eing a car guy isn’t necessarily defined as one who is into only domestic muscle cars— vintage or otherwise. Calvin Suther got his automotive feet wet in the import scene during his high school years tinkering and wrenching on Mitsubishis. To him the imports were cool, but he had always fantasized about someday owning a C6 Z06 Corvette. Not a bad choice for a young hot rodder gazing into the world of domestic horsepower. “When this local car came up for sale it was nearby and the price was right, so I figured this was a good opportunity to explore a domestic late-model ride,” Calvin states. “I really wanted something with an LS powerplant as they are proven to make good power with little effort.”

No word on if Calvin sold off the Mitsu, but we do know he set focus on the Vette and getting it dialed in with big horsepower while maintaining reliability on the street. Right off Calvin sold the original LS7 block to fund a new LSX 451 machined and built by Don Hardy Race Cars, which currently lives underhood. He kept the Advanced Induction heads, and the B3 cam was swapped for another one with a nitrous grind. The stock intake was swapped for a FAST LSXR 102mm intake fronted with a Nick Williams 102mm throttle body and a K&N element along with a Halltech housing to gulp in additional atmosphere. American Racing 17/8-inch headers blast spent fuel through the stock GM exhaust topped with NPP modded Z06 mufflers. A Nitrous Outlet Direct Port nitrous system puts the Vette in full send.