Larry Dobbs, former owner of Corvette Fever, didnt lose his need for speed when he sold Dobbs Publishing. Larrys long been known for his love of fast, bad cars. Knowing that hed recently taken possession of a 2000 Lingenfelter, what could have been more tempting than to include it in the web site?
Larry graciously offered to lend us the car for the afternoon so we could get some photos. This of course involved the necessity of driving it. Although I knew these cars were perfectly streetable, Motor Trends March 2000 account of a similar Lingenfelter Twin Turbo 650 on the track (top speed: 226 mph!) left me hoping simply to keep this beast in check through local downtown traffic.
Shouldnt have given it a thought. Yes, the heavily modified LS1 does have 650 horses (570 hp at the rear wheels; 600 lb-ft of torque), but they behaved discreetly in traffic. Apart from the subtle Lingenfelter markings, the car looked and sounded like a stock C5. Once beyond block upon block of downtown traffic lights, however, it obeyed even the most tenuous command with alarming alacritya real wolf in sheeps clothing, this Corvette, apparently equally at home on the track and the street.
Lingenfelter offers a wide range of modifications for Corvettes back to 1985, as well as other late-model GM V-8s. In addition to engine work, there are brake upgrades, wheel and tire packages, and lots of optional equipment and accessories to be had.
Larrys only complaint? The competition is too quickly over.