One of the most exciting things about being involved in the Corvette hobby is having the chance to experience the many ways in which different owners enjoy their cars. Some modify and race their Vettes, while others drive them daily and show them on weekends. There's even a small group whose members enjoy buying Corvettes and putting them on permanent display. Over the years, we at Team VETTE have been privileged to visit many of these Corvette collections.

Recently, we met the Boers, a family of Corvette enthusiasts who are fully committed to preserving the car's proud heritage. Father Andre Boer bought his first Vette-a silver '76 with red interior-in 1979. Three months later, he purchased a '66 convertible, quickly followed by a blue '74 big-block coupe. The difference between Andre Boer and most Corvette owners is that he has kept more cars than he has sold. To date, he has accumulated more than 100! Sixty of them are on permanent display in a beautiful glass-and-brick museum.

Believe it or not, the Boers are not American. In fact, they don't even live in the States. The Boers hail from the small Dutch town of Wezep, located 85 km (around 53 miles) north of Amsterdam. We are able to bring you their story thanks to Corvette Europe Brand Manager Koos Pettinga, who introduced us to them during our recent Dream Car Garage trip.

We were unprepared for what we found. Corvettes were everywhere, neatly parked side-by-side in multiple rows. If you have a favorite model year, Andre Boer probably has one (or more) somewhere. They are displayed by generations, from First to Sixth.

Our tour started with a white '54. It was parked in a row beside six other First-generation Vettes, culminating with a silver '62. The Second-generation row began with a red split-window and ended with a black '67 big-block coupe. Speaking of '67s, Boer is also the proud owner of a black-and-red 427/435 convertible that shows only 34,909 miles and is Bloomington Gold Certified.

Next, we inspected Boer's Third-generation collection, which starts with a yellow '68 small-block coupe and ends with an '82 Collector Edition. His Fourth-generation Vettes include an '84 Greenwood coupe, three ZR-1s, a '95 Indy pace car, and an '89 Callaway twin-turbo coupe.

Our tour ended near a row of C5s and two special C6s. The Fifth-generation cars include a '98 pace car and several Z06s. Boer is especially proud of his silver '05 convertible, which was the first C6 imported into Europe and was used as a factory display car at the '05 Geneva Auto Show and other automotive events. The latest addition to the collection is a C6 Z06 that carries chassis No. 52. It was the first C6 Z06 brought to Europe and was driven by then-Corvette Chief Engineer Dave Hill in the '05 Le Mans Parade des Pilotes. It was also a factory show car at the '05 and '06 Geneva Shows.

Once our tour had concluded, Boer gave everyone rides in his beautiful '67 big-block convertible. The rumble of the side pipes reverberating throughout the Wezep neighborhood was pure music. Later, he took us to three large warehouses near his museum. These were filled with partially restored Corvettes and others that had been badly crashed. The crashed cars are now used for hard-to-find parts, which are catalogued and stored in bins nearby.

Although our tour ended much too quickly, we left Andre Boer and his family with a new appreciation for the considerable impact the Corvette has had on people around the world. If you're ever in the Netherlands, we encourage you to visit this fabulous collection. It's open to the public Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Most of us can point to the time when we first caught crossed-flag fever. For Dick Dawson, it was in '63, when the split-window Sting Ray first rolled out of St. Louis. "I fell in love with it," he says of the midyear. "It became an obsession." An obsession that, in Dawson's case, led through five C2 Corvettes-including a seriously-built '65 that he raced in Mexico's Carrera Pan Americana road race-and ultimately led to the hybrid "Z067" roadster seen here.

As timeless as the Sting Ray is, things have changed since '63, and the Corvette with them. Having grown restless with the limited-by-comparison performance of the C2, Dawson began studying the cold fusion it would take to blend the classic looks of a midyear with the latest technology of a new Corvette, creating the best of the breed in the process.

The project began with two halves-a top and a bottom-from two different Corvettes. The first was a rolling chassis from an '02 Z06. The 2002 model year was when the Z06's LS6 engine jumped from 385 horsepower to 405, bringing the car's 0-60 time down to around 4 seconds. Reputed to have been a test vehicle, Dawson's '02 roller only had 1,100 miles on the clock and even had its original tires.

The '66 to which this running gear was to be mated, however, was a different story entirely. Bought from a dealer who had obtained it from a previous owner in the form of an abandoned restoration project, the '66 comprised a finished frame with the body barely bolted on. At this point, it should be obvious to even a casual observer that simply installing a C5 engine, transaxle, and suspension on a stock midyear frame is something of a non-starter. Before we get into how Dawson did it, though, let's look at why it's worth doing.

The big advantage of the C5 gear has virtually nothing to do with the engine. There are plenty of otherwise-stock C2s pushing out 400 hp or more, and aftermarket EFI conversions are common enough that making a high-horse engine driveable is no longer the challenge it once was. What the C5 offers is driveability of a different sort. The rear-mounted transaxle greatly improves front-rear weight distribution for more-balanced handling, and the short/long arm (SLA) double-wishbone rear suspension is light-years ahead of the rather crude three-link setup found on the midyear.

Although GM was aware of the SLA system as far back as the '50s, the company chose to inflict the cheaper three-link system on the Corvette when the independent rear suspension debuted on the car in 1963. The wheel was connected to the differential on either side by the axle half-shaft on the top and a strut on the bottom, both of which were of different lengths. When the suspension was compressed under load, the wheel gained camber, keeping more of the tread in contact with the road. What it did not do was gain camber consistently. The half-shafts were of the "floating" variety, which meant they were free to wander in and out of the diff. This, of course, plays merry havoc with the camber, adding that extra touch of unpredictability that keeps the wild-eyed excitement in driving a C2 or shark.

The C4-style five-link rear, while a decisive step ahead, was still bettered with the introduction of the C5's more precise twin-A-arm configuration. The C5 also offered a six-speed, rear-mounted transaxle, which put the transmission at the rear of the car, right in front of the differential. While this greatly improved the front-to-rear weight distribution, all of that stuff still ain't gonna bolt up to a stock C2 chassis.

Dawson began looking at a number of different aftermarket frame manufacturers, ultimately contacting Tray Walden of Street Shop in Athens, Alabama. Although Street Shop is known for its C4 suspension frames for C1-C3 Vettes, sticking a transaxle in one was a new challenge altogether. After checking out the references that Walden supplied (including one customer who had frames from both Street Shop and a competitor), Dawson offered up his two project cars to be used in the creation of Street Shop's first C5 transaxle chassis.

Before they could come together, however, the '66 and the '02 had to part ways. The '66 went to nearby Wood's Body Shop, where Darrin Wood began the extensive fiberglass modifications required to fit the new mechanicals in place. The '02, meanwhile, stayed at Street Shop, where Walden began the painstaking process of building a frame jig and slowly welding the pieces in place. One of Walden's main conditions was that he put the body on himself, so he could make sure it was done right. "His attention to detail was exceptionally good," Dawson says. "He was great to work with."

Walden started with mandrel-formed rails, and by the time he was done cutting and welding, the body mounts were about the only things stock-looking on the new chassis. From the front end, with its mounts for the rack-and-pinion steering and C5 suspension components, to the rear cradle designed to accept the transaxle, everything else looked foreign on the C2 chassis. After Walden shortened the torque tube to fit and bolted it in place behind the LS6, the other C5 components were installed unmodified on the finished chassis. The shocks and transverse-mount fiberglass springs, however, fell by the wayside, replaced by Aldan American coilovers.

Meanwhile, Wood had no less of a challenge in doing the body work. Fortunately, says Dawson, "I don't have any aversion to cutting fiberglass." That is good, because there was a lot of it for Wood to cut. For starters, the C5 torque tube took up much more room than the usual C2 tranny and driveshaft. Wood had to fabricate a new fiberglass transmission tunnel to clear everything, one that was some 4 inches wider and 2 inches higher.

He also fabricated a new rear deck and installed tubs that would tuck the massive 18x10.5-inch Z06 wheels underneath the body without using flares. This would have been enough fun all by itself, except that the Z067 is a drop-top, and when that top drops, it's gotta go someplace. In this case, "someplace" means into painstakingly crafted notches in the tubs, which fill up the place that usually would hold the folded top.

The internal 'glass work wasn't all, though. One of Wood's trademarks is custom work so subtle that it blends almost imperceptibly into the car's original lines. On the Z067, this takes the form of a raised ridge running down the center of the hood bulge and stinger. Hard to do, and easy to botch, it's just one more thing about the Z067 that you only notice on close inspection.

With the fabrication complete and cured, Wood began the arduous prep work and block-sanding that ultimately led to a miles-deep Jet Black paint job and Rally Red stinger. The completed body and chassis were then taken to the nearby shop of Jim Hornaday, where the body drop was to be performed. Hornaday, a longtime Vette aficionado and an expert on C2 restoration, had become aware of the project early on, and when he heard that Dawson was mating a Z06 to a '67-style body, he referred to the car as a "Z067." The name stuck. Dawson's daughter, a graphic designer, laid out the distinctive Z06-inspired logo, which is found tastefully applied throughout the car. Another friend laser-cut the polished stainless-steel hood logos, the backs of which Dawson pocket-milled so he could install the red fiberglass inserts that show through the front.

Once the top and bottom were together, there was still a cloth Al Knoch ragtop to be put on, and work to be done on the interior. With all the room the torque tube took up in the passenger compartment, the standard, 19-inch-wide C2 seats simply wouldn't fit, so Dawson had narrower, 16-inch seats custom made by Chuck Rowland of Tulsa and covered by well-known hot-rod upholsterer James Carter of Springdale, Arkansas. These were sewn up in ultra-leather, rather than leather, for durability reasons, along with a set of matching door panels. Dawson even used the material to cover the custom aluminum console he had cut out with a CNC water jet. The red-and-black theme is maintained inside and out and is accompanied by the Z067 logo, which appears on the seatbelt latches, wheel center caps, and rear diff cover.

Looking good isn't everything, though, and since Dawson had previously owned a business that manufactured air-conditioning components for the automotive industry, he contacted his former company for the custom tubes and hoses needed to optimize the A/C installation. Unlike an original C2, the Z067 will blow cold air at idle all day long and never overheat.

