Perhaps it’s only appropriate that a modern-day ZR1 Corvette engine would be placed in the original body style that started the ZR-1 (yes, with a hyphen back then) craze way back in 1970.
We first told you about this monster of a 1971 Corvette in July 2011, and now our friends at High Tech Corvette have put together a video that shows just what the modern LS9 ZR1 engine can do when planted in a 1971 Corvette. The LS9 even peeks out from under the hood through a clear opening that marks the C6 ZR1s.
Their testing shows modern-day special creation manages 536 horsepower and 480 ft-lbs of torque, way better than the original ZR-1 ever did. The owner also added modern ZR1 power seats and Bluetooth radio to increase creature comforts, which just goes to show you that in the 21st century, anything goes! Also upgraded, of course, to handle the added power were the brakes, suspension, and drivetrain.
By the way, the original ZR-1 was a $1,221 option package that added an LT-1 engine but also deleted such niceties as power windows, air conditioning, and a radio – since this was, after all, a serious race car! Only 53 such cars were ever built from 1970 to 1972 since most folks didn’t want to do without those things.
This site in the past few days has featured 1963 Split-Window and 1971 models updated with super ZR1 power. What do you think is next – a C5 or a C4 or maybe even a 1953?
It wasn’t easy combining the beauty of a 1963 Split Window with the mechanical prowess of a modern-day ZR1. But builder Anthony Luca managed to pull it off for car owner Joe Bongiorno – after more than 2,000 hours of work and much improvisation and deep thinking.
“Joe told me what he wanted, a ZR1 drivetrain in a ’63 split window body,” Luca said, “and told me to make it happen however I saw fit.â€
To make the dream come true, they began with an original 1963 for the body, but Luca decided to call on an SRIII Supertub frame, which uses round-tube space frame design to make it much stronger and rigid than the stock chassis. They couldn’t use the modern ZR1 frame because it’s too wide for the ’63 body.
Of course, after all this work, everyone wants to see that gorgeous LS9 motor shining through the clear window of the hood, and Luca was able to pull that off even though it meant creating from a single piece of aluminum a new, offset engine cover that aligns perfectly with the see-through hood. You see, the original 1963 model’s engine sat off-center in the engine bay, so without the extra effort mentioned above, the clear window wouldn’t have matched up properly.
The rest of the exterior is pretty much stock, save for the hood and big ZR1 wheels and brakes. The interior, meanwhile, is a simplistic, custom job that features tan ultra-soft bison leather and a unique box that hides the ZR1’s complex electronics behind the custom center pod and seats.
The best part about the whole project, however, may be when Bongiorno turns the key and hears his custom ’63 ZR1 Split Window roar down the road. It’s a feeling not many Corvette owners will ever experience.
For an in-depth look at Joe Bongiorno’s 1963 Corvette ZR1, check out Chris Demorro’s article at Corvette Online.
What you drive says a lot about your personality, or so says Charles Kenny, a psychologist who tries to help major automakers understand why consumers choose certain cars.
In the old days, you had “Chevrolet men” and “Ford men.” Now psychologist Charles Kenny believes times have changed and that many consumers aren’t as loyal so much to brands as they are loyal to a certain type of vehicle, be it sports cars or SUVS or minivans.
So what’s the scoop on us Corvette drivers? Well, Kenny says we are seeking power and control, but mostly control.
“You will find that Corvette owners are more sensitive and refined than you would think. They’re not into hoarding it over other people the way that the Hummer owners are,” he said.
The other emotional need that can be fulfilled by a sports car like a Corvette is a desire for immortality.
“They get real upset if the paint job gets scratched. That’s very upsetting to a Corvette owner. They want these things to last forever, and they want to last forever,” Kenny said. “They’re never going to sell it. In fact, a lot of Corvette owners, when they buy a new Corvette, they keep the other one.”
Sometimes psychoanalysis can go a little too far. What if we Corvette fans just enjoy a beautiful car that can go fast and handle great?
What does driving a Corvette say about you? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
One of the great things about being a Corvette fanatic is that we definitely aren’t alone. There are literally millions and millions of fans of this special Chevrolet creation that will celebrate its 60th year with the upcoming 2013 model. Many celebrities are included in the ranks of Corvette lovers, and the website L82corvette.tripod.com has even gone so far as to compile a list of past and present celebrity owners.
That list includes folks like Scott Altman, pilot of the Atlantis Space Shuttle, C4, and Alan Bean, Apollo 12 lunar module pilot, Riverside Gold 1969 Coupe;
Famous musicians are also included, including Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen (1985 Coupe), ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard (Rally Red 1967 Roadster), and singers David Cassidy (white 1990s C4), Sheryl Crow (Ruby Red 1993 Roadster), and Jon Bon Jovi (1958 and Red 1990s C4).
The list of actors features George Clooney (Metallic Blue 1986 Roadster), Farrah Fawcett (Black 1962 and 2002 Z06), James Garner (Black C4 roadster), and Burt Reynolds (Torch Red 2000).
You can see the long list of celebrity owners that L82corvette.tripod.com has compiled, and by the way, the website also points out that the L-82 made its debut in 1973 as the throttled down smog successor to the original LT-1 and bowed out in the 1980 model. With a 9.0:1 compression ratio, 2.02-inch intake/1.60-inch exhaust valves, and hydraulic lifters, it was rated at 250 net horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 285 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The L-82 has large port cylinder heads, pushrod guideplates, a long duration camshaft, a forged-steel crankshaft, moly rings, finned aluminum valve covers, a high capacity starter and a four-bolt block.
