Remember when the original Fast and Furious movie brought the 10-second quarter-mile car under the spotlights? Well, that was two decades ago. Nowadays, you can buy a 9s machine straight from the showroom. Of course, certain aficionados still prefer to distill their own nine-second animals using aftermarket attention. So, why not take the C8 Corvette Stingray down this route?
Ever since GM announced the phenomenal sub-$60,000 starting price of the mid-engined 'Vette back in 2019, enthusiasts had a dream: strap a pair of turbos to the 6.2-liter V8 sitting behind the seats and give supercars/hypercars hell on a budget.
Well, this is 2021, Chevy has increased the C8's pricing by $1,000, and there have been plenty of TT builds, even though the factory ECU remains a tough nut to crack due to special encryption. The C8 Stingray has thus traveled from its factory quarter-mile time of 11.2 seconds straight into the 9s arena.
However, until recently, no mid-engine Corvette had gone below the 9.5s mark in the 1,320 feet sprint; that is precisely what happens after the 10:50 timestamp of the clip below.
The video allows you to see Phoenix, actress and vlogger Emelia Hartford's C8 Corvette Stingray, working its way to a 9.41s 1/4-mile run, while delivering trap speeds in excess of 144 mph (231 km/h). As far as drag racing terms go, note that the E.T. (Elapsed Time) determines how quick a machine is, while its terminal velocity will obviously tell you how fast it is.
In its speed quest, this Chevy was fitted with a pair of Precision 62/66 ball bearing turbos, and while the factory ECU is still in there, the boost is handled by a Peitz Performance control unit. At the same time, a Holley Dominator Electronic Fuel Injection kit with a standalone ECU feeds the LT2 motor with ethanol.
Using C16 race gas, this motor has proven it can deliver in excess of 1,000 horsepower, and you can certainly hear it building that sweet boost before sprinting towards the horizon. The power is sent to the prepped surface of the track using still-road-legal Mickey Thompson ET SS drag-friendly rubber kept in place by beadlock wheels.
Sure, the adventure hasn't been easy, with the C8 Corvette earning itself the Phoenix nickname after dealing with trouble such as a cracked piston and a fire. But those were the things that boosted its owner's determination, so yes, the race to the 8s league is on.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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