Ron had owned Corvettes before, including two '01s, a convertible, a Z06, and an '05. The Z06 was built and enjoyed some driving time as Ron's daily mule, but when it came time to offload the Z, he held onto the built and bored LS6. Now with his '67 needing a powerplant, Ron turned his eyes on the lonely 383 in need of a home. The engine was sent to Metro Machine where the block was filled with an Eagle crank and rods, Diamond 11:1 slugs, a Crane roller camshaft, Dart Pro 1 aluminum heads, Crane springs, and a FAST intake breathing through a 90mm throttle body.
Breathe: The 383ci LS6 breathes...
Breathe: The 383ci LS6 breathes via this 90mm throttle body and a big conical filter.
The stock LS6 manifolds worked just fine so they were plumbed into the chambered, custom side pipes made to simulate the stock '67 pipes. A sure-fire Tremec TKO 600 manual five-speed from Keisler chirps the tires in nearly every gear when Ron rows the Hurst shifter. Though a timeslip bragging a best quarter-mile time wasn't offered, a dyno read of 415 rwhp proves that this is one lethal combination. Ron has twice tinkered with the odometer (hey, he's not planning on selling it) and has totaled something like 600 miles since the build. Of course, that's all conjecture since he's more interested in having fun with his Vette-Rod than rubbing it with a chamois.
Quarters: Only the keenest...
Quarters: Only the keenest eye will notice something isn't right here. The quarters aren't what they were before, with an extra 1 1/2 inch on each side thanks to Car Creations.
Hood: The hood isn't "right",...
Hood: The hood isn't "right", but is perfect for Ron's roadster. A '66 clamshell from Eckler's looks just at home as a Stinger hood from a '67.
Engine: Those valve covers...
Engine: Those valve covers are liars. The 5.7L moniker was lost long ago when the 350 was pressed out to 383 cubes thanks to a stroked crank and longer rods from Eagle, 11:1 pistons from Diamond, and an intake from FAST that is ready from the factory for a shot of nitrous. Yes, it's from an '01 Z06. You'll find three more model years manifest in this build.
Brakes: The Baer discs and...
Brakes: The Baer discs and rotors are sized 13 and 12 inches, front and back. Riding on a modified '77 chassis with all '86 suspension, this '67 with C5 power is only missing something from a first-gen and a C6, and it would have covered every year of Corvette built.
Office: Inside, it's all...
Office: Inside, it's all business with most of the interior in stock form, only restored. The seats are from an '86 C4 and recovered in black leather. The steering wheel is from Grant with a Flaming River column.
Shift: A Tremec TKO 600 from...
Shift: A Tremec TKO 600 from Keisler, such as what the big guns like Corvette, Shelby Mustangs, and SRT Vipers use, and a Hurst stick rips up the tires in whichever gear Ron chooses.