon intake. Spent gases are evacuated through StainlessWorks headers with 1