Engine ::: These signature...
Engine ::: These signature fuel rails give onlookers only a slight inkling to what they're up against if they ever attempt to take on this Lingenfelter-built C5R-427. The big cobra-head air inlet and FAST intake manifold also let you know this Z06 is all business.
Jeff was asked to leave the body alone, retaining the stock appearance except for some external striping and badging. Red Z06 stripes race down the hood, while the dual red hash marks cut across the driver's fender like the Grand Sports from 1996. At almost every angle, a Lingenfelter label can be found advertising the revamped engine's 427 ci of displacement. The wheels and tires maintained the Z06 look with polished 17- and 18-inch wheels with equally polished Z06 center caps and painted C5 crossed-flags. Stout Lingenfelter-manufactured axles mesh with 3.42 gears spun by a factory positraction carrier. the transmission remained mostly the same from the Bowling Green plant except for a Breathless short throw shifter and a Lingenfelter-built clutch. The 405-horse Z06 powerplant was pulled and eviscerated of its internals. In its stead returned a totally different animal. The once tame (and we use that word loosely) 405 street-friendly ponies now weigh in close to 600 hp!
The Jekyll-to-Hyde conversion cannot be attributed to any black magic. While out, the original LS6 block was cleaned, bagged, and replaced with the GM Performance C5R block-a platform based upon the race-bred unit used by the Corvette Le Mans team. The C5R was filled with billet steel connecting rods that pushed custom forged aluminum 11.2:1 slugs in the large cylinders. A custom-built forged steel crank strokes the rotating assembly, while the Z06 aluminum heads manage the breathing. After being CNC ported and polished, the heads were filled with large 2.10/1.57-inch valves and Competition Cams double valvesprings with titanium retainers. LPE used Crane roller rockers with Comp Cams HD pushrods, all manipulated by a specialty cut Comp Cams Lingenfelter-specific hydraulic roller camshaft. The factory intake was also bagged and replaced with a FAST FSX intake with a gaping 90mm throttle body. High-capacity, 42-pound fuel injectors are matched by a free flowing Vortex air intake with a K&N filter for the perfect air-to-fuel intake charge. The fire comes via Magnacor 8.5mm plug wires and NGK V-power spark plugs. Expelling all the spent gasses is a pair of Dynatech SuperMAXX headers with PowerCAT collectors and catalytic converters that flow into a set of Billy Boat Bullet system mufflers and out 3-inch stainless tubes with four polished tips.
When Bill finally took collection of the reworked Z06 he was blown out of the water. Lingenfelter's "Midas" touch is typically characterized by semi-stock behaving Corvettes until the pedal is mashed. And with the smashing of the accelerator, this once respectable Z06 obliterates the wide track tires into gooey pulp. Bill still hasn't taken the 50th Anniversary 427 to the track because he's having too much fun driving it whenever he can and showing it off at all the local venues. it's good to know that John Lingenfelter's special charismatic touch survives long after the man has left us.
Details ::: Though mostly...
Details ::: Though mostly specific to the Grand Sports from 1996, the dual hash marks add a nice touch to the red highlights found on the wheels, badges, and hood stripes.
Logo ::: Here's the most...
Logo ::: Here's the most common view of Bill Bruner's Corvette. The 427 logo is just like those of yesteryear, displaying the cubic inches to ward off any challengers who might be biting off more than they can chew.