Advanced Modern Performance (AMP) is in the business of building some seriously incredible, high-horsepower vehicles – and this they do well. About a month ago, we got the scoop on the very first ProCharger-equipped C7 Z06 and how it made 917 rwhp on 93 octane gas, and 20 pounds of boost. As impressive as those figures were, we were more intrigued by their claim that (with a few tweaks and upgrades) the ‘Vette would be producing upwards of 1,000 horses on the same pump gas.
At that time, it was only word of mouth. Now, however, after said tweaking and testing, AMP has the official dyno results. Running 93 octane pump gas, methanol injection, and 22 pounds of boost pressure, AMP’s Z06 has indeed broken the 1,000 horsepower milestone, producing 1020 hp at the rear wheels and a modest 833 lb-ft of torque.
When we checked in on the Z06 last time, AMP and ProCharger had fitted a number of goodies, like some Brian Tooley top-end upgrades, 2-inch headers, and the ProCharger F-1x blower. The secret behind the 103 hp jump, though, is the addition of 4-inch intercooler piping and the extra boost. Not a great deal of modification for such a large increase in power – a testament to the versatility of both the Corvette’s LT4 powerplant and ProCharger’s F-1X.
Getting such great performance from the F-1X blower shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. ProCharger is a leader in the forced induction market, and the F-1X is one of their top-of-the-line racing blowers. It features a centrifugal, self-contained, high-speed bearing design, and offers immense power potential for just about any application. Obviously, it was the right choice for this C7.
Normally, however, for a machine running racing fuel, this wouldn’t be too remarkable a figure. Good, no doubt, but not exactly ground-breaking. Running pump gas in a performance engine, on the other hand, and still achieving above 1,000 horsepower – that’s not so easily achieved.
It’s impressive to note the fact that the Z06 is running this level of boost on such a low octane fuel. Lower octane fuels burn faster and hotter than higher octane fuels, thus the need for special racing fuels. In general, the higher the level of boost being used and the higher the compression ratio of the engine, the higher the octane rating should be to prevent excessive heat wear and pre-detonation.
Granted, this Z06 is equipped with a substantial intercooling system and methanol injection. However, 93 octane is still a fairly low octane level compared to the 100-115 octane level in typical racing fuels, and it also has a 10.0:1 compression ratio (a relatively high ratio to be using 22 pounds of boost). So, again, this is a testament to the versatility, and reliability, of the LT4.
All in all, the work that AMP and ProCharger are getting done on this Z06 is outstanding. Luckily for us, AMP, ProCharger, and the ‘Vette will be at SEMA next week. The car is definitely a sight to behold, so be sure to check in with these guys and experience this radical C7 for yourself.