Rock 'n' roll tunes, "killer" fame, and a red Corvette. No, we're not talking about cruising down the road in your C6 with your iPod ablaze, dreaming of international superstardom. No, let's turn the clock back to 1957, when a man and his pumping piano made history in the emerging rock-music scene with the now-famous single, "Great Balls of Fire."

Although adequate fuel delivery can often be obtained by installing either a large electric fuel pump or a high-volume mechanical unit, we'll actually be doing both. Installing a Holley electric fuel pump at the rear of the car, near the tank, will provide a constant stream of pressurized fuel to the high-volume Holley engine-driven pump we're also installing, thereby allowing the latter to do its job of sending pressurized fuel to the carburetor. Though this dual-pump method is slightly more costly than simply upgrading one unit, the redundant pumps will provide the best possible fuel delivery while also making the car more reliable. If one pump happens to fail, the car can still be driven on the other one, rather than leaving us stranded.

Next-Generation Corvette Race Car Revealed
Corvette Racing opened a new chapter in its history with the competition debut of the next-generation Corvette C6.R at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 6-8, 2009. Based on the Corvette ZR1 supercar, the new Corvette C6.R has even stronger links to the production Corvette than its predecessors and utilizes the ZR1's body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and other components.

Question: It seems like there are a lot of conflicting opinions on when to change the oil in a Corvette. I've been changing the oil in my '09 convertible every 3,000 miles; is this too often? Should I just follow the car computer? Do I need to change the filter on every oil change?
David
Via the Internet

My story begins with a trip I made with my father, Ron, back in 2000. He was on his way to purchase his first ZR-1 (one of three he currently owns-two '95s and one '94 Lingenfelter 385) from H&H Corvette in Orlando, Florida. During the trip I caught the bug and purchased my own first Corvette, a Competition Yellow automatic LT1. This was to be the "gentlemen's hot rod" replacement for my '90 351ci supercharged and nitrous-injected Mustang. After a year of modifying the LT1 with readily available bolt-on parts, it was still very underpowered compared with a stock ZR-1, so the search began to upgrade to "The King of the Hill."

The parallels between one of the most sensational racehorses of all time and the beleaguered blown-alky dragster you see here are both numerous and startling. Anyone familiar with the tale of Seabiscuit knows of his travails and tragedies-an undersized, bowlegged, neglected nag who went on to win not only some of the biggest races of all time, but also the heart of America.

If you've been following our C4 project from the outset, you know that the past few years have seen the car make depressingly little progress toward its goal of achieving quarter-mile parity with its late-model kin. There are a number of reasons for this, not least a self-imposed mandate to minimize our theoretical cash outlay along the way. The results of our ministrations have therefore been decidedly mixed, with some highly touted "upgrades" performing well below expectations and other, oft-overlooked tweaks proving surprisingly effective.

What would possess a man to buy a brand-new 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, then re-CNC its heads, swap out its cam, and install a 200-shot of nitrous, all in an effort to push its output to 750 hp? Could it have been passion? Desire? A need for respect?

Although Corvette Racing's official involvement in GT1-class competition ended with this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, a number of ex-factory C6.Rs will continue to race in Europe through the end of the 2009 season. At the Silverstone event in England, four GT1 Corvette teams showed up to race on the twisty 5.14-km (3.19-mile) circuit, located between London and Birmingham. The former Phoenix GMAC team is now racing Audi R8s in the FIA GT3 Championship and has placed C6.R chassis 001 up for sale. The second GMAC C6.R, chassis 005, is owned by Toine Hezemans and is currently being campaigned by PK Carsport in Belgium. It's driven by Mike Hezemans and Anthony Kumpen and raced under No. 4.

What was the first modification you made to your late-model Corvette? If you said, "a cold-air intake," you're not alone. Cold-air intakes (CAI) offer a simple, affordable means of improving your Vette's output by increasing the amount of cool, dense air flowing into the engine. And unlike permanent changes to the motor itself, a CAI shouldn't affect your factory warranty, and it can easily be removed if you decide to sell the car.

No. 63 continued to motor around the Le Mans course, maintaining a dominant lead to finish First in GT1 and 14th overall in the standings. Just before the checkered flag, the team brought the conquering car into the garage to remove the grime that had accumulated on its outer skin over the previous 24 hours. A similar beautification regimen was lavished upon the C5-R prior to the team's first win in 2000, so it was fitting for Corvette Racing to close out a decade of GT1 Le Mans competition in like fashion.

Think your Vette is Menagerie material? Just send a photo of the car, a brief (or, if you prefer, no-so-brief) description, and whatever else you'd like to Vette Magazine, c/o 'Glass Menagerie, 9036 Brittany Way, Tampa, FL 33619. You can also email the information to vette@sorc.com with "Glass" in the subject line. So what are you waiting for?

Part 1
When introduced in 1997, the diminutive 346ci LS1 was the proverbial tip of the displacement iceberg. GM has since taken the LS1 architecture and developed a whole host of block and head designs for both assembly-line and aftermarket uses. For enthusiasts looking for max performance, the cast-iron LSX block can achieve more than 500 cubes in its tall-deck configuration.

There are certain things in life we just take for granted, like the sun coming up in the morning, airlines losing our luggage, and a Corvette that will start when we turn the key.

