Surprisingly, Lovell's favorite feature on this virile Vette is not its towering power, but its passionate sound. "The intense reverberation of the engine when the throttle activates the Six-Shooter's secondaries is awe-inspiring. It sounds like the carburetors are going to suck the hood in and expel it violently out the side pipes," he says.
Gonzalez, however, hasn't had many opportunities to enjoy his Vette yet. "He wants to find some time off just for him and the car, but until then, I'll just have to tell him how much fun it is to drive," Lovell says.
So are 572 cubic inches enough for this milestone-generation Corvette?
"There's no replacement for displacement," Lovell laughs. "Five hundred seventy-two cubes are just right . . . for now. As soon as GM comes out with a 632-cube big-block, you'll have to ask me the question again."
| SPEC SHEET |
| Car |
'66 coupe |
| Owner |
Leroy Gonzalez |
| Block |
GMPP BBC tall-deck iron |
| Displacement |
572 ci |
| Compression Ratio |
9.6:1 |
| Heads |
Rectangular-port aluminum, 112cc |
| Valves |
Manley steel, 2.25/1.88-in |
| Camshaft |
GM hydraulic roller; |
|
0.254/0.264-deg duration, |
|
0.632/0.632-in lift |
| Rocker Arms |
GM aluminum roller, 1.7:1-ratio |
| Pistons |
GM forged aluminum |
| Crankshaft |
GM forged steel |
| Connecting Rods |
GM forged steel |
| Intake Manifold |
Barry Grant Double-D |
|
Induction 3x2 |
| Carburetor |
Barry Grant Six-Shooter |
| Fuel Pump |
Edelbrock high-volume |
|
mechanical |
| Ignition |
MSD 6AL |
| Exhaust System |
Stainless Works |
|
headers (modified) with 2-in primaries |
|
and 3-in collectors; 3-in SW stainless-steel |
|
pipes and mufflers |
| Transmission |
Keisler TKO five-speed |
| Clutch |
Keisler/Sachs |
| Driveshaft |
Keisler |
| Front Suspension |
Stock with VB&P |
|
composite transverse leaf conversion |
| Rear Suspension |
VB&P offset control arms |
|
with narrowed composite leaf |
| Rearend |
Stock, 3.55 gears |
| Front Brakes |
'07 Z06 |
| Rear Brakes |
'07 Z06 |
| Wheels |
ZR1 chrome replica, 18x8.5-in |
| Front Tires |
Michelin Pilot Sport 255/40ZR18 |
| Rear Tires |
Michelin Pilot Sport 255/40ZR18 |
| Fuel Octane |
93 |
| Weight |
Unknown |
| Best E.T./MPH |
N/A |
| Best 60-ft. Time |
N/A |
| Miles Driven Weekly |
Approx. 10 |