One of the last things Dawson mentioned to me when I called to talk about the car was the radio. Not only was it reconditioned with digital circuitry, he'd had a line-in installed in the ashtray, along with a discreetly hidden toggle switch that takes the sound system from AM/FM to iPod compatible. The last thing he told me regarding the Z067 before I went to see it, though, was to drive it. And drive it I did.

The Z067 came alive with the customary cardiac throb, the factory-style side pipes emitting a slightly higher-strung cadence than you'd expect from a typical midyear. The six-speed trans slipped easily into First gear, and I handled the car with the amount of respect-no, make that fear-due a vehicle that weighs under 3,000 pounds and has more than 400 hp. Handled gently, it was surprisingly docile but also extraordinarily responsive: The lightest touch on the teak-and-rosewood steering wheel moved the car into the other lane, and even gentle pressure on the gas pedal brought it quickly up to cruising speed. More-authoritative footwork in Second and Third gears (frankly, I was way too scared of First) brought the fast-revving LS6 through its powerband to its shift points at preternatural speed, turning the world in the windshield into a blur. Shifts were fast and smooth, and the car felt ever-so-connected to the pavement, cornering as flat and stable as you please. Even to those accustomed to driving C5s, the feeling is entirely different-much more raw, untamed, and exhilarating.

When he was describing the Z067, Dawson referred to it as the culmination of his Corvette hobby. It's the culmination of many things, and you'd be hard pressed to find a car that does a better job of bringing the Corvette full circle-following its long journey from old-school elegance to today's technology, shoehorned back beneath the hood of what's gone before.

SPEC SHEET
Car	'67 Convertible
Owner	Richard Dawson
Block	Stock LS6 cast aluminum
Pistons	Stock LS6 hypereutectic aluminum
Rods	Stock LS6 powdered-metal steel
Displacement	346 ci
Compression Ratio	10.5:1
Heads	Stock LS6 aluminum
Valves	Stock 2.00/1.55
Camshaft	Stock LS6 hydraulic roller (204/211-deg duration,
	0.525/0.525-in lift)
Rocker Arms	Stock LS6, 1.7:1 ratio
Crankshaft	Stock LS6 nodular iron
Intake Manifold	Stock LS6 composite
Fuel Injectors	Stock LS6
Fuel Pump	Custom in-tank electric
Ignition	Stock LS6
Air Intake System	Custom tube with K&N filter
Exhaust System	Factory-style '67 Corvette side pipes
Transmission	Stock Z06 T56 six-speed
Clutch	Stock Z06
Steering	Rack-and-pinion with 16:1 ratio approximately
	1 3/4 turns, lock-to-lock
Chassis	Street Shop custom
Driveshaft	Modified Z06 torque-tube assembly
Front Suspension	Z06 short/long arm (SLA) double wishbone,
	adjustable Aldan American coilovers, set to
	approximately 400 lbs
Rear Suspension	Z06 short/long arm (SLA) double wishbone,
	adjustable Aldan American coilovers set to
	approximately 350 lbs
Rearend	Stock Z06 with 3.42 rear gear
Front Brakes	Stock 12.6-in Z06 discs
Rear Brakes	Stock 11.8-in Z06 discs
Front Wheels	17x9.5-in reproduction Z06, machine-finish front
	and gray webbing
Rear Wheels	18x10.5-in reproduction Z06, machine-finish front
	and gray webbing
Front Tires	Michelin 285/40-17
Rear Tires	Michelin 295/35-18
Weight	2,700 lbs (estimated)
Current Mileage	Approximately 2,500 miles since completion
Miles Driven Weekly	10-15

Ever since I heard about the Pratt & Miller C6RS project in July 2007, I've been coveting a chance to exploit the car's capabilities. I've worked with the P&M team and its Corvette Racing program for the last eight years, and I know full well its ability to engineer and produce a track weapon par excellence. Anything it builds is executed well, designed to take a beating, and tested for superb reliability and performance. If the team could produce a street-going Corvette with the DNA of its famous C6.R racer, the performance-car world would certainly genuflect at its feet.

Sworn to secrecy over the C6RS's existence until its unveiling at SEMA last November, I had to bite my tongue every time ultra-performance supercars inspired a spirited conversation. When the car was finally revealed, in the form of a prototype built for Tonight Show host Jay Leno, it exceeded all expectations. Still, it was Leno's coveted ride-no chance to get seat time there. Then, in early February, I received an e-mail from P&M C6RS program director Mike Atkins: "Would you like to come to Sebring while the racing team is tire testing with Michelin and drive the C6RS?" Duh! Cancel the week's scheduling and get me a ticket to Florida-now!

By February of this year, P&M had produced three C6RS cars-Jay's black-on-red prototype, a sinister-looking primer-black test mule, and a sparkling Velocity Yellow convertible built for company principal Jim Miller. All three cars were to be at Sebring, along with the Corvette Racing team. I arrived at the track to find that four P&M/Corvette Racing transporters had spilled their contents into the paddock, and the team was busy preparing for the week's test regimen. Off to one side, the three C6RS cars and a new yellow Z06 were huddled under a transporter's canopy. The next couple of days proved to be as exciting a time as I have ever had driving cars.

First Impressions
The first day, we had a chance to take out the test mule and see what it could do on the street. As I left the roadside, the pull from the 500ci, 600hp Katech engine was significant-downright massive, in fact. Shifting into Second, the rearend stepped out a little-the natural side effect of 600 lb-ft of torque-and the car pulled like the proverbial freight train. Grabbing Third, the C6RS literally felt like it wanted to take off. On the street, you'd be hard pressed to get past Third under full throttle and not be incarcerated for life.

Self-preservation dictated backing off and quickly applying the brakes-another experience in itself. The standard Brembo brake package is capable of extreme deceleration, hauling the car down immediately without getting into lockup. Given the kind of velocity the C6RS is capable of, great brakes are a welcome companion. Ron Fellows has tested this setup on the track at Gingerman Raceway and reports no brake fade with 100-to-0 stops executed lap after lap.

OK, so acceleration is no problem, and the brakes are supremely up to the task. But how about getting around a corner? The C6RS turns in very smoothly and progressively-better, frankly, than the Z06 I drive as an everyday car.

What is more impressive is the flat cornering posture the car takes as you apex the turn and track out. On the street, the car behaves as if it's on rails, with no perceptible lean whatsoever. This type of cornering attitude is usually achieved at the expense of ride comfort. The P&M engineers, utilizing a sophisticated air suspension system from Arvin-Meritor, have achieved a very compliant ride while maintaining exemplary cornering ability. In fact, the C6RS is even smoother and more comfortable than the factory Z06 when traversing bumps, expansion joints, and uneven pavement. The undulations found on the roads around the Sebring track simply melted away under the spell of the car's suspension setup, which is extremely surprising considering the performance of which those underpinnings are capable.

Auto Exotica
Bringing the car back to the Sebring paddock was difficult, like returning an enchanting first date to her home-you just don't want to let go. But waiting for me was another temptress from the P&M family, the convertible C6RS. The first date's sibling was dressed in spellbinding yellow, and her seductive call was more than this poor soul could bear.

A push of the start button whipped 600 horses into a frenzy, and we were off. There was no extraneous clutch/gear action to distract us, since this C6RS was equipped with a paddle-shifted six-speed automatic. Transmission choice notwithstanding, the driving experience proved no less seductive. In terms of acceleration, there was no perceptible difference between the topless version and her svelter sister. Ditto the magnificent brakes and magic-carpet-ride suspension.

I detected no cowl shake in the drop top, even when traversing the broken pavement that is characteristic of the small roads around SIR. The paddle-commanded gearshifts did require a little time to take effect, and slamming from gear to gear in a gut-tightening display of acceleration wasn't quite the visceral experience it was in the manual version. Still, the pure, large-displacement grunt was unmistakable.

The C6RS's standard Corsa exhaust emitted a nice, throaty burble at idle. At speed, the note was surprisingly muted, which should make the car tolerable for cruising long distances on the highway.

For leisurely, top-down driving enhanced by massive amounts of steroidal muscle, there is little to compare to the C6RS convertible. With all of that performance on tap, it's interesting to note that Jim Miller drove the car from Sebring to Naples and back, recording 20.4 mpg while dancing on the accelerator pedal from time to time along the way.

On The Track
The next day, we had a chance to take the C6RS "mule" out on the track at Sebring. This is where the car really had a chance to display its dance moves. Freed from having to monitor the rearview mirrors for police cruisers, the mind turns from thoughts of ride comfort and interior noise to the serious business of going fast. In this role, the car doesn't disappoint.

The acceleration is amazing. With the gobs of torque possessed by the 8.2L Katech engine, a major push in the back is available at any time, and at any rpm. Just give the accelerator a squeeze and bang-you're gone. But straight-line performance is not all this car is about. The cornering transitions from left to right are simply effortless. The turn-in feel is better than that of a stock Z06, perhaps a result of the P&M car's wider stance and different tire characteristics. (The C6RS uses Michelin Pilot Sports sized 295/30-18 front and 345/30-19 rear.)

What really impresses is how easy it is to maneuver the quick left-right slalom section that makes up the back side of the Sebring track. The snappy alterations in direction are handled with a flat attitude, even under acceleration. The resultant experience is intoxicating. Going faster and faster, you start to realize that the capabilities of the brakes and suspension likely exceed your ability to safely explore them-particularly during an all-too-brief testdrive in the company's only R&D vehicle. Besides, Ron Fellows was scheduled to give the car a proper wringing-out at the Michelin proving grounds in South Carolina the following week. Suffice it to say the C6RS would be a very rewarding date to any local track.

Conclusion
The first question asked by any knowledgeable Corvette nut is, "How does the C6RS stack up against a new ZR1?" At the time of this writing, no ZR1s were available for media evaluation. But I did ask Corvette Racing drivers Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell-who have significant experience in both cars-how they would compare the two.

O'Connell felt the C6RS had better torque and would be faster to 60 than the ZR1. However, he was unable to fully evaluate the C6RS's handling characteristics at Sebring, as a computer glitch prevented the traction-control system from being completely defeated during spirited driving. Fellows echoed O'Connell's comment that the torque of the P&M creation should make it a faster car in initial acceleration. Both veterans got out of P&M's latest ride with big smiles on their faces, commenting that the C6RS has as much power as their "company car," the all-conquering C6.R racer.

