Yenko C7 Corvette Turns It Up With 1,000HP

Slideshow: Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE) is once again partnering with GM to offer a limited-run of hopped-up Corvettes.

By Thomas Mabson - August 22, 2018
Yenko C7 Corvette Turns It Up With 1,000HP
Yenko C7 Corvette Turns It Up With 1,000HP
Yenko C7 Corvette Turns It Up With 1,000HP
Yenko C7 Corvette Turns It Up With 1,000HP
Yenko C7 Corvette Turns It Up With 1,000HP

A New Sheriff In Town

Specialty Vehicle Engineering (formerly known as Street Legal Performance) has been working closely with General Motors for the past 25 years as not only a Tier One Component Supplier but also as a Second Stage Vehicle Manufacturer that functions to build specialty vehicles to be sold through GM's dealership network. The latest project from the New Jersey-based company is a limited run of high-horsepower Corvettes as an ode to the ultra rare 1969 ZL-1 factory Big-Block Corvette of yesteryear.

Massaging The Motor

Coined the "Yenko/SC Corvette" after the legendary Chevy tuner, cars are to begin life as Grand Sport Corvettes in either coupe or convertible configurations. From there, the cars will undergo some heavy engine modifications by SVE in which the standard 6.2L LT-1 V8 is bored and stroked to 6.8L and treated to an array of internal goodies including a fully forged rotating assembly paired with a set of CNC-ported LT-1 cylinder heads. A custom supercharger with the accompanying fueling and ECU tuning will make 835 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque for the Stage I package. 


>>What do you think about the Yenko C7 Corvette in the LS1Tech Forum

Cranking It Up to 11

While the Stage I package is awesome in its own right, the Stage II kit is downright naughty as the ported LT-1 heads are replaced with a set of LT-4 heads off of the Z06 which are then ported and flowed for utmost efficiency. The supercharger is replaced with a higher-spec unit boasting a 20% larger displacement with an additional 25% more boost over the Stage I setup. To cope with the additional blower boost, strengthened ARP head and main studs are installed as well as a larger throttle body, improved exhaust system, enhanced fuel system, and a reinforced auto transmission (if equipped). Together, the Stage II components gain an additional 165 horsepower over the Stage 1 kit making for an even 1000 ponies! 


>>What do you think about the Yenko C7 Corvette in the LS1Tech Forum

All The Go Fast Bits

The exterior styling of the cars is available with flashy yet functional components to match their levels of performance. Many of these features are pulled directly from the Z06 such as the massive rear diffuser,  aggressive front splitter, side skirts, and aero wing. Similarly, the chassis has been configured to carve corners with magnetic ride control suspension and tuned sway bars. Stopping power provided by a Brembo 6/4 piston setup with 14.6" front rotors and 14.4" rears comes standard, but can also be optioned with carbon ceramics. A limited-slip differential, dry sump lubrication system, a strengthened clutch (for manual transmission cars with active rev-matching) or reinforced auto transmission with performance tuning makes for cars that will be highly capable on the track while still being great for street driving. 


>>What do you think about the Yenko C7 Corvette in the LS1Tech Forum

Double-Digit Production

The unfortunate news is that these Yenko/SC Corvettes are going to be produced in extremely limited quantities with only 25 examples each of the Stage I and Stage II cars for a total of 50 vehicles. More bad news comes for those California residents as these cars cannot be sold in CA because they do not meet its stringent emissions standards. With the bad news out of the way, these cars can be ordered directly through your local GM dealership and will come with a three year, 36,000-mile warranty (with a 12 month, 12,000-mile warranty on the automatic transmission unit if equipped). Pricing for the Stage II cars starts at $68,995 for manual transmission models and $77,995 for automatics plus the price of a Grand Sport donor making for a grand total of around $135,000+. As the saying goes, extreme performance combined with limited production equals a massive sticker price... 


>>What do you think about the Yenko C7 Corvette in the LS1Tech Forum

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