Karvajal ZX-1 Conversion - Road To Transfiguration

A production front fascia serves as the testbed for further prototyping, including the radiator-cooling insert and the brake-cooling ducts (December 2008).

The test-fitted ZX-1 body panels are removed from the Corvette, leaving the sports car patiently awaiting its metamorphosis into supercar (February 2009). An installed Magnuson supercharger, Pfadt suspension, and Brembo big-brake kit already hint at the elevated performance potential. “Production ZX-1s will use a Baer big-brake kit,” Bennett says.

The body panels are painted individually. Shown clockwise are the passenger-side fender, hood, driver-side door, front fascia, passenger-side rear quarter-panel, and driver-side fender (February 2009).

Technicians fit the targa-bar-and-speed-fairings assembly, then run wiring to accommodate the Center High Mount Stop Lamp (CHMSL). The speed fairings are still body-colored here, but they’ll later be painted satin black at the customer’s request (February 2009).

The ZX-1’s front-fender ductwork allows high- pressure air trapped in the front wheelwells to escape (February 2009). If you think the gills look familiar, you’re right: They’re inspired by the styling cues on ’65-’69 Corvettes.

The ZX-1 begins to take on its exterior identity. Lead fiberglass fabricator and pattern maker Tom Traxel (left) and a shop assistant hang the driver-side door (February 2009). “The rear treatment adds nearly 4 inches to the length of a factory-bodied Corvette, and the ZX-1 is 6 inches longer and 11 inches wider than a C6 overall,” Bennett says.

The supercar’s front fascia reveals factory headlight assemblies with turn signals converted into running lights, as well as specific turn signals and side-marker lights integrated into a sleek-looking narrow band in the bumper cover. The driving-light grilles are not yet installed (February 2009).

The shop installs the taillight array, which is built exclusively for the ZX-1 by Lambert Enterprises of Norris, Tennessee (March 2009). The prototype quad exhaust tips shown here are unique to ZX-1 No. 1. “Current and future production ZX-1s receive powdercoated tips,” Bennett says.

Here’s the rear-fascia assembly fully installed and wired. There are 450 LEDs in the taillight array. The four circular taillights feature five concentric LED rings. The two outer rings are programmed for running-light and turn- signal operation, and the three inner rings function as brake lights. A single row of directional LEDs located under the license-plate alcove serve as reverse lights (March 2009). “It’s beautiful from every angle, but this is the view most other drivers will see,” Bennett says.

The ZX-1’s exclusive twin rear air diffusers help reduce drag (March 2009). “When coupled to an optional full belly pan, it makes the ZX-1 as slippery on the bottom as it is on top,” Bennett says. The slender red lenses above the air diffusers are red-tinted reflectors.

ZX-1 No. 1 shows off its optional Caravaggio Italian leather and Alcantara-suede interior. “It’s luxury defined,” Bennett says. (March 2009).

After a 175-plus-mph test run that still had one gear to go, the supercar is ready to be delivered to its first retail customer. “The ZX-1 is a perfect design, but I’ll let VETTE readers in on a secret,” Bennett says. “Midyear Sting Ray or third-gen Stingray cloisonné emblems can be installed by ZX-1 owners to really give their cars a sweet-looking styling element from the days of yore.” vette