Still, the C6RS is not for everyone. First of all, the price of admission is pretty high: $225,000 to $260,000, including the cost of your Corvette donor car. And, as I noted earlier, the car's performance envelope far exceeds the capabilities of even a moderately experienced driver. Pilot it sedately, however, and the C6RS is perfectly capable of filling the role of daily conveyance. Indeed, never before have I driven anything that is so comfortable on the street while being so supremely capable on a racetrack. It's a testament to the skill of the P&M engineers that they were able to blend such disparate characteristics into such a harmonious whole.

If you have the wherewithal to experience a C6RS, do it. Careful, though. Once you've sampled this siren's temptations, you'll be forever under her spell.

For more information on the Pratt & Miller C6RS, visit www.prattmillerc6rs.com.

I was a shop teacher in Sayreville, New Jersey, for 30 years. It was a great run. When I retired, I decided to do a project car. I looked around and found a real junker Corvette-a '77 "rat" of a car. I should have looked some more. Instead, I spent five grand and soon realized I made a huge error in judgment. It was pure junk. All I could really use were the body and the dashboard. I persevered, though, and the result is outstanding.

The project took a solid two years and hundreds of hours of hard labor to complete. The 0.030-over 350 engine was a gift from a shop-teacher buddy. It has Dart heads, a steel crank, I-beam rods, forged-aluminum pistons, Crane roller rockers, a 750 Holley, and a Comp cam. As a result, it has about 450 horsepower and is tons of fun to drive.

Last year, my Corvette took top honors in six of the ten shows I entered. Was it worth all the work? Well, let me put it this way: There's no way I'd do another!

Do you have a real-life Corvette story for The Vette File? If so, we'd love to hear from you. Just send a detailed Word document and a selection of high-resolution digital photography to us at the address below. All submissions become property of VETTE.

Vette magazine
Attn: The Vette File
9036 Brittany Way
Tampa, FL 33619

The Sebring ALMS event always attracts a large number of Corvette owners who come to watch their favorite sports car compete against the world's best. A few years ago, Chevrolet, the C5/C6 Registry, and the National Corvette Museum began offering these enthusiasts a "Weekend at Sebring." The package includes many special "Corvette only" amenities, secure parking, private grandstands on Turn 17, lunch, car displays, a large tent, TV coverage of the race, and a slate of Corvette guest speakers.

This year, four special Corvettes were on display: an '09 ZR1 prototype, an '08 Indy pace car convertible, a 427 Limited Edition Z06, and a Pratt & Miller C6RS convertible. On Friday, retired Corvette Plant Manager Wil Cooksey presented the first 427 Limited Edition Z to the fans (see sidebar). Cooksey gave everyone a walk-around tour of the car, which previously had been presented to him as a retirement gift. Later in the day, the Corvette Racing drivers came to the Corral for the ever-popular autograph session.

On Saturday, retired Chief Engineer Dave McLellan gave a presentation on the history of the original C4 ZR-1 project. McLellan then drove a '90 ZR-1 on an exhibition lap around Sebring, accompanied by current Corvette supremo Tom Wallace at the wheel of a new ZR1. In an interesting twist, McLellan, who serves as an engineering consultant on the mid-engined Mosler MT900, brought one of the Vette-powered supercars to the Corral for everyone to inspect.

Later, Wallace spoke at length about the new ZR1. A large crowd asked him many probing questions about the new car, to which he gave commendably candid answers. Next, IMSA Event Director Larry Hayes honored Cooksey for his contribution to Corvette Racing by presenting him with a plaque. Owners were then presented with celebrity choice awards, and the rest of the day was spent watching the race and bench-racing with other Corvette owners. Once again, the Sebring Corvette Corral proved a winning complement to this season-opening race.

Cooksey's High-Powered Send Off
Wil Cooksey loves to tell people about his dream job: managing the Bowling Green Assembly Plant where the Corvette is built. Cooksey retired from GM and his dream job in early March of this year. His love of fast cars, especially Corvettes, made him the perfect match for this coveted management position. During his tenure, Cooksey worked hard to become an owner's advocate by inviting and listening to customer feedback. He took this feedback to GM executives, and many changes were introduced on the C5 and C6 as a result. Cooksey became plant manager in 1993 and was responsible for producing three generations of Corvettes.

As part of his sendoff, Cooksey was given the job of introducing the 427 Limited Edition Z06 at this year's 12 Hours of Sebring. The introduction marked the culmination of his extensive involvement with the car, which spanned several months. Late last year, Cooksey was approached by Corvette Product Manager Harlan Charles, who was seeking opinions on a new limited-edition model. Cooksey thought the car was a great idea. Charles then asked Cooksey if he would be willing to personally sign each vehicle, a first for a GM employee. "Who wouldn't want to do that?" Cooksey replied. Approval for the project was received in February, and Cooksey autographed the console lids of all 505 cars shortly thereafter.

Four hundred and twenty-seven of the limited-edition Z06s will be sold in the U.S., with the remaining seventy-eight reserved for export. Each car is equipped with "427" seats and emblems, '09 Z06 wheels, and body coloration for the door handles, third brake light, and center console. Crystal Red Metallic with a black, "stinger"-striped hood is the only color offered. In tribute to the man who poured his passion into the Corvette for 15 years, Cooksey was handed the keys to the first car built, No. 001.

When Marc and Vanessa Halphen of Spring Hill, Florida, decided to create a custom Corvette, they knew it would take more than a tape-on graphics package to make the sports car look hellaciously hot. "I wanted to do a car up with my own design," Marc tells VETTE, "and I liked the way real fire looked."

Flame graphics on Corvettes are nothing new. In fact, the first Vettes to receive the treatment appeared way back in the '50s. According to Mike Yager, owner and "Chief Cheerleader" of Mid America Motorworks, "A custom-painted Corvette back in the '60s was cool, but to have the front end on fire was awesome! I can remember attending shows, and if a Corvette had flames, it had a crowd.

"During the Corvette Challenge of 1989, the No. 10 and 11 Corvettes had flame paint jobs. It was very cool-looking on the track. They were crowd favorites, and are favorite collector cars of choice from that vintage series. Our Corvette Funfest brings in a lot of custom Corvettes, and it is amazing to see some of the flame jobs nowadays. It is a style that will never go away."

The Halphens began their project with a black '06 Corvette coupe purchased in Atlanta. It was 100 percent stock, with 385 miles on the odometer, and ready for the husband-and-wife team to sketch out its custom plans. Surprisingly, they didn't even wait to get outside of Atlanta's city limits before the work began. "I installed a shark-tooth grille on the front fascia for the vehicle's maiden journey down to Florida," Marc says. "If I'm driving a Corvette, it's got to be custom, even if I have to stop at a rest stop and add stainless trim to it."

Once back in Florida, the couple delivered its Vette to Jaymz Air Studios in Hudson for graphic design and paint. Marc had admired owner James Kunzinger's previous work for clients such as the New Jersey Nets and the New York Plaza Hotel, and he and his wife were certain they picked the right studio to customize their C6 in airbrushed flames and skulls.

Kunzinger started with a fresh, custom-graphic design for the Vette, followed by 60 hours of prep, airbrush, and detail. "Marc had originally shown me a few images of skeletons and skulls he had found to ensure that we were on the same page as far as the artwork style was concerned," he tells us. "After that, I was given free rein. And for me, that's always the way I do my best work."

Using the hood as a starting point, Kunzinger laid out the diabolical artwork, working a pair of skeletons into full detail using House of Kolor urethane whites, grays, and blacks. Once these were done, he began to freehand the realistic fire using the skeletons as a center point, working backwards down both sides of the vehicle. "The fire effect is a lot of back-and-forth color work," he explains. "I used House of Kolors Molly Orange, Lime Gold Kandy, Tangerine Kandy, Apple Kandy, and Passion Purple Pearl to achieve the realistic fire effect."

One key aspect of the graphic design is the nearly invisible Corvette logo on the hood. Sometimes you see it, and sometimes you don't. "I achieved the look by cutting the logo on my vinyl plotter and weeding the decal in reverse, creating a spray mask out of Low-Tac vinyl," says Kunzinger. "Once the paint mask was in place, I simply sprayed two light dust coats of House of Kolor Snowhite Pearl through the mask, creating a subtle 'see-through' image. It's like a ghost logo, except this ghost only shows up in the bright sunlight."

Using the same color-layering process, Kunzinger next added smaller skeleton graphics on the roof and rear of the Vette. The entire vehicle was degreased to remove any impurities, after which several coats of Matrix MS-42 high-solids clearcoat were applied to seal the artwork.

The next chapter of this story begins with the plan to customize the engine compartment. The Halphens called upon American Car Craft (ACC), also of Hudson, and asked owner Rick Rivera to design and install an underhood package that would make the Corvette a stainless-steel-clad show-stopper. "I fabricated the engine dress-up components from 20-gauge 304 'black chrome' stainless using laser-cut flat sheets, and then bent and shaped them by hand," Rivera tells us. "These pieces included fender caps and covers, a full engine shroud, air-tube and throttle-body covers, two-piece hood-panel inserts, and a radiator cover."

Marc and Vanessa delivered the stainless to Jaymz, commissioned more flame- and skull-themed airbrushing, and then returned to ACC with the completed pieces. Strangely, Rivera wouldn't allow the couple to watch the installation. "Please don't stop by here until I have completed the car entirely," he told them. "I want you to be really surprised with the results."

ACC reinstalled the accessories, making certain the artwork and the stainless pieces themselves weren't scratched. Then it designed and installed a special LED light system for the Corvette. The most impressive portion of this system is in the fender liner and features super-thin, super-bright LEDs. These lights are a stealth application: They're completely invisible unless illuminated. Once switched on, they dramatically change the appearance of the engine compartment, making the underhood area and its airbrushed stainless look like they're actually on fire.

Rivera also designed and inserted fiber-optic lighting between the hood's frame and pane. When lit, it gives the impression of real flames emanating from the bottom of each hood panel. Both lighting systems are activated by a hidden switch in the battery area. Using extremely low voltage and a miserly 3-amp draw, Marc can run them for hours at a time without any noticeable drain on the battery.

ACC's final steps were to hand-etch the side windows and hatch glass with tribal-skull and flame graphics. It also fabricated and applied stainless-steel emblems to both the taillights and to a perforated exhaust-port filler panel designed for C6 Corvettes.

