"So that's not so hot if something happens to the car," Park admits. As for that blistering mill, "The twin-turbo motor runs pretty cool otherwise, but it needs a big-block starter, due to the heat coming off the headers."
All of which could be summed up with: "It ain't the heat, it's the humility." Translation: You can force lesser muscle cars to humble themselves, realizing they've been out-gunned by a small-block. You'd think those lines alone are pretty menacing, and would ward off any wannabes-or maybe not.
One time Park went to a cruise night in San Diego, and a slant-nose turbo Porsche 911 began to bait him as he headed back home. A crowd of onlookers followed to monitor the impending action. By the time this little parade of rodders entered a freeway on-ramp, Park had tired of the game, so he dialed up the boost knob and got on it, leaving the Porsche choking on his dual-turbo dust.
When he came across this same Porsche-phile later on, the 911 pilot indignantly asked what was underhood. "Oh, just a small-block Chevy," was Park's initial reply. After letting the guy squirm and cuss a bit, Park finally let on about the turbos and nitrous.
"The only color I don't have is navy brown."
Well, to borrow some choice phrasing from Henry Ford as well, you can have any color you want on this Sting Ray, as long as it's black. And in this case, layers and layers of it, as in multiple coats of Ditzler black lacquer.
As for the interior, it's fitted with snug Corbeau buckets and five-point Simpson belts. A slew of engine instruments keep track of the heart-pounding engine vitals. So just how much speed are we talking about here?
"I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question."
That's what everybody wants to know, but Park says he's only done that one run down the quarter, mentioned at the outset. So onlookers will likely have to be content with one final quote from Yogi Berra:
"The only reason I need these gloves is 'cause of my hands."
And what's the reason for a twin-turbo Corvette? For stomping your right foot, of course.