April 29, 1996: "Hooters" Corvette Races Its Way Across America

For Release:  April 29, 1996
Contact:  Chevrolet/Geo Communications
Phone:  (800) CHEVY-MI or (810) 492-8841 Fax:  (810) 492-8853

"Hooters" Corvette Races Its Way Across America

PHOENIX, Ariz . -- Begin with one of the most respected performance cars on the planet, add sponsorship from one of America’s most unique line of restaurants and the result is the "Hooters" Corvette. This one-if-a-kind road machine got plenty of attention when it completed the "One Lap of America" race in 1995. It continues to draw attention today.

Offering an eye-catching flashy exterior, the Hooters Corvette also offers attention-getting performance under its hood. A modified 1994 Corvette, this impressive machine produces 387 horsepower -- which it puts to good use.

This unique sports car began as a stock Corvette with a six-speed manual transmission. The LT1 engine was reworked to obtain a minimum of 60 more horsepower than the standard 300 horsepower output. Put in "tech terms," the "block was cleaned" and the "skirt blasted" for stress relief, and then the block was "decked and bored" to enhance performance.

A forged GM crankshaft was employed along with performance pistons, rods and floating wrist pins to give the engine a combination of durability and muscle. The base camshaft was replaced by a performance camshaft with a more aggressive profile and the rotating masses were balanced and assembled using state-of-the-art race engine procedures to ensure that the car had an effective racing stance.

Attention was paid to the many details that would turn this engine into a street dominator. The cylinder heads were given a complete port and polishing treatment, and the valves and seats were given a multi-angle valve grind for smooth, effective operation. The valve spring seats were machined and performance valve springs installed for boosted performance. The valve stem sealbosses were modified to accept Teflon seals, performance locks and titanium retainers for high durability. A roller rocker arm assembly was installed, and the stud bosses were machined to team with pushrod guide plates to further enhance engine performance. Final compression ratio is 11:1.

The engine assembly was completed with the use of the entire LT1 front-end accessory drive system. The stock air filter was replaced by a performance unit for more effective engine breathing, and the throttle body inlet received an air entry guide for greater efficiency.

The engine was reinstalled in the vehicle and initial drive evaluations were performed to test its performance range. These evaluations lead to the upgrade of the front brake pad material to handle the extra performance this car is capable of, as well as the upgrade to Corvette ZR-1 wheels and tires, due to their slightly larger size and higher speed rating.

With these kinds of modifications, it’s easy to see that the Hooters Corvette was designed for racing. "Last year we participated in the One Lap of America race," said Jon Moss, Manager of Chevrolet Geo Specialty Vehicles. "This is a 6,000-mile race where almost a hundred cars of various descriptions and classes travel to eight or nine race tracks around the country. They perform against each other in a timed competition and get points for each of the events in which they participate. All-in-all, this event takes about six days to complete."

The Hooters Corvette again demonstrated the capability of Chevrolet racing. "We ended up selecting two drivers to run the Corvette in the race," said Moss. "At that time, Hooters restaurant became one of the sponsors for the car, along with numerous other businesses. The car proved extremely durable, and placed fifth, overall."

HOOTERS CORVETTE TECHNICAL INFORMATION

ENGINE SUMMARY

• DISPLACEMENT: 350 cubic inches (5.7L)
• BORE: 4.02"
• STROKE: 3.48"
• COMPRESSION RATIO: 11.0:1
• PEAK TORQUE: 366.9 lb-ft. @ 4500 rpm
• PEAK POWER: 386.8 bhp @ 5700 rpm

SHORT BLOCK

• CLEVITE main bearing, MS 1523 P
• EAGLE 6.0" rod
• CLEVITE rod bearing, CB 663 H
• WISECO forged flat top pistons, #K012A2
• SPIROLOX piston pin retention, CS-24
• WISECO wrist piston pins, S-424
• SPEED PRO oil ring set, R9401-.025
• CRANE CAMS, INC. camshaft #10HR00019
• COMPETITION CAM valve spring, #987-16-DC
• CRANE billet rocker arm