A Corvette racing icon will be helping to pay for the construction of the exciting new National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park slated to be completed in the fall of 2014.
Johnny O’Connell, four-time winner of the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in France with the factory Corvette Racing team, and Pfadt Race Engineering have offered to donate a portion of the sales of their official Johnny O’Connell Suspension made through the National Corvette Museum, which just added the products to their lineup on-site and online.
The 2.9-mile race track will be a new focal point at the National Corvette Museum, putting the emphasis on performance-related activities, the very core of Corvette heritage.
O’Connell got his start with the Corvette Racing team early in its development stages, and he has led the team to several American LeMans Series championships to become the most successful series driver in history, all accomplished with Corvette.
“Johnny is integral to Corvette Racing development and the technology that has transferred from that program down to the Corvette production cars that you and I drive on the streets every day,” a press release from NCM said. “Johnny bleeds Corvette through and through and represents the ideal authority on the level at which your Corvette should be handling and performing at.”
What this means for you is by purchasing a Johnny O’Connell Stage 1 Package directly from the National Corvette Museum, you are helping one of the world’s largest Corvette associations come one step closer to giving every Corvette owner what they’re looking for, available track time!
“Not only are you supporting a great cause, but you’re purchasing a fantastically balanced suspension package that will make your Corvette easier to drive fast without sacrifice to ride quality or road manners,” a spokesman for Pfadt Race Engineering said.
The Johnny O’Connell Signature Suspension line combines the professional driving and development skills of Johnny O’Connell and the engineering expertise of Pfadt Race Engineering to give you a suspension package tuned to perfection. For the past six years, Pfadt Race Engineering has been the ultimate source for Corvette suspension performance parts that really get your car hugging the turns.
Many engineering revisions and much testing on the race track, mountain passes, and stretches of pot hole riddled road have been done to produce a suspension that offers race car-level road holding ability and the drivability expected from your daily driver.
For the Museum to receive the donation, you must order the Johnny O’Connell Signature Sway Bars through the NCM’s Store.
Go to www.pfadtracing.com to see the official development video featuring Johnny O’Connell and Pfadt, and to see exactly what you can expect in performance and ride quality gains from this package.
Here’s an older video of Johnny O’Connell discussing his new signature line of suspension parts with Pfadt:
If you think it was complicated putting your kids’ toys together for Christmas, try talking to Jeff Kasper.
The California salesman recently became the first person to go through Chevrolet Performance’s new Crate Engine Build Experience, which lets customers take part in the construction of their engine at the General Motors Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich., northwest of Detroit.
“The build program was the thrill of a lifetime,” said Kasper, who put the new motor in his Camaro SS. “Going inside the assembly facility and actually participating in building my very own engine greatly exceeded my expectations – and I’d absolutely recommend it to every enthusiast.”
Of course, that enthusiast would need some deep pockets since this new program doesn’t come cheap. Kasper’s LS7 purchased through the Crate Engine Build Program has a suggested retail price of $22,756.10. (The LS9 ZR1 motor purchased through the program retails for $32,050.)
The program is definitely a first-class operation, however. Once an order for a motor is placed through a Chevy dealer, a special concierge takes care of the details and makes sure the customer has an unforgettable experience.
Kasper first learned about the Corvette Engine Build Program that allows Z06 and ZR1 customers to help in the assembly of their motors.
“I inquired about building an engine, even though I wasn’t purchasing a Corvette,” he said. “A few months later, I learned about the Crate Engine Build Program and made arrangements immediately. I was pretty much on the next plane to Detroit, as soon as I put in my order.”
For the mechanically less inclined, don’t worry that you’ll be thrown into the factory with a set of wrenches and told to “connect the dots.â€
Overseeing the assembly and use of the specialized tools required is a specially trained engine builder.
“The builders there were great to work with and the whole experience was a lot of fun,” said Kasper. “It was fascinating to learn how these engines are built with a combination of hand-assembly techniques and some computer-assisted high-tech tools.”
Kasper didn’t just tighten a few bolts and look on, either. He actually participated in every part of the assembly, even installing the crankshaft in the cylinder block and tightening down the intake system atop the engine.
He even placed an “assembled by…” plaque with his name on the engine to finish the process. Then the engine was fired up and put through a series of tests so that it earned a 24-month/50,000 mile GM factory warranty.
It was definitely a great feeling for Kasper when he heard his motor rumbling.
“I got the most satisfaction and pride when I heard my engine fire up for the first time,” said Kasper. “When the engine came to life, it was the payoff for a day’s work and it was a satisfying success.”
Tom Stephens, GM’s vice chairman of Global Product Operations, is a firm believer in the program.
“In a way, this is a dream program for a …customer,” he said. “I would have jumped at the chance to build the 427 in my ’67 Vette, and that didn’t have half of what goes into one of these modern precision engines. Today’s LS7 and LS9 Corvette engines are pinnacle achievements in engineering, and to personally involve our customers in their final creation shows the depth of Chevrolet’s commitment to make lasting connections with the customer.”
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