Making the C7 Grand sport even more… Grand?

The idea of the perfect track day weapon changes constantly, do you want to have the most fun? The most economical? or the fastest car at your local Time attack event or HPDE day.

My attempt to create a car that fills at least 2/3 categories above, has taken a lot of thought. And my first order of business in modding the car, is to make it even faster, while still maintaining the robust reliability of the grand-sport. This involved an e85 tune and some additional go fast goodies (on top of what was installed by the previous owner)

As the car sits currently, here is the list of modifications:

Engine:

-Halltech air intake system
-Katech Torquer LT1 camshaft
-VVT limiter
-Katech CNC ported heads
-Katech competition valve job and hand blending
-Katech CNC ported throttle body
-MSD intake manifold
-Paint MSD intake satin black and remove lettering
-Katech AFM delete valley cover
-LS7 lifters, lifter trays
-PSI valve springs
-Katech titanium valve spring retainers
-Katech valve spring locators
-GM valve seals
-Katech C5-R timing chain
-GM head bolts
-DeWitts Radiator

-American Racing Headers (with cats)

-Katech light weight flywheel

-e85 Sensor

The Result of all of these engine modifications? 526 WHP on e85 and 499 WHP on 91 octane

Video of tune session by Ryan Daniels for good measure

Special thanks to Ryan Daniels https://www.instagram.com/rdperformance__/ for the awesome flex fuel tune and putting up with my constant questions. DM him on Instagram if you want to get tuned as well!

Exterior:

-Forgeline Wheels

            -19x11 Front and 19x12.5 Rear

-Stage 3 front aero (OEM GM)

-Stage 3 rear aero (OEM GM)

-Signature Forged wheels (on order)

            -18x11 and 18x12

Interior / Safety:

-Shark bar harness bar

-Schroth 4 pt ASM harnesses

-MGW Short shift kit ( a must in my opinion)

The Z06 Argument

Weight

The Z06 was on my radar when i started looking into the C7 platform. a few things stopped me from purchasing. First and foremost, the weight, the z06 weighs (depending on who you choose to believe) around 3600 lbs with a full tank, hefty. When compared to my Grand sport, which I weighed in at 3439 with a full tank of gas and perfect cross weight from the factory. ( rear weight bias is also a Grand sport only thing, due to the rear wide body)

Given the 100-150 lb weight loss ( all of which is at the top front of the car) this gives the GS and stingray a break on consumables and a break on power to weight ratio. According to my Tuner, a stock LT4 (Z06/Zl1 motor) dynos just shy of 500 WHP on his mustang dyno. Meaning that my Grand sport now has substantially better power to weight then a stock z06, without the need of extra (and expensive) aftermarket coolers for the supercharger. My math shows 7.20 lb per HP on the z06 and 6.89 lb per HP on 91 and 6.54 lb per HP on the e85 tune. Seems like a win win.

Of course, you can tune the Z06, But not nearly with the same reliability as a natural aspirated LT1.

What does all of this mean? the hunt for sub 50 at 13CW continues!