Body Off Built Corvette Sting Ray Pro Touring EFI LS2 V8 5 Speed C4 Suspension

SUMMARY

During its 63-year history, the legendary Corvette has enjoyed immense innovation and success. From Grand Sports and ZR-1s to the beast they call the Z06/Z07, performance is something the Vette camp knows all too well. So, that begs the question: what exactly does it take to make a Corvette truly collectible? Well, it's hard to answer such a broad inquiry, but we can tell you what makes this sweet C2 stand out from the crowd. For starters, it's a fully restored piece that's wrapped in brilliant red on red aesthetics. It has big performance thanks to a tough Tremec 5-speed and six liters of modern GM small block. And last but certainly not least, thanks to an air conditioned cockpit, a proven Street Shop chassis and classic side-pipes, it's poised to provide an awesome driving experience. So, that brings us to the ultimate question: are you ready for a super cool Sting Ray?

BODYWORK/TRIM

Logging only 160 miles since it rolled out of a ground-up, no-expense-spared restoration, this impressive coupe is a lust worthy rendition of timeless American muscle. The car's glossy PPG 2-stage, which reflects brilliant Rally Red pigment, has been carefully detailed with a Graphite Stinger Stripe. Under that pigment, slick fit and finish is aligned to better-than-factory standards. And the result is a modern yet familiar profile that creates a lasting impression!

With such a sculpted body, ornamentation could have easily ruined the C2's presence. Thankfully, Chevrolet did a great job of placing form over function and keeping brightwork to a minimum. At the front of the car, quality WiperWorks headlights shade polished bumpers, which cage a stainless-trimmed grille between small parking lamps. Behind those lights, a requisite cross-flag emblem draws the eye to a stylish Stinger Hood, quality WiperWorks wipers and clean, stainless-trimmed glass. At the sides of that hood, a louvered profile centers polished handles and a familiar bowtie mirror above black rocker guards and rowdy side-pipes. And that mirror reflects two more polished bumpers, which frame factory taillights, polished tag trim, a flowing Sting Ray emblem and a color-keyed fuel filler.

ENGINE

Peer under the car's aggressive hood and you'll find six liters of LS2 V8 that's good for a solid 400 horsepower! More specifically, that fully sorted mill, a 2006 assembly that's racked up roughly 15K miles, combines a sturdy aluminum block with a hot cam and lightweight 243 heads to twist stout 10.9 to 1 compression in to 400 lb./ft. of torque. At the front of the engine, a Street Shop LS Engine Accessory Kit spins a fresh alternator, modern power steering and a custom machined water pump under a short Vibrant air tube. Once air enters that tube, it flows through a GM throttle body to a composite intake that's bolted over completely stock internals. High octane fossils are provided by GM electronic fuel injection. Sparks are sequenced through standard AC Delco plug wires. Spent gases are whisked away by cast exhaust manifolds. And cooling comes courtesy of a lightweight aluminum radiator that's strung across large electric puller fans. Aesthetically, both the Chevy Orange mill and its assortment of clean accessories seem right at home inside their smooth, Satin Black frame. And details like stainless fluid lines, a chrome-capped master cylinder, billet fluid reservoirs and custom fuel rail covers ensure this classic is primed, polished and ready to roll.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

Park this Sting Ray on a lift and you'll find a custom Street Shop chassis that's been bolted to clean floor tubs, bathed in familiar satin pigment and fitted with a spry fourth generation Corvette suspension. The stout LS2 twists a stout Tremec TKO600 5-speed that, sourced directly from American Powertrain, features a billet White Lightning shifter mechanism. That transmission spins a race-balanced, Drawn-Over-Mandrel driveshaft, which twists a requisite Dana 44 differential between 3.45 gears and aluminum half-shafts. As previously mentioned, that first class drivetrain rolls on a fourth generation Corvette independent suspension, which makes excellent use of billet control bars, beefy sway bars and QA-1 coil-over-shocks. Turns come courtesy of AGR-supplied power rack-and-pinion steering. Smooth and solid stops are provided by Hydratech hydraulic assist, which squeezes powder-coated Grand Sport calipers around 13-inch front rotors and powder-coated C4 calipers around 11-inch rear rotors. And power flows through American Racing Torq Thrust IIs, which spin 245/45ZR17 Kumho Ecstas around flat center caps and custom-painted spokes.

INTERIOR

Slip in to this Vette's vivid interior and settle on pliable leather buckets that are dressed in fresh lap belts. A dual-cowl dash founds Dakota Digital VHX telemetry beside a correct Delco AM/FM radio, a Dakota Digital clock and Vintage Air climate control. At the base of that dash, a tapered console frames a familiar chrome shifter. Below that console, Chevrolet-branded floor mats split the difference between billet foot pedals and color-keyed carpet. At the edges of that carpet, weather-free door panels center correct stainless hardware on factory power windows. A tilting Ididit column spins a sporty, satin-spoke steering wheel. And behind the passengers, a small storage compartment reserves enough room for a pair of car show chairs.

With impressive performance, sinuous aesthetics and a comfy interior, this solid sports car is an attractive, well-done classic. And best of all, being a Corvette, its appeal is nearly universal. If you're in the market for a well-rounded collector car with an unbeatable combination of style and performance, this Chevy is your kind of ride!