Considering the flamed Vette's intended mission-torching competitors on the show field rather than the dragstrip-it's not surprising that the car's only aftermarket performance mod is a B&B Route 66 exhaust system with four polished tips. The factory six-speed automatic remains similarly stock, as do the C6's eminently capable OEM brake and suspension components.

Marc says he was genuinely shocked when he took delivery of the freshly modified Corvette. "I walked in, they opened up the hood, and I couldn't believe it was my car. I almost felt faint. It was beyond my wildest expectations." Still, it wasn't enough to satisfy the customizing-crazy Halphens. Marc took the Vette home, unbolted the interior gauge bezel, center console, shifter knob insert, A/C side vents, and kick guards, and sent them to Kunzinger for airbrushing. Finally, he added a Lloyd's cargo mat and floor mats from Fast Vette Accessories to complete the project. "Only then was I satisfied that we had created exactly what I dreamed," he says. "It's a crowd magnet wherever it goes."

Showgoers apparently agree. Marc and Vanessa's Corvette was featured in the American Car Craft booth at the Eckler's Reunion in 2007 and shown at numerous other car shows in Florida. These include the Chasco Fiesta in New Port Richey, where it won "Best Custom Corvette," and the October Vettes at Old Town, where it earned the "Eckler's Pick Award."

In October 2007, the couple finished its third custom Corvette, an '05 LeMans Blue convertible based around a similar, flame-intensive theme. Currently, the couple is looking forward to its fourth Corvette project, which will involve a black C6 coupe with a wide-body conversion kit, a high-rise hood, and a radical graphic design blending checker flags with-you guessed it-fire.

"The overall appearance of the Corvette was well thought out between James, Marc, and me," says Rivera. "Our goal was to display a very 'live' attitude-that is, to make the car look like a living creature. Between the shark-tooth grille, eyebrows, and the way the flames are arranged, I feel we really succeeded in creating a custom Corvette that says, 'Move on over, I'm coming through.'

"There are a lot of flame jobs that have been created over the decades, and this particular arrangement was extremely successful in achieving a very tasteful result, without overdoing the theme. When you combine the flame work and the stainless accessories, we really ended up with a special Corvette."

SPEC SHEET
Car	'06 coupe
Owner	Marc and Vanessa Halphen
Block	Stock LS2
Displacement	364 ci
Compression Ratio	10.9:1
Heads	Stock LS2 aluminum
Valves	Stock 2.00/1.55-in
Camshaft	Stock hydraulic roller (200/203-deg duration,
	0.500/0.500-in lift)
Rocker Arms	Stock 1.7-ratio
Pistons	Stock hypereutectic aluminum
Crankshaft	Stock nodular iron
Rods	Stock powdered-metal steel
Intake Manifold	Stock composite
Fuel Injectors	Stock
Fuel Pump	Stock
Ignition	Stock
Engine Management	Stock PCM
Exhaust System	B&B Route 66
Transmission	Stock six-speed automatic with paddle shift
Torque Converter	Stock
Driveshaft	Stock
Front Suspension	Stock
Rear Suspension	Stock
Rear End	Stock with 2.56 gears
Front Brakes	Stock 12.8-in discs
Rear Brakes	Stock 12-in discs
Wheels	Reproduction Z06; 18x9.5-in (front), 19x10-in (rear)
Front Tires	Goodyear F1 EMT, 245/40ZR18
Rear Tires	Goodyear F1 EMT, 285/35ZR19
Fuel Octane	93
Weight	3,240 lbs
Best ET/MPH	N/A
Best 60-ft. Time	N/A
Current Mileage	4,000
Miles Driven Weekly	Only to shows

Drag racers earn their excitement in reaction times, 60-foots, and quarter-mile e.t.'s. The terminal velocity achieved over the 1,320 isn't nearly as important as the time it takes to get to the finish line. But land-speed racing is a motorsport in which speed is the ultimate goal, and competitors brag of reaching 200, 250, and even 300-plus miles per hour.

Al and Gail Phillips, a husband-and-wife racing team from Pismo Beach, California, belong to the land-speed-racer coterie, and their current weapon of choice is a heavily modified '99 Corvette.

The Phillips' love affair with the Corvette dates back to the '50s. When Al was a teenager, there was nothing cooler than Chevy's flagship sports car. But like most daydreaming young men, he had to wait until deep into his adulthood to purchase the object of his affection. In 1980, Al and Gail found a fuel-injected, four-speed '58 Vette that needed restoration. "It was one-third the cost of the Ferrari we were considering, and it had a trunk big enough to put things in. Plus, Al could do a lot of the work himself-so we bought it!" Gail tells VETTE.

The couple owned the classic Corvette for almost 20 years, during which time Gail was determined to learn as much about the marque as she could. Eventually, her own fixation with Corvettes took over, and she bought herself a Silver Blue '64 coupe. In 1994, Gail and the car were featured both in VETTE and in a popular mass-produced poster.

In 1993, NASCAR Winston Cup racer, car builder, and driver Doug Odom began constructing a land-speed race car. According to Gail, "Al told him it would be more interesting for a woman to be the driver, especially if he was going for a world record. Also, it might help get media attention and sponsors. So Doug asked him if I could be the driver."

Gail thought her husband was crazy when he explained what land-speed racing was and how it worked, but she was more than up for the challenge. Before long, she was invited to El Mirage Dry Lakes in the Mojave Desert of California to watch a land-speed competition. "It was hot, windy, dirty, noisy, exciting, exhilarating and scary. I was in," Gail says.

Put simply, land-speed events feature straight-line racing against standing records. Vehicles run one at a time and compete in certain engine and body classes. Before making a pass, every vehicle goes through an inspection to certify it for its class. The driver's suit and helmet are checked for proper ratings, and the driver is timed to be sure he or she can get out of the car in less than 60 seconds in the event of an emergency. Vehicles are then queued up on either side of the long (five or seven miles, depending on speed class) course in preparation to make a pass.

Like all land-speed racers, Gail started out by running at relatively low velocities to get her first license, then increased her speeds as her skills and confidence level improved. Land-speed licenses fall into the following categories:

(E) up to 125 mph
(D) 125 to 149 mph
(C) 150 to 174 mph
(B) 175 to 199 mph
(A) 200 to 249 mph
(AA) 250 to 299 mph
(Unlimited) 300+ mph

Gail currently holds an A license but plans to advance to the AA level. According to her, anyone can participate in land-speed racing so long as they have a car and a crew and belong to the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) or the Bonneville National, Inc. (BNI) sanctioning body.

To build her land-speed race Vette, Gail started with a '99 coupe and added the highly modified suspension parts required to support speeds over 200 mph. She commissioned its colors in a patriotic palette to reflect her appreciation and support for the American troops fighting in Iraq.

Sanctioning body rules dictate that a Corvette racing in the Grand Touring (GT) class must be stock-bodied, with no spoilers or wings added unless those items came factory installed. The motor can be of any size as long as it is a Chevrolet engine. The only other changes allowed to cars in this class are safety modifications such as a rollcage and polycarbonate replacement panels for the factory glass.

According to Gail, her Corvette weighs 3,375 pounds with her in the driver seat and has an excellent .029 coefficient of drag (cd). It's set up to run numerous classes, all with strict engine-size requirements. A special safety feature borrowed from NASCAR is the airbrake fabricated into the top of the car. This piece is designed to keep the car on the ground in the event of a spin. Gail had a chance to test its effectiveness when she hit a hole on the Bonneville Salt Flats and spun several times at approximately 180 mph.

Currently, the Vette runs in the E class, which dictates a maximum engine size of 260.999 cubic inches. Odom destroked a 0.030-over 283 to get 258 cubes. "The motor made 445 hp on the dyno at sea level," he says. "Bonneville is 4,200 ft, so we lose about 13 percent horsepower on a good day. A lot of days, the corrected altitude is 7,000 ft. It takes about 385 hp at the flywheel to make a C5 go 190 mph."

Unlike road-race enthusiasts, Phillips and company will never have to spend big money-or any money, for that matter-on front brakes. Says Odom, "Land-speed cars use parachutes to slow down because of the small area of tire on the ground. Brakes on a land-speed car are used mostly to not run over someone in the pits. are only driven under their own power from the starting line to the end of the course. They are pushed, pulled, or trailered everywhere else."

At her first Bonneville Speed Week event with the Vette in 2006, Gail broke a 28-year-old record (of 184 mph) by going 190.194 mph in the E/GT class. In August 2007, she challenged the D/GT record again in the Corvette, this time with a 300ci SBC making 500 hp, and achieved a race speed of 202.434 mph.

Gail and Al find that land-speed racing, like drag racing, is one of the few motorsports in which almost anyone can participate. "Land-speed racers create their own success from family budgets and home garages without big sponsors like in NASCAR," Gail says. They believe it is this individual spirit that has created the world's fastest speed trials.

"I have often been asked what the difference between drag racers and land speed racers is, and while there is a commonality between both types of racing that can't be denied, the differences can be profound. Both need to manage their vehicle, horsepower, skill, and courage to the nth degree. Land speed racers go faster for longer periods of time with less horsepower, living on that razor's edge for 60 to 90 seconds, alone, which can feel like a lifetime to the driver. Distance allows time for reflection as you focus on the horizon, and no matter the speed, it's always just out of reach."

SPEC SHEET
Car	'99 coupe
Block	'59 Chevy 283 (E/GT configuration)
Displacement	258 ci
Crankshaft	Mickey Thompson forged
Compression Ratio	12:01
Heads	GM Performance Parts No. 10134363
Valves	2.00/1.55 titanium
Camshaft	Crower roller; 262/274-deg duration,
	0.680/0.700-in lift, 108-deg LSA
Rocker Arms	Jesel 1.65/1.60-ratio
Pistons	Ross custom
Rods	6.2-in Carrillo
Intake Manifold	Custom sheetmetal, built by Doug Odom
Fuel Injectors	Bosch 56-lb/hr
Fuel Pump	Kinsler 45-psi electric
Ignition	MSD NASCAR 6 HVC
Exhaust	Modified NASCAR Nextel Cup headers with
	2-in primaries, 3-in X-crossover
Transmission	Turbo-350 with reverse valve body
	(N-1st-2nd-High), no reverse gear or torque
	converter
Driveshaft	Stock
Front Suspension	Straight axle, Goodyear airbags
Rear Suspension	Modified NASCAR track arms and bar,
	Goodyear airbags
Rear End	Ford 9-in NASCAR floater, 3.25 open gear
Front Brakes	None
Rear Brakes	Wilwood NASCAR Super Speedway with
	11-in rotorsand four-piston calipers
Parachute	Stroud with 10-ft ribbon and 75-ft line
Wheels	Taylor 15x4.5
Front Tires	Goodyear Eagle LSR, 24x 4.5
Rear Tires	Goodyear Eagle LSR, 28x 4.5
Fuel Octane	110
Weight	3,370 lbs
Record/MPH (in E/GT class)	190.156 mph

Vette magazine was recently called upon by the speed evangelists at Chevrolet to give our impressions of the freshened-for-'08 Z06 Corvette. Having enjoyed the time we spent with a base '08 coupe a few months earlier ("Repeat Performance," April '08), we were more than happy to arrange a tte--tte with the latest Z.

