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With A Vengeance
Chris LaValle has been a dedicated '01 SS owner since only five months after its original purchase. Unfortunately, like his newborn son Cameron (to whom he dedicates his car), his SS required open heart surgery with a relatively low number of miles on the clock. Thankfully, the doctors patched up his son, and Vengeance Racing patched up the SS by transplanting a new LS1 with a custom cam and valvetrain. Since Vengeance Racing is involved with the GMMG ZL1 cars, it had a few stock LS1s lying around the shop, and one was outfitted with a ported throttle body, ASP crank pulley, Pacesetter long-tube headers, high-flow cats, Y-pipe, SLP Loudmouth exhaust, and custom tune. Through an LS7 clutch, SPEC aluminum flywheel, and 4.10 gears, the cam-only LS1 belted out 400 rear-wheel horsepower and 393 ft-lb of torque. The Bethlehem, Georgia, native plans to upgrade the heads at some point, but for now he enjoys cruising with his baby boy and giving the neighbors a scare with a 1,000-watt JL Audio sound system.
Classy And Sassy
Rhett Castillo of Mesa, Arizona, isn't afraid to prove his '05 black-on-black CTS-V has guts, running neck-and-neck with his buddy's mid- 12-second LS1 WS6 on the street. He hasn't had a chance to test the Caddy on a prepped track, but a BMR Anti-Wheelhop Kit should help him get the 4,000-pound sedan off the line. This car also benefits from a K&N filter, a 160- degree thermostat, and a custom tune done by the 27-year-old owner using HP Tuners. Rhett plans to assault the LS6 with plenty of boltons, and even a 100 shot of nitrous to surprise some Corvettes at the dragstrip.
Running With A Devil Goat
New Jersey native Frank DiMatteo has been busy since purchasing his '04 GTO. The Torrid Red Goat sports a Lingenfelter cold air intake, an SLP Loudmouth exhaust, and a Running with the Devil custom tune to bolt-on some ponies. A BMR strut tower brace and skidplate firm up the front end, while shedding a few pounds, and an SLP adjustable rear sway bar tightens up the rear. Pedders Street I suspension package-including adjustable castor bushings, urethane differential insert, and X-member mount-dials-in the rest of the handling. A Lou's Short Stick, topped off by a Hurst shift knob, negotiates the six-speed gearbox. Aeroforce gauges also highlight the interior, while ASA ST4s and Power Slot rotors dress up the exterior. Kumho ECSTA MX 235/40R18s and Porterfield R4-S pads vastly improve handling and braking.