Red Hot Z06
Posted at 3:19 PM / March 20, 2009
Every once in a while, we come across a fine specimen of performance vehicle that seems to have a good balance of performance and aesthetics. Andy Wheeler's 2001 Corvette Z06 fits this criteria well. For the gearhead go-fast group, they will be pleased to see a Vortech supercharger attached to an already potent LS6 engine. These lightweight Z06 Corvettes touch 11s in stock form, so power like this is borderline ridiculous to most commuters. The power-adder setup also incorporates an alky injection system to keep the compressed charge cooler in the intake. Exhaust is spent through a set of Vette Doctors longtube headers and a B&B catback system with X-pipe.
The drivetrain has also been fortified to handle the power and potential abuse. Power is transmitted through a Textralia single-disk clutch, and a BPP billet shifter is there to assist with grabbing gears. Out back, the popular DTE support brace was added to keep the pumpkin in one piece. Other than that, the OEM Corvette comes with good enough suspension parts to keep as-is.
Wheeler's car makes an intense visual statement in the sea of Corvettes. It is very difficult to make a popular color like red stand out from the crowd, but this slick ride pulls it off with ease. Along with a nice stance, the killer set of carbon-fiber touched 19/20" wheels set the car off. Those rollers come from Modular Concept and are shod with Pirelli rubber. The carbon fiber theme also carries over to the MCM hood, as well as the custom side brake ducts. Moving into the cabin, we find other nice details carefully selected to enhance the total package. Sparco racing seats with custom leather skins, 5-point racing harnesses to keep you planted, and a top-notch sound system.
This is an excellent example of a performance-inspired custom Corvette. It doesn't suffer from the typical stick-on chrome junk that several other Corvette owners seem to find appealing. Kudos to you Mr. Wheeler!