Chevrolet's flagship Vette (at the time) came to us carrying a standard price of $70,175. Our tester was well-optioned with the 3LZ Premium Equipment Group ($6,545), U3U Navigation with AM/FM CD ($1,750), and 83U Atomic Orange Metallic paint ($300), bringing its MSRP (with $825 destination charge) to $79,595. The cabin was laid out in the new-for-'08 Sienna leather trim, which made for a striking complement to the car's exterior finish. As is obligatory with all Z06 Corvettes, ours was equipped with the TR6060 six-speed manual transmission mated to a re-engineered shifter-and-linkage package that debuted on the Vette this year.

The single most expensive item in our Z06's inventory of options, the 3LZ package comprises a comprehensive suite of upgrades intended to bring heretofore unimagined levels of style and refinement to the Corvette's interior. It includes the following equipment:

* Side-impact airbags (driver and passenger)
* Steering-wheel-mounted radio controls
* Enhanced acoustic package
* Rear-compartment cargo net and luggage shade
* Memory package
* Heated seats (driver and passenger)
* Universal home remote
* Power telescoping steering column
* Custom, leather-wrapped interior (leather-wrapped upper instrument panel, upper door trim panels, and console storage cover; exclusive leather color and two-tone design, including seat headrest "tonal" crossed-flagembroidery and enhanced armrest padding; special, bias-pattern console trim plate)

As with previous C6 Z06s, the first thing we noticed about the '08 edition was its muscular good looks. The C6, in any trim, makes a bold visual statement, and although we've seen this generation for four model years now, it continues to impress. A pseudo-functional nose scoop (the opening vents a small amount of outside air to the engine compartment, but not to the intake tract) allows even moderately Corvette-savvy onlookers to identify the car as a Z06.

Other exterior styling cues exclusive to the Z include bulging air extractors located behind the front wheels; a downforce-inducing front splitter; wider rear fenders to cover the massive, 325mm tires; and a pair of side-mounted rear-brake-cooling scoops. A tall rear spoiler, Z06-specific wheels, and distinctive model badging complete the look, making the Z a sultry standout for speed-hungry connoisseurs.

But for all the superlatives bestowed upon its sculpted exterior, the true beauty of the Z06 has always lain beneath its hood. The incredible 7.0L (427ci) LS7 is billed as the most powerful Corvette engine ever offered to the public, and our testing bears this out (see sidebar). The LS7 brings 505 horsepower to a 3,132-pound package-a combination that, according to Chevy, delivers a 0-60 performance of 3.7 seconds in First gear, quarter-mile times of 11.7 seconds at 125 mph, and a top speed of 198 mph. (It's actually a little higher, from what we've, um, heard.) The Z accelerates like it's directly wired to the brain's pleasure centers, answering the request for speed instantly, as rapid as thought. It's the Corvette once imaginable only in dreams, now engineered for reality.

As with previous editions, the '08 Z06 made us rethink everything about what a Corvette is supposed to be...and currently is. Like the 427-powered Vettes that preceded it, the LS7 Z transcends the category of mere transportation to lift its driver to a state of euphoria from the moment the start button is engaged. It's a heavy-hitting, no-holds-barred, brute-force monster at full throttle, yet a docile driver at more sedate speeds. And in the right hands, it brings remarkable agility to the art of driving on four wheels. If you're looking for a true muscle machine with the uncompromised performance of an exotic, the Z06 is the car for you. Our final opinion: We'd have to graft two more digits onto each hand just to give it a proper thumbs up.

On The Dyno
In keeping with VETTE test-car protocol, we drove our '08 Z06 over to AntiVenom in Seffner, Florida, to see how it performed on the shop's chassis dyno. The exercise took on special importance in this case, inasmuch as we'd heard rumors that the latest version of the Z is down a bit on power as compared with the '06-'07 models. It isn't.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to build a Corvette? We recently had the opportunity to go behind the scenes at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant and witness this amazing process. Our tour began with a plant overview from Vehicle Line Executive Tom Wallace and Corvette Plant Manager Wil Cooksey. We were told that the plant has two major assembly areas-one for the body and another for the driveline. After our overview, we completed a safety briefing and added protective coverings to our belts, rings, and watches. Finally, we were given safety glasses and a badge and assigned to plant engineer Tom Hill, who served as our tour guide.

Our tour began in the body-assembly area, at the frame station. Here, we watched hydroformed framerails being welded to build the Corvette's foundation. When a frame is completed, it's painted and shipped to the assembly line. Z06 aluminum frames are constructed at another location and arrive at the plant ready to be added to the line.

All of a car's body panels are placed on an automated rack, where they're sprayed with primer and sent into a robotic painting booth. We were fortunate enough to be allowed into this restricted area, though not before donning dustproof coveralls and head protection. As we entered the paint area, we passed through a large vacuum room that sucked away any dust that might have remained on our clothing.

The painting robots have long, flexible arms that articulate to paint the top, sides, and bottoms of each panel. The last step in the paint process is adding a clearcoat to the base paint. The completed glossy panels move slowly through a special lighted area where they're inspected for flaws. Minor flaws are corrected immediately, and the repaired panel is returned to the rack. The painted panels are then sent to the assembly area to be installed on a car. The Corvette team builds the complete body, including the interior, before it's married to the driveline.

Next, we visited the driveline-assembly area. Here, the process begins with two (front and rear) aluminum frame cradles. In the front, the engine, springs, upper and lower control arms, suspension upright, steering rack, ABS unit, and brakes are added to the cradle. The rear cradle is fitted with the transmission, rearend, springs, upper and lower control arms, and brakes. A large aluminum torque tube ties the front and rear cradles together. This completed assembly is attached to the frame and body by eight bolts-four in the front and four in the rear.

Once the body-to-driveline marriage is completed, the front fenders, fascia, hood, wiring, and wheels are installed. After first start, the car is aligned and wheel balance confirmed. The final stop is at a booth equipped with high-speed rollers. The car is rolled to 70 mph while a driver checks the electrical and mechanical systems. If the car passes, it's delivered to a large parking lot behind the plant, where it's readied for customer shipment.

Interested? Tours are available twice a day for $5 per person. If you're a fan of Corvettes, that's a bargain too good to pass up.

Check the plant's tour schedule by visiting www.bowlinggreenassemblyplant.com. Closed-toe shoes are required, and no cameras are allowed.

It was a cool January night when John Svoboda swerved to miss a deer and landed his '98 coupe ("Tales of 'Super 98'," May '06) on a neighbor's front lawn, taking out a few trees in the process. Fortunately for Svoboda, the car was the only casualty.

After a few days of feeling sorry for himself, Svoboda decided to rebuild his dream Vette in a better, more powerful package. He started out by buying back his wrecked '98 from the insurance company and stripping off all the high-performance parts that were still usable. He then sold the rest of the car on the Internet. Next, he searched the country for a stock '98 or '99 automatic coupe, eventually finding one in Florida.

After many calls to the owner, Svoboda flew down, made a deal, and drove the car back to his home in North Carolina. He now owned a rather plain-looking Torch Red '99 coupe with no mods and 75,000 miles on it. Over the next 60 days, with the help of his good friend, Jeremiah Johnson, he stripped everything out of the car and completely rebuilt or replaced all the driveline, interior, and engine parts.

Along the way, Svoboda found that many of the '98 components weren't interchangeable with their '99 counterparts. For one thing, the ABS unit was now in the front of the car, instead of on the back cradle. This made the blower install much more difficult, requiring a lot of fabrication to make everything fit.

One of the items Svoboda definitely wanted to keep was the older car's dual-line fuel system. (The '99 came with a single fuel line that didn't flow enough fuel for the blower he had planned.) As he had so many times in the past, he enlisted the help of local performance guru Rodney Cook. "Rodney's my 'go-to' man," he says. "There's nothing he can't fix, so when I have issues, he comes over and makes them go away."

With the fuel-line problem licked, in went a 402ci, Scoggin Dickey-built LS2 stroker. This engine was built for forced induction to take advantage of a new D-1SC ProCharger pumping out 13 psi of boost. (Svoboda's old setup was a stock, P-1SC-blown LS1 making just 10 psi.) Once all the engine and driveline parts were installed, Jeff Creech at Carolina Auto Masters got the car running in top form. The results were impressive: The reformulated Vette-christened "Naste 99" for obvious reasons- dyno'd at 611 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels (around 760/750 at the crank). With the powertrain work done, the car was taken to R & D Racing in Reidsville, North Carolina. There, Dave Leavy custom-bent and welded in a five-point rollbar.

On a recent trip to Piedmont Dragway, Naste 99 ran a 6.587 at 106.97 mph in the eighth-mile, posting a 60-foot time of 1.492 seconds (on street-legal M/T tires) along the way. Svoboda is confident the car can break into the 6.40-second range-which equates to a low-10-second quarter-in cooler weather. Until then, the local strip denizens will have another C5 monster to contend with: a stock-looking, street-legal coupe that makes a telltale whistle at them as it leaves the competition behind.

Do you have a real-life Corvette story for The Vette File? If so, we'd love to hear from you. Just send a detailed Word document and a selection of high-resolution digital photography to us at the address below. All submissions become the property of VETTE.

