Austin Rothenberger has had a lifelong love for cars and driving fast. Although he’s just 27 years old, his list of previous vehicles is lengthy and filled with modified street cars. Automobiles are not just machines but works of art, each with its own personality and story. From childhood memories of modified go-carts and dirt bikes to racing dune buggies and modifying cars, the passion for racing runs deep in his family. Influenced by his grandfather, who raced motorcycles, and a mechanic father who loved anything to do with racing, the need for speed has always been a part of life. His current car of choice is a C7 Corvette Grand Sport (GS) Collectors Edition that has received a complete makeover by the experts at Vengeance Racing.
Austin picked up this completely stock Collector’s Edition C7 Grand Sport and promptly took it to Vengeance Racing to get a complete makeover.
Racing Is More Than Just A Hobby
With racing in Austin’s blood; it’s a way of life. “I was the undefeated heavyweight racing champion of Sembra and Durhamtown back in my day,” Austin says with a smile and a laugh. He considers the track a second home, with the quarter-mile being his favorite, Austin has raced countless cars and builds over the years. From a full bolt-on fifth-gen Camaro SS to this supercharged and full bolt-on C7 Corvette Grand Sport, the journey has been one of constant evolution and a pursuit of perfection.
The 2017 Collector’s Edition C7 Grand Sport is a limited-production model that Corvette purists would likely leave stock. Austin is not a purist and prefers to have gobs of horsepower on tap from his highly modified C7.
Austin’s dream car roared to life in Doraville, Georgia. This wasn’t just any car—it was a 2017 Chevrolet Corvette 3LT Collector’s Edition Grand Sport, a testament to automotive excellence and American sports car engineering. With just 18,475 miles on the odometer when Austin took ownership, this Corvette wasn’t merely a purchase but the beginning of an exhilarating journey.
The Journey To Find The Perfect Replacement
Austin found his Corvette after an extensive online search and through the recommendation that “Buyavette” was the place to go. This particular Corvette stood out, not just for its impressive specs but for the potential it held. The allure was irresistible, especially after the tragic loss of a previous C7 build to a fire. Austin says he needed a new machine to let his “red, white, and blue balls feel freedom’s breeze” and to have his “ears ring with the scream of bald eagles while tearing down the highways”. This Corvette is more than a car; it is a symbol of resilience and a love for speed.
The current iteration of his Corvette Grand Sport, a heavily built beast with 1,000 wheel horsepower thanks to Vengeance Racing, is a force to be reckoned with. “Many underestimate it, thinking it’s just a naturally aspirated bolt-on car, only to be blown away when they hear the scream of the 2650 supercharger,” Austin says. “This Corvette has left a trail of defeated Hellcats, Demons, Z06s, and GT500s, proving its dominance time and again.”
Turning Rare Into One-Of-A-Kind
What makes this Vengeance Racing C7 even more special is its rarity. As number 351 of the limited-production Collector’s Edition Grand Sport, it stands out not just for its performance but also for its exclusivity. With fewer than 800 in the US and only 935 worldwide, it’s a Corvette collector’s dream. The Tension Blue color, unique to this edition, and the extensive modifications, make it one-of-a-kind.
Once the C7 was in the hands of the experts at Vengeance Racing it didn’t take long for them to get the car stripped down and begin the rebuild.
Building and maintaining a car like this is a significant investment of time and money. Austin wanted the best of the best on this project and to raise the bar from his previous C7. He knew Vengeance Racing could bring together the necessary components and build the car with great attention to detail. The parts and modification list is extensive, and the result is more than Austin expected.
Vengeance works with some of the best companies in the industry, including Late Model Engines and CID.
Knowing the Corvette was going to make 1,000-plus horsepower, the expert technicians at Vengeance Racing upgraded the C7 rotating assembly with one of its VR-spec Gen-V drop-in piston and connecting rod packages. A VR Gen-V Cam Kit Plus package was installed that includes a VR-spec custom camshaft, Johnson 2110R hydraulic lifters, hardened pushrods, and a CHE trunnion kit. Additional components included in the package are a Late Model Engines (LME) billet timing chain guide and VVT-delete front cover, a new IWIS high-performance timing chain set, a DOD delete kit, and ARP cylinder head studs. A pair of CID Gen-V LT1 cylinder heads are used for their excellent airflow performance.
A Boost Of Freedom
The crowning jewel in the engine bay is a Magnuson 2650 supercharger providing boost and the blower sounds we love to hear. A pair of port fuel injection adapter plates from Too High PSI are located under the supercharger and have a set of Fuel Injector Clinic 1,000cc injectors that supply the additional fuel this engine needs to make four-digit horsepower. A Nick Williams 112mm throttle body helps feed the supercharger large quantities of air. A 10-rib conversion from Too High PSI helps combat belt slippage and consists of a GripTec 2.85-inch upper pulley, a DSX Tuning C7 Z06 9.84-inch lower pulley, and a Gates Green HD supercharger belt.
The Magnuson 2650 supercharger is a perfect match for the Gen V LT1 and the chilled water tank in the trunk help keep the charge air cool.
To keep the intake air temperatures in check, an air-to-water intercooler system was installed using a Cordes Performance C7 trunk-mounted HX tank, a Stewart Components EMP water pump, and a C&R Racing C7Z heat exchanger. Supplying plenty of fuel to go along the cooled air intake charge is a FORE Triple in-tank fuel pump setup feeding an LT4 fuel S-pipe and intermediate fuel feed pipe, along with the FIC port injectors. Controlling the fueling demands is a Haltech/Brian Tooley Racing port injection control system.
The Mickey Thompson tires and Weld Racing wheels complete the drag car look and will help Austin minimize traction issues.
To get the C7’s 1,000-wheel horsepower to the ground, Vengeance Racing installed an 8L90E automatic transmission from RPM and GForce Engineering Outlaw C7 axles. In order to get more traction and a bigger tire under the rear of the C7, a BMR Suspension C7 17-inch wheel conversion kit makes room for the Weld Racing S71 beadlock rear wheels and 305/45R17 Mickey Thompson ET Street R drag radial tires.
Let Freedom Ring
Austin says driving this Corvette is an experience like no other. While the C7 Grand Sport is known for its handling, this car is built for drag racing. The journey with his Corvette is far from over, and Austin has quarter-mile goals in sight. He’s confident he can get his car to run eight-second passes, and his long-term goal is to make a seven-second pass. In the meantime, you may see Austin flying down a highway letting all 1,000 bald eagles sing the song of freedom.
