2006 Z06 - Two-Week Tweak

There's no question that the C6 Z06 is a potent platform right out of the box, but when you consider the number of choices available when it comes to making even bigger power, it's no wonder these cars are so highly sought after. Some folks install nitrous or a supercharger to abruptly increase output, and while this is totally acceptable, an all-motor application can be easier to deal with in terms of traction and real-world practicality.

John Perrone wanted a little more than the stock 505 horses out of his '06 Z06's LS7 engine, and for this he relied on the talented crew at Injected Engineering. That the acclaimed late-model-performance shop is located in his hometown of Kennesaw, Georgia, made Perrone's decision even easier, and he dropped off the car on October 7, 2010. By October 23, it had been upgraded with a host of aftermarket components-a perfect mix for street driving and the occasional trip to the dragstrip.

The guys at Injected Engineering decided that meeting Perrone's expectations required a Stage 3 Naturally Aspirated package, as it would greatly increase the car's horsepower while leaving the build "open ended." In other words, he could continue to step up the naturally aspirated configuration in the future or eventually install a power adder.

The Stage 3 setup employs stock cylinder-head castings treated to a five-axis CNC port job. Injected also cleaned up the combustion chambers and installed dual valvesprings to withstand the additional forces from the included custom-grind camshaft. Harland Sharp rocker arms and Comp Cams pushrods operate the stock valves.

Up top, the LS7 intake is still in place, as are the stock fuel injectors. The fuel pump is the original unit, and the ignition system is factory as well. To increase outgoing airflow, the Injected crew installed a set of Kooks long-tube headers and a Billy Boat Fusion converter-back exhaust system, which features 3-inch piping. The exhaust note is certainly a sign of the car's potential, as it provides a raspy growl that no one can ignore.

Aric Carrion and Ryan Miller handle most of the tuning and dyno work at Injected, and the pair put Perrone's Z06 to the test on the shop's Dynojet chassis dyno. When the dust settled, the car had put down 558 hp and 497 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels, a 100hp gain over the stock baseline pulls. The Z06 runs on 93-octane pump gas and still manages to get 15 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway-not bad for a naturally aspirated engine that makes considerably more than 600 horses at the crank.

Power application is handled by the stock six-speed transmission, but a Katech LS9X twin-disc clutch makes sure nothing is lost in translation. The stock differential and halfshafts are still in place, but by the time you read this, Perrone will have upgraded the rearend to survive the increased power and track abuse.

In the traction department, Perrone relies on Nitto Invo tires on all four corners. These measure 285/30ZR19 up front and 345/25ZR20 out back and fit nicely within the wheelwells, thanks to the lowered ride height. The street-friendly rubber mounts to 19x10- and 20x12.5-inch 360 Forged wheels, which feature a satin-black center and a chrome rim. The split five-spoke design shows off the massive factory brakes and offers a sizable contact patch in the rear.

The Z06 shows just over 20,000 miles on the clock, which is quite low for a 5-plus-year-old car. Perrone has always kept it spotless and treated it nicely, but the increased power makes spirited driving all the more inviting, so you can bet he doesn't baby it. In fact, he let the crew at Injected Engineering take the car to Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip for a charity event shortly after the its completion.

While a lack of drag rubber prevented hard launches, the modified LS7 showed a top-end charge that surprised everyone. The best run of the day was a 7.83 at 102 mph in the eighth-mile, with a less-than-impressive 2.37-second 60-foot time. That means the car covered 600 of the 660 feet in just 5.46 seconds! Those trap speeds are more in line with six-second elapsed times, which means Perrone's Z06 would run well into the 10-second zone in the quarter-mile with the proper traction. He plans to find out for sure very soon.

Since the car's completion, Perrone has found himself constantly fighting off people who want to buy it. He's extremely happy with his Z06, though, and has more plans for it-including a "big" supercharger-so he's not interested in selling it just yet. Compressed build time aside, it seems this is one all-motor monster well worth hanging on to. Vette