VETTE Magazine
Attn: The Vette File
9036 Brittany Way
Tampa, FL 33619

Spec Sheet
Car	'99 coupe
Owner	John Svoboda
Block	LS2
Displacement	402 ci
Compression Ratio	9.3:1
Heads	Patriot Stage III LQ9
Camshaft	Comp XER273HR (224/228-deg duration, 0.581/0.588-in lift, 114-deg LSA)
Pistons	Manley forged
Crankshaft	Eagle forged
Rods	Scat forged
Intake Manifold	LS6
Throttle Body	LS6
Fuel Injectors	60-lb/hr Mototron
Fuel Pump	LPE with Kenne-Bell Boost-A-Pump
Ignition	Stock
Engine Management	Stock PCM, tuned by Jeff Creech at Carolina Auto Masters
Power Adder	ProCharger D-1SC, alcohol injection
Maximum Boost	13 psi
Intercooler	Custom front-mount
Exhaust System	Dynomax long-tube headers and X crossover, Corsa Pace Car converter-back system
Transmission	4L60E, built by Rodney Cook
Torque Converter	Pro Torque with 3,000-rpm stall speed
Front Suspension	Stock
Rear Suspension	Stock
Rear End	Stock Z06 with hardened LPE half-shaft (driver side) and 3.42 gears
Front Brakes	Slotted rotors with Hawk ceramic pads
Rear Brakes	Slotted rotors with Hawk ceramic pads
Wheels/Tires	CCW Drag Pak with M/T ET Streets
Fuel Octane	93
Weight	Unknown
Best ET/MPH	6.587 at 106.97 mph (eighth-mile)
Best 60-ft Time	1.492
Current Mileage	4,200 on new combination
Miles Driven Weekly	100

If you've ever contemplated restoring a C4 Corvette and received a chilly reception from your family and friends, consider directing them to the Corvette C4 Guru Forum (www.c4guru.com). The site dedicates itself to the preservation of the '84-'96 Corvette, with an extensive tech library, videos, forums, RPO codes, data sheets, specs, and more.

Casey Webster, a 27-year-old maintenance technician from Sippy Downs, Queensland, is a moderator of the site and one of its online gurus. "I love Corvettes," he says. "I've been driving Vettes since I was first licensed. When I was 17, I worked almost 60 hours a week to get my first one, an '87 coupe. In the past nine years, I've pulled apart almost every single area of a C4, so I've got a fair amount of experience with them."

An L98 '87 Corvette was a great introduction into the hobby for Webster, but he knew he wanted a bigger slice of performance. That extra urgency debuted in the Corvette in '92, in the form of the Gen II LT1 engine. In 2001, he purchased an Arctic White '94 coupe that had immigrated to Australia after the end of the C4 era.

Like most of the 4,066 Arctic White Corvettes that rolled off the Bowling Green assembly line in '94, Webster's Corvette was equipped with an LT1 engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. Output was rated at 300 hp, an increase of 60 hp over the '87 model. The base price was $36,185.

"The '94 had a lot of work done on it, so I didn't have to worry about being the one that modified a perfect, original car. But it needed a lot of work, too, and I knew I could do all that work myself and save a lot of money," says Webster.

Because the paint was (surprisingly) factory original, Webster focused first upon the car's mechanicals. He commissioned a 4L60E trans rebuild from Adams Automatics of Caloundra, Queensland, and then corrected the C4's few existing flaws by repairing the pop-up headlight assembly and swapping the rubber suspension bushings for polyurethane units.

Next, Webster removed the interior trim and lathered the inner surfaces of the body shell with DynaMat Extreme sound-deadening material. He reinstalled the thrones-now resewn with black leather and accented with white welting and embroidery-and reused the original panels and carpet. He was saved the expense of a government mandated right-hand-drive conversion (required on all imported LHD cars fewer than 25 years old) because the Corvette had already been modified to RHD by a previous owner.

Webster's next step was to darken the sidemarker and taillights, after which he turned his talents to the engine compartment. He replaced the original water pump and heater core, citing "previous owner neglect" as the cause of their failure. He then spent several days performing diagnostic testing and data-logging, eventually tracing a hesitation problem to a blown head gasket. He removed the heads and sent them to Iain Woodward in Brisbane for CNC porting. At the same time, he sourced new gaskets from Don MacLeod of Maxx Wrench in Burlington, Colorado.

In reassembling the motor, Webster stayed with the stock displacement of 350 cubic inches, also retaining the LT1's cast-iron crank, powdered-metal connecting rods, and hypereutectic-aluminum pistons. The freshened aluminum heads were returned to him ready to rock, with Crane Gold 1.6-ratio rockers, Crane 99838 springs, 2.02/1.60 valves, and new factory pushrods. He installed a Crane hydraulic roller cam with 222/230-degree duration and 0.509/0.528-inch lift on a 112-degree lobe-separation angle. The compression ratio was bumped from 10.4:1 to 11.0:1.

The air-induction system features a GM air lid, a K&N filter, and a ported 48mm GM throttle body. An OptiSpark distributor ("It's an exceptionally good system and gets a lot of ridiculous unfair criticism," says Webster) directs spark down 8mm GM wires to NGK Iridium TR55IX plugs. Premium fuel flows from a 255-lph factory pump to 30 lb-hr Bosch injectors installed in a ported factory intake. Exhaust gases are evacuated through "tri-Y" long-tube headers with 1 3/4-inch primaries, 2-inch secondaries, 3-inch collectors, twin highflow stainless converters, Genie stainless mufflers, and 3-inch pipes.

Power moves from the crank to a 3,200- rpm lock-up torque converter, rearward to the bulletproof 4L60E, and then through a factory driveshaft to a 3.33-geared Dana 44 rear from an '89 six-speed Corvette. Webster also replaced the rear wheel bearings and the universal joints with Spicer products.

The Vette's ride and handling are meliorated with an RPO Code Z07 adjustable-suspension package employing a lowered "FHB" front spring sourced from a '91 coupe, a lowered "BMF" rear spring, and Koni adjustable shocks at all four corners. Braking comes from factory JL9 four-wheel discs. GM A-mold 17x9.5-inch wheels bolt to the hubs and are wrapped in Hankook Ventus Sport (front) and Federal SS 595 (rear) 275/40ZR17 rubber. Webster had the wheels powdercoated in white before fitting them to the car, but he kept the center covers in their stock silver color to add contrast to the nearly all-white exterior.

The last steps of the restoration involved brightening the engine area. Webster removed the factory valve covers and painted them blue. Braided stainless-steel lines were also added to protect the hoses from damage.

The verdict? Webster says his Corvette is a blast to drive, and the modified LT1 has gobs of power. Even though his earlier Vette had more "low-end punch," he says the '94 "pulls extremely hard from 3,000-6,000 rpm." The numbers back up these statements: The LT1 produces 413.7 hp at 4,800 rpm on an engine dyno, nearly 114 more than stock.

"They have both been great," Webster says of the two Corvettes. "The '87 was a factory-perfect example, and I didn't want to start changing it from that. It was a very reliable car. But the '94 is all power, and although it still looks pretty stock, it's a lot further from it than many people would ever be able to tell. I wouldn't say I like either one better than the other. I love them both, although the '94 is now a far better car than the '87 could've ever been."

Given the 168,000 miles on its odometer, it's hard to believe the Corvette retains its original paint and still looks factory pristine. Webster attributes it to the use of Australia's Bowden's Own car-care products. Whatever the reason, his hard work and attention to detail have paid off with some serious show-car accolades. The car took Second Place at the 2005 Corvette Classic at Southbank Parklands in Brisbane, followed by First Place at the show in 2006 and another Second in 2007.

As much as he enjoys shows, going fast in his Corvette is even more entertaining to Webster. "On my way home from work one night I had guy following me in a modified Nissan 200SX Turbo," he tells us. "The road was two lanes, and I was cruising along, thinking how mature he was to be just cruising along, too, when he suddenly sped past me out of nowhere. Knowing there was a set of traffic lights coming up, I was hoping he would get stopped on a red, and as luck would have it, he did.

"As he sat there revving his rice-burner, I chuckled to myself and sat there calm, reached over and shut off the Acceleration Slip Regulation (ASR), and waited for the green light. I was quietly confident as the light went green, and if the road wasn't dead straight, he wouldn't have known which way I'd gone. I must've put three car lengths on him by the time I was at 100 kph . Shortly after that, I was back in 'cruise home mode,' and he flew past me as if he won!"

Yes, Webster, it looks like you really are the winner. After all, you're the one with the Web site, your car is featured in VETTE, and although you're 6,350 statute miles from the Arctic Circle, driving is always a blast-an Arctic Blast that is.

Spec Sheet
Car	'94 coupe
Owner	Casey Webster
Block	Stock LT1
Displacement	350 ci
Compression Ratio	11:1
Heads	Ported LT1 aluminum
Valves	2.02/1.60
Camshaft	Crane Cams HR; 222/230-deg duration, 0.509/0.528-in lift, 112-deg LSA
Rocker Arms	Crane Cams Gold, 1.6-ratio
Pistons	Stock
Crankshaft	Stock
Rods	Stock
Intake Manifold	Ported stock
Throttle Body	Ported stock
Fuel Injectors	Bosch 36-lb/hr
Fuel Pump	Stock
Ignition	Stock
Engine Management	Stock PCM
Exhaust System	Tri-Y long-tube headers (1 3/4-in primary, 2-in secondary, 3-in final collector), twin high-flow converters, "straight through" Genie stainless mufflers
Transmission	4L60E built by Adam's Automatics, Queensland, Australia
Torque Converter	3,200-rpm stall speed
Driveshaft	Stock
Front Suspension	'91 Z07 FHB spring, Koni adjustable shocks
Rear Suspension	BMF rear spring, Koni adjustable shocks
Rear End	Dana 44 with 3.33 gear
Front Brakes	Stock discs
Rear Brakes	Stock discs
Wheels	White powdercoated GM A-mold, 17x 9.5-in (front and rear)
Front Tires	Hankook Ventus Sport, 275/40ZR-17
Rear Tires	Federal SS 595, 275/40ZR-17
Fuel Octane	98
Weight	3,309 lbs
Best ET/MPH	Unknown
Best 60-ft Time	Unknown
Current Mileage	168,397
Miles Driven Weekly	Over 300

Photo Gallery: 1994 Chevrolet Corvette - C4 Coupe From Down Under - Vette Magazine

Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

]]>http://www.vetteweb.com/features/vemp_0807_1994_chevrolet_corvettehttp://www.vetteweb.com/features/vemp_0807_1994_chevrolet_corvetteTue, 01 Jul 2008 21:07:00 -07001986 Chevrolet Corvette - May The Downforce Be With You

How difficult is it to build an award-winning Corvette for $2,007, using the very same engineering training that speeds products such as Tide and Downy to your local supermarket shelf? Impossible? That's not what the men at Procter and Gamble said when it came time to enter their Corvette into a unique high-performance competition.

