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The annual Specialty Equipment Market Association [2] trade show [3], held in Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada, holds a nearly mythical reputation among enthusiasts who may never get a chance to attend – open only to those in the industry, the SEMA show brings together everything automotive under one (well, actually several, but just go with it) roof. A big highlight of the show are the “SEMA cars,” project vehicles built specifically to showcase the best work of tuners, shops, and parts manufacturers from around the country and beyond.
Last year, the hot car was the Subayota BRZ/FR-S, with pretty much every one that had rolled out of the factory so far there in the Las Vegas Convention Center, and in the past the 5th Gen Camaro [4] has been a popular choice with SEMA car builders as well. This year, Whiteside Customs [5], in partnership with Kooks Headers and Texas Speed & Performance [6], is taking the ambitious route of putting together a new C7 Corvette for the show. Why ambitious? Well, the show is the first week of November, and we’re still waiting to see the first 2014 Stingrays delivered to customers. That doesn’t leave much time for Mike White and his team to get everything together.
[7]Kooks will be contributing 1 7/8-inch long tube headers and a full stainless cat-back exhaust to the build, while Whiteside will top the Corvette’s LT1 powerplant with a supercharger, custom heads, and a cam from Texas Speed as part of their Stage 1 package with a goal of at least 625 horsepower to the wheels. And speaking of wheels, the stingray will ride on Forgeline [8] monoblock wheels [9] with their patented centerlock conversion system, wrapped in Michelin rubber.
We’ve seen Whiteside’s work in the past [10], and we’ve come away impressed [11] – we are eager to see what they can do with the newest iteration of America’s Sports Car in just a few short weeks. Stay tuned for our SEMA coverage for a look at the finished product!