Building an over-the-top road-race Corvette can take more than hard work and dedication. Sometimes, you have to have patience and be prepared to wait more than 25 years for the right car to come around again.

Just a few short years after Chevy introduced the original 265 small-block, the company followed up by offering a true legend in the form of the fuel-injected 283. Often touted as the first mass-produced motor to offer 1 horsepower per cubic inch, the fuelie 283 started a small-block Chevy performance trend that would continue for decades. The 283hp 283 of 1957 was eventually replaced with Chevy's new wonder motor, the 327. Compared with the 283, the 327 offered an increase in both bore (from 3.875 to 4.00 inches) and stroke (from 3.00 to 3.25 inches). Continuing the performance trend started a few years earlier, Chevy topped the hot 327 with the latest version of its mechanical FI setup. The pinnacle of this combination was the famous L84 fuelie motor that offered no fewer than 375 hp in 1964 and 1965.

Because of their design-and specifically the slanted orientation of the radiator-Corvettes have always borne the unfortunate stigma of running warm or even overheating on hot days. While the angled radiator is not ideally designed for maximum cooling, like much of the Corvette it is a compromise between optimal performance and aerodynamic efficiency. In reality, engineers at GM spent considerable time designing the Vette's cooling system, and given the space constraints of the engine, they did a commendable job. Indeed, most Corvette engines will be adequately cooled with the stock cooling system. Add a hot engine or compromise the cooling system's design, however, and you're sure to notice your car's temperature gauge climbing toward the red end of the scale.

It's an oft-repeated story. After a sudden epiphany, a misguided soul sees the error of his ways and does a complete 180. In this case, though, we're not talking about a morality tale of giving up a vice such as gambling or drinking, but rather a simple realization concerning the virtues of our favorite sports car. And no ordinary Corvette at that, but one with a 600-plus-hp, blown-and-juiced LSX 427.

Question:I'll be going overseas for about a year, and I want to know what procedure you recommend for storing my two '90 Corvettes during that time. I have a two-car attached garage, and my son will be by once a week to check on the house. If necessary, he can perform some simple maintenance while I'm away.
Bob
Via the Internet

Carb Counting
Holley Performance Products has introduced its all-new Ultra Street Avenger and Ultra Double Pumper carburetors. They're designed for improved performance, weight savings, and show-quality looks, and their all-aluminum construction makes them 5 pounds lighter than their zinc predecessors.The Ultra Street Avengers come with vacuum secondaries, are available in 670- and 770-cfm sizes, and have all of the bolt-on-and-go features that made the original Street Avengers so popular. The Ultra Double Pumpers are available in 650- and 750-cfm sizes and come with mechanical secondaries and electric chokes. Both carb types feature four-corner idle circuits for precise tuning and enhanced fuel curves for optimum performance. Check out www.holley.com for all the details.

Part 2: Manufacturers K-V
in our last issue, we brought you a plethora of manufacturers promising to improve your Corvette's ride and handling with the latest in shocks, springs, control arms, antisway bars, and bushings. This month, we bring you another sampling of suspension specialists, each one ready to provide you with the mods you need to enhance the agility of your Corvette.

We ended Part 1 of this story last month with a quote from Chevy General Manager Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, who told Corvette chief engineer Zora Duntov to "stick it to the Cobras." Duntov happily followed Knudsen's order by agreeing to lend three Grand Sports to John Mecom, a young Texas oil tycoon who also loved racing. Mecom agreed to add the three Corvettes to his racing team and let Duntov care for them. Duntov had chassis Nos. 003 and 004 returned to Chevrolet from racer Dick Doane in Chicago and Gulf Oil in Pittsburgh. He and his team refurbished the two cars by adding larger wheels, tires, and fender flares. A 377ci aluminum small-block was also installed with four 58mm DOCE sidedraft Weber carburetors. Chassis No. 005 was completed with the same improved specs, and all three cars were painted in a Cadillac light metallic blue. The finished Corvettes were then shipped to Mecom in Texas, just in time to be sent on to the Nassau Speed Weeks event in the Bahamas.

Despite the abysmal state of the world economy, the FIA GT3 European Championship continues to provide what teams, drivers, and sponsors all want from international motor racing. This season's lineup features 11 of the world's most famous GT marques, including the addition of two new entrants: the Audi R8 LMS and the BMW Alpina B6. Two-time series champions Callaway Competition, from Leingarten, Germany, has returned this year with two Callaway-Corvette Z06.Rs to defend its title. Marc Sourd Racing is also competing this year with two Vettes.

Think your Vette is Menagerie material? Just send a photo of the car, a brief (or, if you prefer, no-so-brief) description, and whatever else you'd like to Vette Magazine, c/o 'Glass Menagerie, 9036 Brittany Way, Tampa, FL 33619. You can also email the information to vette@sorc.com with "Glass" in the subject line. So what are you waiting for?

In our last issue, we detailed the job of installing a Zip Products HD Dana 36 differential in our '96 C4 coupe. Although the installation itself went off without a hitch, all that loosening and retightening of suspension components exacerbated what previously had been only a minor problem with the Vette's rear ride height. Indeed, no matter how hard we cranked down on the stock spring bolts, the freshly modified car persisted in evincing the kind of arse-in-the-sky stance you might expect from a '79 Camaro running a pair of Gabriel Hijackers. Not cool.