"The Cheaparral story is about a group of engineers who work for P&G in Cincinnati," says Stoyan Lockar, a P&G Technical Associate Director. "By day, we design and build a variety of world-class machines that make P&G's consumer products . One of the things that we're very good at is making complex machines go faster. To get a competitive advantage in cost, we strive to run our production systems faster than industry standard. As engineers, we take a lot of pride in that. It's similar to taking a car that's basically stock and souping up the performance, then beating others at the track.

"This mentality goes beyond our work lives for many of us," Lockar continues. "Since we're gearheads at heart, we also enjoy working and playing with high-performance cars and motorcycles in our spare time. Last winter , inspired by all the build-off shows on cable TV, a group of us decided to see if we could channel our technical skills and innovation in some unique way in the automotive world. We agreed on a few main objectives: Have fun, learn some new skills, get to know each other a bit better, sell our creation at the end, and donate the proceeds to charity."

Lockar and his P&G colleagues studied many possibilities, ranging from building a car from scratch to creating a heavily modified "theme" vehicle. The option that won out in the end included a competitive aspect that really got the engineers excited.

"The project was based on preparing a car to compete in the Kumho Tires/Grassroots Motorsports $2,007 Challenge, consisted of three events: a quarter-mile drag race, an autocross competition, and an appearance-judging contest. Points were scored for each event to determine an overall winner, as well as winners in various classes and categories. The real challenge to all this was that the car and all parts added to it could not exceed $2,007 in total, all of which had to be documented. This challenge seemed to fit very well with our P&G engineering focus."

Its goal established, the team decided on a contest car that would truly challenge its creativity. The candidate was an '86 Corvette purchased from salvage. The Vette had been rolled many times, sustaining extensive damage to the body and suspension system. The engine and drivetrain, however, seemed to be intact. The team decided to tackle the project in two phases: First, it would get the Corvette back in running condition. It would then modify the car to compete in the event.

To prepare the Corvette for the competition, the engineers focused on five critical areas: increasing engine power, reducing weight, enhancing cornering capability, improving the car's looks, and outfitting the interior for safety.

The team began by sourcing two $30 turbos from a salvage yard. These were customized to work in the Corvette, an operation that included clocking them for proper geometry, machining a pair of adapter plates, and tweaking the wastegates to reduce boost. The exhaust manifolds were also inverted and modified. Larger injectors were installed to provide more fuel flow, and a custom engine tune was developed and placed on a new E-PROM.

Next, all unneeded parts were removed from the Corvette and sold, reducing weight while also generating much-needed project funds. These items included all the air-conditioning and heater components, the engine air pump, the cruise control, the headlight motors, the power-window units, most of the interior, the mufflers, the spare tire, the jack, the gas tank, the rear bumper-frame assembly, and much more. The parts netted the team over $1,900-$500 more than the purchase price of the car-and removed 400 pounds of performance-robbing avoirdupois.

The most radical part of the project involved the team's strategy for improving the car's cornering. Inspired by Jim Hall's Chaparral 2J "sucker" car from the '70s, it developed a plan to generate speed-independent downforce. Doing so would increase tire-to-road frictional force, theoretically giving the car the ability to pull higher g levels in turns. As far as the engineers knew, this concept had never been executed on a production car, and the challenge was intriguing to them.

After extensive calculations and testing with a prototype sled, the team identified the amount of airflow and vacuum required to suck the car to the ground with 1,500 pounds of force (the amount necessary to boost the Corvette's skidpad rating from 0.9 to 1.4g). To stay within budget, it sourced a surplus intake blower from an Army M1A Abrams tank to generate vacuum, powering it with a 33hp snowmobile engine.

To maintain suction during upward suspension travel, a unique, two-piece skirt frame connected by bellows was developed and installed under the car. Casters attached to the lower frame would maintain a half-inch gap between the skirt and the ground as it raced around the course. Custom front A-arm bushings and adjustable tie-rod linkages were also fabricated and installed.

Once mechanical work was completed, the engineers ganged up on the body and interior. With the help of two-part epoxy, rivets, screening, filler, and a lot of sandpaper, the team was able to force the fiberglass back into shape. The team liked the "rat rod" look of the flat-black primer so much, it decided to carry the look over to the car's final paint scheme.

Next, a rollcage was constructed from scrap pipe and color-matched to the silver turbo piping that stuck out of the hood. A half-inch Lexan barrier shield was also installed between the driver and the sucker system. A full race harness was then added, and a fire extinguisher was mounted within reach of the driver. A main battery-kill switch was wired on the back of the Corvette, and a separate sucker-system kill switch was made for the blower engine and fuel pump.

At the event, the engineers-now going by the moniker "Team Cheaparral"-swept all four categories (Autocross, Concours Judging, Best Engineered, and Top-Finishing Team) and were declared the $2,007 Challenge Overall Champion. (The drag-race portion of the contest was cancelled due to bad weather.) "At the awards banquet, we went up so many times to accept that it was almost embarrassing," says Lockar. "You'll notice I said almost."

Its first set of objectives accomplished, Team Cheaparral hope to use the "Sucker Vette" as a way of getting young people interested in engineering careers. Later on, it plans to sell the car and donate the proceeds to the Cincinnati United Way.

Follow along as we show you how Team Cheaparral earned the title of Overall Champion at the Kumho Tires/Grassroots Motorsports $2,007 Challenge.

Photo Gallery: 1986 Chevrolet Corvette - Team Cheaparral C4 - Vette Magazine

Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

]]>http://www.vetteweb.com/features/vemp_0807_1986_chevrolet_corvettehttp://www.vetteweb.com/features/vemp_0807_1986_chevrolet_corvetteTue, 01 Jul 2008 03:07:00 -07001964 Chevrolet Corvette - Detail Oriented

Corvettes represent much more than transportation to their owners. It's not about getting from Point A to Point B as much as it is about the fun in getting there. Because of the excitement and the memories of driving their cars, many Corvette enthusiasts hang on to their Vettes for decades, restoring or refurbishing them along the way. Some owners, like Ron Emmons, take a different route.

Ron and his girlfriend (now Mrs. Emmons) purchased a '64 Corvette back in 1991. "She loaned me some of the money to buy the car," he says, "later realizing any engagement prospects were gone, as I was now broke. I'm sure glad she loved the car. We used it for our wedding getaway!"

The Vette was in good condition, and being a non-matching-numbers car, it was perfect for a daily driver. The Emmonses also discovered that it was a very early-production example. "It was manufactured on the third day of 1964 production," Ron says. "It's Number 232 ; therefore, it has some '63 parts like rockers, gauges, glovebox, gas cap, etc."

Along with trips to the office and the grocery store, the couple took the car on excursions to Key West and the Smoky Mountains, with diving gear and camping equipment strapped on the back. Through the years, they maintained the '64 with thoughts of one day doing a total restoration. "When the frame broke in half while driving on I-75," Ron says, "we knew it was time to start the restoration process."

Ron had debated selling the Vette, but ultimately chose not to. "With 16 years of memories, and both of us loving midyears," he says, "it was the perfect opportunity to build a resto-rod."

Ron located the late Craig Anderson, owner of Southeast Frame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to replace the frame. "Craig was an accomplished machinist," Ron says, "and had a background in racing." The result was a one-off box frame loaded with custom tricks. Anderson modified the front shock towers with adjustable jack bolts and fabricated adjustable shock mounts for the rear. He then TIG-welded and powdercoated the frame itself.

The stock suspension was scrapped in favor of the underpinnings from a '96 Corvette. The transverse leaf springs were replaced with QA1 coilovers, and Vette Brakes & Products supplied a set of its Smart Struts and trailing arms. To quicken the Vette's response, a 12:1 ratio Appleton rack-and-pinion steering box was installed. Out back, a Dana 44 rear was bolted into the IRS with a set of 3.73 gears.

Ron worked with Max Carr, an accomplished machinist and metal fabricator, to construct a variety of special components during the course of the project. For example, when Ron wanted to install C6 Z06 front and rear brakes, he and Carr had to fabricate frame adaptors. The rear-brake mounting required a mock-up, followed by computer-aided design and then CNC fabrication from an aluminum block. The differential-support bracket and the lower shock mounts for the QA1 coilovers were also custom made by Carr.

In conjunction with the big Z06 brakes, Ron installed a Hydratech hydraulic brake-assist system with a Wilwood dual master cylinder. Smitten with the look of the stock Z06 wheels, he chose to mount 18x9.5-inch fronts all the way around. They were shod with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s-245/40ZR18 in the front and 275/40ZR18 in the rear. Ride-height considerations mean the tires tuck deep into the wheelwells, with more than adequate room for clearance.

Like any finely built custom, there's a considerable amount of detail work hidden beneath the body and out of view. Ron wanted a stainless-steel fuel tank with an internal pump and built-in baffles, for example. That required him to design and build an 1/8-inch plywood mockup for test fittings. It was placed low on the frame, and the tank bottom followed the rear-panel contours. Once satisfied, Ron noted the dimensions, and a stainless tank was fabricated.

The tired 327 was pulled and set aside in place of an '02 LS1. Rob Basler, of Skip's Automotive in Sarasota, put together a strong, high-revving engine with lots of reliability built in. He added a Lunati 382 stroker kit, ported and polished the heads, and then flow-tested them. A Weiand/Lingenfelter intake-painted red to match the exterior-was added with a ported stock throttle body. Aaron Quintez of Sarasota fitted up the Street and Performance 13/4-inch headers and custom-bent 21/2-inch exhausts exiting from the rear valance. On the dyno, the tricked-out LS1 produced 446 rear-wheel horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 438 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm.

With the rolling chassis and drivetrain completed, Ron began the search for a competent shop to complete the body, marry it to the chassis, and perform the assembly work. He also had some decisions to make about exterior features. "As we continued with the restoration," he says, "we had to decide if we were going to incorporate the 'stinger' hood and side pipes that are so prevalent with modified midyears." He made the decision to pass on both after going to a Corvette show. "The final decision not to incorporate these items came when we were at a Vette show and two midyears were parked side by side. One had the stinger hood and side pipes, while the other did not. I thought without the hood and side pipes, you get a better view of the lines and sleekness that we love about the midyears."

