The Salvage Z06 Corvette Turned Race Car
This wrecked Z06 turned Pike's Peak record setter is one of the coolest stories we've seen in a long time.
Giving a Salvaged Z06 a Second Chance at Life
Most of us know the kind of work it takes to restore an old, beat up car. But turning a wrecked Corvette, particularly a newer one, back into a road-worthy machine is an incredibly difficult task. Most of that is due to the complexity and sheer degree of technology that it takes to make them run. However, saving a salvaged Corvette Z06 isn't just what a man by the name of Robb Holland had in mind. He wanted to turn it into a proper race car as well. And his journey, documented in a recent series of articles on Jalopnik, is well worth the read.
Living the Dream
It all started with a simple idea - to take a salvaged car and turn it into a badass racing machine. Specifically, a racing machine Holland could run up Pike's Peak. He was no stranger to the race, having completed it once before in a twin turbo TT. But he wanted something better suited to the legendary race's unique challenges. So when he came across a 2017 Corvette Z06 with 9 whole miles on the odometer and a salvage title, Holland jumped on it. How the heck does that happen, you ask? Some guy at the dealership was supposed to move the car and wound up putting it in a ditch instead.
Appearances may be Deceiving
At first glance, the Z06 looked to be in spectacular condition. Heck, it even had the original plastic on the seats. Underneath, however, Holland found a damaged cross brace and lower transmission cooler. The airbag had deployed, which is what led to the salvage title. And interestingly enough, installing a roll cage in a Corvette isn't exactly easy, either. Because aluminum and steel don't mix too well. But it's kind of important when you risk catapulting yourself off the side of a very tall mountain.
Reality is Rarely Kind
The roll cage complexity was only the beginning, and Holland quickly found out that this job wasn't going to be as straightforward as he thought. Making everything work with OEM electronics was a huge pain, thanks to the endless number of sensors these cars have that must talk to each other for things to work. That's why most race car builders take at least a year to put one together. But Holland was determined to do it in 90 days.
Redemption
Despite facing countless obstacles along the way, Holland completed the build and made it to Pike's Peak. Now merely finishing the race in a rushed build like this would have impressed anyone. But he did much more than that - he actually finished 16th overall and recorded the fastest time a Corvette has ever laid down at the legendary race. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we chase our dreams. No matter what gets in our way.
For help with service of your car, check out the how to section of CorvetteForum.com