The ZR1 version of the C6 Corvette comes out of the factory as an awesome hotrod, with 0-60 times of 3.3 seconds and 11-teens in the quarter-mile easily possible with factory running gear. The factory-supercharged ZR1 is just a pulley and exhaust swap away from turning some even more serious numbers, and many shop owners have taken the 638-horse, 6.2 liter factory engine and turned up the wick to show off their talents with building and tuning the LS-series supercharged engine. One such entity is Lethal Performance [1], of San Antonio, Texas, where a set of Lethal Performance-modified cylinder heads, a Lethal Performance camshaft, a ported blower, and a set of long-tube headers made a huge difference in the dragstrip performance of their ZR1.
[2]Of course, when you step up to that power level it’s not all fun and games, so Lethal made the decision to convert to E85 fuel. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last couple of years, E85 is a corn-based fuel that has emerged as a much-cheaper alternative to race fuel. With an octane rating in the neighborhood of 105, it’s proven very effective at defusing detonation, especially in supercharged cars like the ZR1. Many enthusiasts in the late-model crowd have been using it since it is available at the pump in many larger American cities and towns. Driver Danny G of Lethal Performance uses it to great advantage, eventually clicking off a 9.53 at 151 MPH from this stock-appearing ZR1 with minimal modifications. We are living in the true heyday of factory-built performance vehicles, people, and the ZR1 is at the pinnacle of the mountain. Enjoy it, and get in while the gettin’s hot! The C7 will be here before you know it…