Although Ron had hand-picked all the components for the Vette up to this point, he finally found a shop to which he could entrust the car's completion. Still, it was important to him to remain as involved as possible. "It took a year to find Mike Griffin of Sarasota," Ron says. "Mike is an exceptional street-rod builder with great attention to detail. It was a perfect setup to allow me to be involved but get the job done in a timely manner."

Griffin had to fabricate a dolly and a rotisserie in order to complete the work on the body. The old, damaged panels were replaced or repaired, and PPG Corvette Torch Red paint was applied. Next, Griffin fabricated hidden hood hinges and a removable rollbar. Once the body was mounted on the chassis, work began on installing new Painless wiring harnesses for the body, engine compartment, and interior. To deaden sound and keep the passenger compartment cooler, Griffin laid down an application of Lizard Skin, followed by a layer of Dynomat. NU Relic power windows were installed, as were the plumbing and vents for the Vintage Air A/C system.

Custom Auto Sound's AM/FM/CD player with 10-disc changer was selected to replace the factory radio. The radio head is configured the same as stock, and the changer installs behind the seats. Ron also chose not to cut up the door panels for speakers. Instead, they were subtly placed in the top of the dash and in the rear. The factory gauges were replaced with Auto Meter's Pro-Comp Ultra-lites, which use black alphanumerics and red needles on silver faces. A traditional, midyear-correct teak steering wheel sets off the completed dash.

With all the wiring and instrument panel work completed, an Al Knoch reproduction interior was installed to maintain the classic midyear appearance. Ron chose a set of Simpson safety belts to replace the factory units.

In total, it took about 1,000 hours over a four-year time span to complete the '64. Close inspection reveals that not a single detail was overlooked. The engine compartment, for example, is a feast for the eyes. The intake was cherried and painted exterior color. Drive accessories, such as the power-steering pump, A/C compressor, and alternator, were placed low and out of view. The Torch Red engine top and compartment are contrasted with smooth, satin-finished billet valve covers, a bright air inlet, and a polished-aluminum radiator shell.

Now that the '64 is done, will Ron drive it to work and take it on vacations as he did in the past? "It was my intention to have another daily driver," Ron says, "with the ability to play with my Cobra friends on the track. Until the newness wears off and my wife says it's OK, though, there is no track time planned." Fortunately for Ron, this is one midyear that's sure to get the blood pumping-regardless of the driving environment.

Spec Sheet
Car	'64 Corvette convertible
Owner	Rick and Charlene Emmons
Block	LS1
Displacement	382 ci
Compression Ratio	10.5:1
Heads	Ported LS1
Valves	2.05/1.60-in
Camshaft	0.540/0.540-in lift, 260/260-deg duration
Rocker Arms	Stock
Pistons	Lunati forged
Crankshaft	Lunati forged stroker
Rods	Lunati 6.250-in
Intake Manifold	Weiand/Lingenfelter
Throttle Body	Ported stock
Fuel Injectors	Stock
Fuel Pump	Stock '02 Corvette
Ignition	Stock
Engine Management	Stock PCM
Exhaust System	Street and Performance headers with 1 3/4-in primaries, 2 1/2-in exhaust
Transmission	Rebuilt 4L60E
Torque Converter	Precision Industries Vigilante
Driveshaft	31/2-in steel
Front Suspension	'96 Corvette with QA1 coilovers
Rear Suspension	'96 Corvette with QA1 coilovers
Rear End	Dana 44 with 3.83 gears
Front Brakes	C6 Z06
Rear Brakes	C6 Z06
Wheels	18x9.5-in C6 Z06
Front Tires	Michelin Pilot PS2, 245/40ZR18
Rear Tires	Michelin Pilot PS2, 275/40ZR18
Fuel Octane	93
Weight	3,358 lbs with driver (48.3 percent front/51.7 percent rear distribution)
Best ET/MPH	11.40 at 119
Best 60-ft	1.65 sec
Current Mileage	1,250
Miles Driven Weekly	20

Economic downturn notwithstanding, it's clear that customized cars are currently all the rage. For evidence, just take a look at the popularity of Chip Foose's mind-bending creations, the late Boyd Coddington's SPEED TV show, or the hottest trends at the yearly SEMA spectacular.

The archetype of the custom Corvette has traditionally been a stock-looking late-model with its guts upgraded to deliver more horsepower, better handling, and superior driveability. Custom interior appointments and aftermarket wheels may have been part of the deal, but for the most part, the focus was on non-cosmetic upgrades. But another trend has been resurfacing of late, and '60s Corvettes are at its forefront.

You may remember what customizing meant in the '70s. It was all about flared fenders and custom paint-that is, aesthetic excitement rather than gripping performance. Everywhere you looked, you could see custom fiberglass molding, larger-than-life side pipes, and acres of metalflake. And a top candidate for this treatment was the '60s Corvette.

The two mid-'60s Vettes pictured here are prime examples of this customizing approach. One is a '65 model that has been fitted with front and rear flares and finished off with Plexiglas front headlights, instead of the standard flip-up lights. Other obvious deviations from stock include a molded rear ducktail spoiler and 17-inch Torq-Thrust wheels. The sole concession to mechanical modernization can be found in the drivetrain, which comprises an LT1 engine and 700R4 trans lifted from an early-'90s C4.

Unlike some customs, this '65 has also been treated to a number of interior alterations. Its original dash is now filled with digital gauges, while a billet steering wheel and shifter knob further contribute to the hot-rod theme.

Next to the '65 is a '67 Vette with even-larger front and rear flares. At some point it was finished without its factory front chrome bumper, though the rear unit was retained. Like most '60s custom Vettes, it also sports a set of outsize side pipes.

The '67's interior has been left mostly factory-stock, with a few additions such as a Hurst shifter. A set of 17-inch Compomotive wheels and 245/45-17 Sumitomo tires round out the presentation.

But where this car really differs from most of its peers is in its original 427/435 engine and four-speed transmission. A stock, matching-numbers car with this powertrain combo would command a hefty price in today's market. It's surprising, then, that the '67 has remained in its customized condition and not been returned to as-purchased form.

Tom Souter purchased the '67 at a recent Mecum Collector Car Auction. There were reasons behind his impulsive purchase. "I used to own a similar car-Marlboro Maroon with a white stinger and white interior. It, too, had a big-block and flared fenders. It isn't often that you find a car like that. I have fond memories of that car and the times spent cruising to car shows." With any luck, Souter will enjoy a similar run with his new custom. His plans? Take it to car shows and cruise nights, of course.

To get some perspective on the recent resurgence of '60s custom Vettes, we called upon some industry experts. Our first contact was Dana Mecum, impresario of the nationally held Mecum auctions. The company, whose slogan is "Nobody sells more muscle," reported record sales of $20,000,000 during last year's Kissimmee, Florida, event. With that in mind, we figured he was just the person to ask about the rising popularity of customized '60s Corvettes.

Dana Mecum, President, Mecum Auctions
I think there's a difference in the of resurgence on custom '63-'67 Corvettes. I think the new word is "retro," instead of "custom." A lot of people want the vintage look with the modern drivetrain. In most cases, if a car is done today and it's a custom, it's usually because the car was in rough enough shape that it's easier and cheaper to refinish it custom-wise than it is to restore to original. This also falls into the retro category. Most retros start with a subpar car to build a great new retro ride.

The collectibility of custom or retro Corvettes is going to depend more on the quality of workmanship than it is in regular Corvette collecting, rarity, factory paperwork, etc. I also think in the majority of cases that's all they will ever be: collectibles, whereas an L88 restored to original reaches a plateau above collectible. It becomes an investment-grade car. Or, as we call it in the old-car business, a thoroughbred.

The buying trends in most cases people who want a car to drive. They want the car more as an everyday driver, rather than an investment, and they want that vintage look.

As an ending note, most older customs still don't fetch the big value. The one exception to the rule is that when an older custom was done for a movie or had some importance somewhere else, the reason for its customization has more merit than having the car restored back to original.

Hearing from one end of the spectrum is great; hearing from the other gives you perspective. So this time, instead of calling upon an auction house, we decided to get the opinion of Terry Michaelis, President of ProTeam Corvettes. ProTeam specializes in buying and selling some of the most elite Corvettes out there. Case in point was the "Last Corvette" (the last '67 Corvette off the assembly line), which sold at Barrett-Jackson last year for a whopping $600,000. Michaelis offered his feelings on the popularity of custom '60s Vettes and why they are resurfacing in the marketplace.

Terry Michaelis, President, ProTeam Corvettes
People are reliving their youth, and these cars were very popular back then. The customs that were remembered the most had trick taillights, flared fenders, custom paint jobs, no front bumpers, glassed-in headlights. So, you tend to remember the cars that were personalized or customized. The stock and totally original cars back then were all over the place. They were what was the most common.

Now, we've also got the "retro rods" or "resto mods," which means it looks factory but has been upgraded with a late-model driveline and new tires and wheels. So it's close to the stock look, but you can drive it with confidence anywhere you want. The original, untouched classics, which are 40-plus years old, could be less dependable.

The collectibility of custom '60s Vettes will pass, just like the Baby Boomers. As the Boomers go to their graves, that's when all of this trick stuff will pass. It'll be short-lived, maybe for 5 or 10 years.

The quality of the work that's been done to the car is also extremely important. A lot of the old customs had glassed-in headlights. They had been customized because they were hit in the front end, and this was a shortcut for fixing it properly. The true customs that people seek out are the ones where they took a good car and then customized it, rather than cars that had been damaged and were then customized to hide the damage.

The '60s customs and resto mods will be short-lived. If there's value to collecting 100 years from now, there won't be any value to customs.

So there you have it. The overall theme? You buy what you remember. But year to year, generation to generation, the cars that elicit fond memories change. So let's speculate: Could the next group of custom-Corvette owners be looking for '70s Vettes-those outrageous ones with molded, clamshell front ends? Or maybe they'll fixate on the aftermarket '80-'82 convertible conversions that were so popular in the absence of a GM-built droptop. We'll just have to wait and see.

The Premise
After 30 years of continuously building, rebuilding, m