Epic C7.R Replica Brings Le Mans Flavor to Main Street
With over 800 horsepower, this C7.R replica makes a few hundred more ponies than the real thing.
Uncharacteristic. That could be the only way to describe Corvette Racing‘s results at this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona. Traditionally, the pair of yellow racers cross the finish line well ahead of the competition, but a 6th place finish was the highest the team could get this year. Perhaps they could have found the engine from this car a bit more useful.
This C7, captured on video by My Corvette Life’s Chris Draper, is actually a C7.R replica, and while we know IMSA or Le Mans rules wouldn’t allow the use of this supercharged beauty, its output of 850 horsepower is significantly greater than those used on the banks of the oval. And yet, this one’s a road car.
In this video, Draper interviews the owner of this car, Nicholas. Nicholas, who might be the luckiest person ever in 2018 won the C7.R replica through a Speed Academy raffle. All he had to do was buy a t-shirt. We wish we were kidding. And, we wish we weren’t a bit jealous ourselves.
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The details on the replica are impressive as well, using the same exact APR wing that the race car uses, but under the hood, things are cranked up. To get air into the engine, a Haltech cold air induction system draws in the best air possible. It is then compressed by a stock supercharger which is over-driven by a different crank pulley. It’s final passage into the combustion chamber is assisted by CNC ported LT4 cylinder heads.
Power is controlled through an ECU that can run on either 91 octane fuel. That might seem low, but its at least available in every state. However if you really wanted to make a show, the ECU can also run on VP Racing MS 109 fuel. Methanol injection is part of the package as well.
Internals are upgraded, too, with Vengeance Racing supplying the billet core cam, dual valve spring kit, and hardened push-rods. It all makes a great racket exiting out of the back of the car via Kooks long tube headers with an X-pipe configuration.
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