2005 C6 Coupe - Subtle Screamer

"Are you done yet?" That's a question many Corvette owners hear, particularly after the latest modifications to their prized two-seaters have been unveiled.

It's also what Paul Krzyszton heard from his wife, once he started upgrading his '05 C6. "Every time I did a modification to it, she would ask me, 'Are you done? Are you done?'" he says. "At first, she wasn't all that happy about it. But now when she's at a cruise night or on Woodward, she's a completely different person. Get her to talk about that car, and she could go on for hours about it." And there's plenty to go on about with Krzyszton's C6, whose route to the ghost-flamed, supercharged jewel you see here started after a box truck hit it during the Woodward Dream Cruise in suburban Detroit several years back. "Since they had to replace the left rear quarter-panel and the driver's door, I figured it was no longer original, so I might as well do what I wanted to with it," he says.

Once the remedial bodywork was done, and the Vette was operational again, Krzyszton set out to improve in the performance of its 400hp LS2. "I first went with just a bigger cam and a cold-air induction," he recalls. "Then I [installed] the headers, racing cats, and Borla mufflers. At that point I thought that was all I was going to do." But when it comes to Corvette performance, if just enough is good, then too much is even better. "I was talking with the gentleman who did my performance work, and he recommended that I add a ProCharger supercharger," says Krzyszton. "I was hesitant at first, but about eight months later, I decided to do it."

In the process, the LS2's output jumped to nearly 600 horses, thanks to a final tune from Corvettes of Westchester--and just 7 pounds of boost from the intercooled ProCharger. Other mechanical and chassis upgrades included a twin-disc clutch and a 4.10 rear gear. Inside, the cabin was plushed out with tan leather sport seats, a high-end sound system, and a United States Navy insignia embroidered on the console's armrest.

As for the '05's body, Krzyszton went for subtle style instead of an aggressive look. "That was my goal," he says. "I didn't want it in-your-face." So, on went a rear wide-body kit installed by Corvettes of Westchester, along with custom paintwork by Jim Munroe of Barrington, Rhode Island. The new finish includes a set of ghost flames plus an Ed Roth–inspired "Rat Fink" caricature between the taillights.

All those body, chassis, powertrain, and interior modifications were done in less than a year, resulting in a spirited performer and eye-grabber at shows and cruises. As mentioned previously, Krzyszton's driven it from his home in Rhode Island to the Woodward Dream Cruise more than once. "I go to the Dream Cruise every year, but I get very, very mixed reviews of my car there," he says. "The true, avid Corvette person won't even give it a second look. Then there are the people who say, 'It's your car--and it's really nice!'" So nice that its ProCharged LS2 delivers around 24 miles per gallon when in long- distance-cruise mode, with its original A/C still intact.

Krzyszton 's advice for anyone looking to upgrade their Corvette--of any vintage--is simple: "Enjoy the car!" It's clearly a motto he's taken to heart with his blown-and-flamed C6.