MY CORVETTE...
MY CORVETTE...
MY CORVETTE...
This photo was taken after lowering the rear end slightly. I didn't like it so I returned it to factory ride height.
"CORVETTE OBSESSION"
PERFORMANCE MODIFICATIONS:
Engine:
  • Engine: 417 c.i. Chevrolet Small Block
  • Builder: Will Brogdon of WB's Keen Machine in Hawthorne, CA.
  • Installation: Will & myself
Some project pictures can be followed on my Project: Engine page.)

We started with a "seasoned" 400 cid truck block, bored .030 over.

  • Bore: 4.155
  • Stroke: 3.840
  • Compression Ratio: 10.2:1

Federal-Mogul Race bearings
Eagle 4340 forged steel crankshaft
Eagle pin fit 4340 'ESP' H-beam forged steel connecting rods - 6.00"
SRP forged aluminum pistons w/ SpeedPro file-fit rings
Edelbrock E-Tec 200 aluminum cylinder heads, 2.02"/1.60"
Chet Herbert hydraulic roller camshaft:
  • RPM-Range: 2800-6500
  • Duration @ .050": 243°
  • Valve Lift: .595"

Isky hydraulic roller valve lifters
Crane aluminum roller rocker arms - 1.6 ratio
Dynagear True Roller timing chain set
Competition Cams billet aluminum two-piece timing cover
Pro Race steel vibration damper
March pulleys
TPIS "MiniRam III" intake manifold w/ adjustable fuel pressure regulator
TPIS 58mm Throttle Body
Siemens 45 lb. fuel injectors
Bosch racing fuel pump w/ custom surge tank  (in addition to the stock in-tank unit)
Electromotive TEC3 engine management system
Taylor 10.5mm Pro Race '409' spark plug wires
Champion spark plugs
TPIS ceramic-coated long-tube headers - 1 3/4" primaries, 3" collectors
Flowcooler aluminum water pump
Melling high volume oil pump
Canton Road Race 7 qt oil pan w/ scraper, trapdoors & baffles
Earl's custom oil cooler
Earl's braided stainless lines and fittings
ARP fasteners
CSI high-torque gear reduction mini-starter
Be Cool aluminum radiator
K&N air filter w/ modified airbox

Clutch: Centerforce Flywheel / Dual Friction clutch assembly
Release Bearing: Tilton hydraulic release bearing
Transmission: Richmond Gear 6-speed overdrive transmission w/ Long shifter (3.28 first)
Differential: Dana 44 - Precision 3.73 gears
Suspension: Guldstrand Motorsports in Burbank, CA handled all of the suspension work, including installation of the adjustable camber rods and rear toe-rod setup, as well as the solid sway bar mounts, the urethane bushings, etc.. They also installed the brakes and turned the wrenches on a few other installations and modifications.
Exhaust: Michael Dyckman at CARS Mufflers in Redondo Beach, CA. built the 3" exhaust system using mandrel bent tubing with FlowMaster 40-Series mufflers.
Roll Bar: Wayne Zotti at Speedway Muffler Service in Gardena, CA built the custom five-point roll bar with removable driver-side brace.
Wiring: Chris Corsello of Custom Wire Works in Murrieta, CA built the custom wiring harness.
Brakes: Baer Brakes "Track" system - front: 13" / rear: 12" slotted rotors
Wheels: Borbet 17" "Type T" (street) / Weld Racing "Draglite" (strip)
Tires: Firestone Firehawk SZ50 EP (street) / Mickey Thompson ET Street drag slicks / Kumhos - front (strip)

"Forget about all those namby-pamby cars with balanced performance, cornering prowess, braking accumen, and all those other slide rule sensibilities that have nothing to do with making fire, noise, smoke and going scary quick in a straight line."
~ David Freiburger
MISCELLANEOUS MODIFICATIONS:
Paint:
Jimmy Tanimura, owner of A-1 Quality Auto, in Gardena, CA, handles all of my paint and body work.

Bruce Bansen, aka "Bruce The Brush", of Torrance, CA applied the stripes to the hood and the stylized version of "Z51" lettering on the sides.
(The stripes and lettering will probably be the last cosmetic change that I'll make to the Corvette.)

Sound:
Pioneer
DEH-P76DH Multi-CD control player with ID-Logic tuner
CDX-P650 6-CD changer
GM-X354 Bridgeable four-channel power amplifier
Pioneer speakers
~ 6x9 2-ways in the rear
~ 4" mid-ranges in the doors
~ 1" dome tweeters in the dash

Stereo Installation:
That's Steve Abe, owner of Strictly Security & Sound, with Dennis Gibson, his back to the camera; shy I guess. Steve Abe owns Strictly Security & Sound in Torrance, CA, but it was Dennis Gibson who performed the actual hands-on installation of the stereo and alarm systems in the Corvette.
Many thanks go to Dennis and Steve, but I deleted the stereo system in the latest round of my ongoing Project: Engine phase. All that work , not to mention the money, for naught!

Interior:
The windows were tinted several years ago by a guy who shared a shop with Steve at the time; he has since gone out of business, but the window tint still looks great.

I restored the interior in 2001 in that I re-covered the seats, replaced the carpeting, sound deadener and insulation, the door panels, and a lot of miscellaneous trim pieces.

In 2002 I swapped the digital display gauge cluster for mechanical analog gauges. I also changed out the original sport seats for a set of 3A Racing seats with G-Force five-point harnesses. You can see pictures of that project on my Project: Interior page.

MY INFORMATION:
Name: KJ (Ken) Stapel
aka "1987 Z51"
Email: ken.stapel@verizon.net
I STILL want these body panels! (fenders)
I am still looking for these panels; they were used in 1988 in order for the Corvette to compete in GT racing, but weren't allowed in the Corvette Challenge events.  If you know of where I might find a set, please drop me a line at admininistrator@corvetteobsession.com.
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