Purchasing a previously owned Corvette is much like buying a home. How insane the previous owners were reflects directly on how much repair, paint, patching, and personalization it will take to make that car or home your own.
Todd and Cheryl Vinson of Mayfield, Kentucky, learned this lesson the hard way. When Todd took his first look at this '97 black coupe, many of the aftermarket's best go-fast goodies had already been installed by the first owner, including a Corsa exhaust, new spark-plug wires, a new adjustable fuel-pressure regulator, and replacement of the factory airbox. The Corvette that came to the Vinsons might not have been factory stock, but what they found suited them just fine.
The inky-black Corvette was menacing enough, but to Todd, it wasn't what he had in mind for the stealthy C5. Special body components changed the look of the sleek Corvette from standard to wild with the addition of Z06 scoops and screens, along with an aftermarket 311/42-inch high-rise cowl hood made by JD Corvettes. Other cosmetic add-ons were attached to the Corvette to give it a more altered look that suited Todd's style, including billet-aluminum taillight shrouds, a license-plate and side-marker-light covers, chrome Corvette emblems, a billet-aluminum exhaust plate, badges, and stainless letter inserts on the rear fascia.
More aesthetic changes were made to the interior, as Todd thought the original slate gray material was "too boring." Instead, he had a fully customized red-on-black leather interior package sewn together for a sportier look. Both armrests with a matching "Oh Crap!" passenger-side dash handle were covered in red-dyed leather, while plastic and metal parts such as the door handles, seat bezels, bolt covers, and seat levers received red accents. A red-and-black shifter knob and boot were made from the same leather as the seats. A chromed emergency-brake handle, along with billet door reflector grilles, stainless door-jamb plates, chromed roll bars, a polished nitrous bottle, and a fire extinguisher were added. If you're thinking, Man, that's a whole lot of bling for a pretty stock-running Corvette, you're wrong. The engine came to Todd with all sorts of extras.
He added a 125hp shot of nitrous plumbed straight into the intake, and the engine now boasts a whopping 490 horses at the flywheel. Other niceties included massive cues of red and black carbon fiber around the engine compartment, along with chrome and stainless steel inserts and highlights. The original hoses and plumbing were erased with stainless braided lines and red-and-black rubber tubing. With all of the reflective polish and shine, Todd thought it would be the icing on the cake to add an array of brilliant mirroring on the underside of the hood. The latest addition to this go-fast disco ball was a Vortex cold-air-induction system provided by Breathless.
Todd and Cheryl run Vinson's Auto Service in Mayfield, Kentucky, a NAPA auto-care center that specializes in Corvettes. They use their Midnight Black and Blood Red Vette as their rolling calling card. The Vinsons are avid Corvette owners, having had three other ones over the years, including a '92 Blackrose Purple coupe. The need to stand out in the crowd in a Corvette show is almost as instinctual as being the fastest guy at the racetrack. And, by the looks of Todd's '97, we'd have to say he's succeeded with flying colors.