Track-Focused 500 WHP C5 Z06 Is One Angry Panda
C5 Z06 Corvettes are cheap and plentiful, making them prime candidates for track duty.
Don't Forget
With all the press these days focusing on the C8 Corvette, it's oftentimes easy to forget that the last few generations of America's sports car aren't exactly slouches. With the right combination of parts, in fact, they're rather capable of competing at any kind of track imaginable. Case in point - David Moster's wicked C5 Z06, recently featured over at Super Chevy.
Photos: Super Chevy
Finding Motivation
Moster, a jet engine designer, can trace his passion for Corvettes back to a very early age. "My stepfather was a huge Corvette fan," he told Super Chevy. "And he owned one of every generation, minus C1 and C5 (he went from a C4 to a C6). When I was 13 I made a deal with my parents that if I got straight A’s through junior high and high school, they would help me buy a Corvette. Well, I got one B, in 9th grade, so I didn’t get that Corvette. I didn’t complain because I knew my parents didn’t have the money for one, even an older used one, and with my driving at the time, I don’t blame my stepdad for not trusting me with one yet! However, it did motivate me to work hard."
Photos: Super Chevy
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Fun to Serious
Moster's current career finally enabled him to purchase his dream car, this 2003 Z06. But at first, his tinkering didn't really have a plan behind it. "When I first started building the car it was just to do anything ‘fun’ (autocross, road race, drag race, and just street driving), not for any type of racing class," Moster said. That is, until he started hanging out with Danny Popp, owner of Raft Racing.
Photos: Super Chevy
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Getting Serious
Popp eventually convinced Moster to get serious about road racing his Corvette and participating in Ultimate Street Car Association events. At first, he focused on performance mods including an intake, exhaust, and cam. But then, Moster picked up a new LS3 block, heads, and an even larger cam, along with a 150 shot of nitrous. Without the juice, the new engine produced 500 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.
Photos: Super Chevy
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Starting Over
Moster hit the drag strip with his new combo and ripped off a respectable 10.56-second pass at 127 mph. Unfortunately, his later attempts to best that pass resulted in some engine trouble. So Moster, with the help of some friends, ripped the motor apart and transformed it into a 416 cubic-inch stroker.
Photos: Super Chevy
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New Combo
This time around, Moster went with a forged crank and rods, a new Comp hydraulic roller cam, Wiseco pistons, and massaged Trick Flow heads. With a bigger throttle body and headers, the new combo laid down 551 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque on the dyno. And that's without a new 300 hp wet shot of nitrous.
Photos: Super Chevy
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Upgrade Me
After competing in a few events, Moster realized it was time to upgrade the rest of the car. He went with double-adjustable shocks, Pfadt bars, and VB&P springs for the suspension. A six-speed Tranzilla handles the shifts, while an RPM Transmissions Level 4 differential with 3.90 gears puts the power to the ground.
Photos: Super Chevy
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Unique Look
To give the Corvette a unique look, Moster went to Spade Kreations for a flat-white wrap. Forgeline GA3R wheels, 18x11 front and 18x13 rear went on next, and Moster wrapped them in BF Goodrich Rival tires measuring 315/30 up front and 335/30 in the rear. Bringing the whole thing to a halt is a set of C6 Z06 brakes with Hawk pads.
Photos: Super Chevy
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Exceeding Limits
Since the car's completion, Moster has competed in all sorts of events all over the country. Until disaster struck. "I tend to drive pretty aggressive and had a 12/10ths moment at the Holley LS Fest," Moster said. "Running the 'Vette into the wall took me out of contention for the SEMA and the OUSCI event, which was not fun at all. But it did motivate me to get more seat time and try again this year." So fear not, you haven't seen the last of this panda Corvette just yet.
Photos: Super Chevy
>>Join in the conversation on this Z06 C5 right here in the LS1Tech Forum!
For help with service and maintenance on your car, check out the how to section of LS1Tech.com