Kevin credits the incredible...
Kevin credits the incredible shine of his Bright Aqua Metallic convertible to Zaino Brothers Show Car Polish. Kevin helps run the day-to-day operation of Zaino Brothers.
What's more fun, going to a sports game in person or watching your favorite team on TV?
In the same manner, is the Corvette hobby about club participation and driving your car or simply owning show-winners that are kept tucked away in the garage?
Kevin Low can answer that question. Prior to 1996, Kevin had owned 11 Corvettes, but had lost interest. Says Kevin, "I wasn't interested in owning any more Corvettes. My last Corvette at that time was a '79 I bought new. Like all of my Corvettes, it was, for the most part, hot, noisy, and uncomfortable."
Kevin moved on and owned a rare '77 Hurst Olds prototype among his group of noteworthy Oldsmobiles. "I owned several national show-winning cars, but the problem was that no one in the Olds club ever did anything-no cruises, no barbecues, no nothing."
The wheels of choice on Kevin's...
The wheels of choice on Kevin's convertible are Fikse's FMS style-17x9.5 up front and 17x11 in the rear. Goodyear Eagle GSC tires (P255/40ZR17s in front and P315/35ZR17s in the rear) provide traction for the Vortech-equipped LT-1.
Enter Kevin's friend, Barry Cohn. Barry owned a '93 Anniversary Corvette and belonged to the Surf Corvette Club in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Kevin says, "He was always going to events with the club; that's what I missed. Barry said, 'Buy a Corvette and join the club.' But I reiterated my point about Corvettes being hot, noisy, and uncomfortable."
Barry threw Kevin the keys to his '93 and said, "Take it for the day." Of course, who in their right mind would say no to that? So Kevin took the '93. "I was surprised how nice it rode, how comfortable it was, and that it had plenty of power. Convinced that the Corvette had greatly improved, I now needed one and my search was on."
Kevin decided early on that he wanted a '92 or a '93 Aqua Metallic convertible. "That proved to be a lot harder than I originally thought. Locally, I found this '93 with white interior and an automatic with only 11,000 miles. I purchased the car in March 1996, one week before I got married, and into my garage it went. I told my wife it would be a nice car for the weekends and participation with the club. I told her I had no intention of modifying it. She said, 'Sure you won't, I know you better than that.'"
One week after the honeymoon, the Corvette was on jackstands with the 2.59:1 rearend out and a 3.07:1 going in. Of course, Kevin would note that it was begging for a shift-improvement kit, so that went in as well. More modifications would follow including the installation of Fikse wheels, GT rotors, and Performance Friction brake pads, but that would also prove not to be enough.
"While the Corvette was nice, it was not up to the level of performance that I wanted," notes Kevin. At a local show, Kevin saw a Vortech supercharger on a C4 and, of course, he had to have one. With the help of Bob Fodor of Shore Motorsports in Howell, New Jersey, in went the Vortech, as did a full Corsa exhaust system.
Kevin profoundly stated, "That was the last of the modifications. At this point, I am totally happy with the car and have no plans for any other changes."
Sure, Kevin.