Most people purchase a vehicle to serve as a basic form of transportation. The car is merely something used to get from point A to B and happens to fit their budget and lifestyle. Gearheads and car-nuts are a different breed. We tend to make impulsive vehicle purchases that are largely driven by desire and passion, budget being secondary in most cases. The normal population will never understand how car enthusiasts can cycle through so many vehicles in a matter of years. They cannot understand why someone would sell a perfectly good car that is in excellent working condition. The reasons for Joe Commuter to purchase a new econobox do not include excuses such as: because it is faster, because I'm bored, because it handles better.
Every car enthusiast probably has at least one vehicle in his or her mind that they regret selling. When we get swayed by flashy new paint colors, newer engine options, nicer wheels, and limited editions, we tend to lose interest in our current rides in order to seek something new. Sometimes by doing so, we end up regretting those decisions later, whether it be attachments of the sentimental type, or the higher car payment at the end of each forthcoming month.
Daniel Gonzales Jr., of San Antonio, is a genuine car-crazy dude. A few years back, he was sporting an Electron Blue 2002 Z06 with a supercharger as his daily driver. It was a great car, offering blistering performance and excellent driveability. Some would even consider a supercharged Z06 as their dream car. Then the Blue-Oval boys tossed out some fresh bait on the gearhead hook-in the form of their supercharged 2003 Mustang Cobra. It was the latest and greatest fad-mobile, and the reports of them nailing 500 hp at the wheels with minimal mods were too much for Daniel to resist. He tried to justify the purchase of the snake by saying he needed more seats for the family to ride along with him. When the factory roots blower wouldn't do, he added a Kenne Bell screwcharger to the Cobra and pushed 600 rwhp with the combo. It was one ferocious Mustang, and things were going well for a while. One day, Daniel happened across a competitor in another 2002 Z06 Corvette, thinking it would be a quick snack for his pony car. When they hit it side by side, the Z06 walked away from him. That Corvette was an all-motor 402ci setup, and it was enough to put the hurt on his huffed horsey. It was that moment that Daniel realized his mistake, that he should have kept his Corvette. So, the Mustang was put out to pasture, and he began searching for another Z06.
This time around, Daniel had some goals for his upcoming Z06. He wanted something that would retain daily driveability, be as reliable as possible, and run single digits at the dragstrip. Daniel went on a massive shopping spree, gathering all the components up for this project. Once all the parts had arrived, it took him and his team at Lethal Performance (San Antonio) a scant three days of thrashing to get it all installed and running. Who ever said Overhaulin' only happens in front of a TV camera?
 You are looking at 402 ci...  You are looking at 402 ci of LS2, stuffed by a centrifugal supercharger system. This potent combo pushes the Corvette into the mid-9s at nearly 150 mph. |  The interior is mostly stock,...  The interior is mostly stock, except for the later-generation C6 Corvette shift knob. Those two glowing pillar gauges should serve as a potential warning to those daring enough to taunt this Z06 on the highway. |  The fully polished Paxton...  The fully polished Paxton Novi 2000 supercharger pushes 14 pounds of pressure into that FAST intake manifold-good enough for 900 hp at the rear wheels! |