KATECH STAGE 4 CORVETTE ZR1 IS A FACE MELTER

It’s unfortunate how quickly we all forgot about the 2019 C7 Corvette ZR1. The ultimate embodiment of the front-engine Corvette was sadly born at the end of the C7’s lifecycle and never quite got to enjoy enough time in the spotlight before the collective attention turned to the C8 and the incoming C8 Z06.

As a step up from the C7 Z06, the C7 ZR1 was given a new supercharged 6.2L pushrod LT5 V8 engine (not to be confused with the C4 ZR1’s DOHC LT5 V8 built by Mercury Marine) that makes an eye-popping 755 hp and 715 lb-ft of torque.

The main differentiator between the ZR1’s 6.2L supercharged LT5 V8 and the Z06’s 6.2L supercharged LT4 V8 is an upsized 2.7L Eaton blower that crowns the LT5. The new supercharger makes 14 psi of boost compared to the LT4’s 9.4 psi, the massive increase in compressed air also brought a new fuel injection system capable of keeping up.

Unlike the C8, the ZR1 is available with a Tremec TR-6070 7-speed manual transmission with rev-matching technology. Which brings us to this Katech Stage 4 C7 Corvette ZR1.

After leaving Katech’s shop in Clinton Township, Michigan, this 7-speed manual 2019 Corvette ZR1 is pushing 979 horsepower to the rear wheels.

Details of the build were posted on Corvette Forum by the owner.

As part of the Katech Stage 4 C7 Corvette ZR1 kit, the company completely reworked the rotating assembly. This included Diamond Competition Series pistons, 6.3-inch Lunati Pro Series con rods, CLEVITE high-performance bearings for the mains and rods, and a polish and rebalance of the LT5’s forged OEM crank.

Cylinder head flow was maximized with CNC porting and a Katech Competition valve job on both intake and exhaust side. There’s also a Katech custom ground cam, upgraded timing chain, custom ground lifters, and Trend high-performance pushrods.

That’s not all. Katech also ported the LT5’s supercharger base and snout, along with adding a 112mm throttle body and changing the upper and lower supercharger drive pulleys. The ignition system is made up of Katech Motorsport bits.

The entire package breathes through American Racing Headers which flow into a Corsa Active Exhaust system. Oh, yeah, this engine also huffs an insane amount of meth which lives in a custom Katech built ice tank.

Eventually, the LT5 is supposed to get a massive 3.1-liter Magnuson supercharger, which the owner expects will get the car to 1200hp at the rear wheels on E85, which will surpass Katech’s own 1,100 hp LT5 crate engine